September 9, 2012 7:00 PM Jerry González & El Comando de la Clave at The Painted Bride Art Center

Sunday, September 9 | 7pm Jerry Gonzalez & El Comando de la Clave Debut American Tour 2012 Featuring featuring Javier Masso “Caramelo” (piano), Alain Perez (bass, vocals), and Kiki Ferrer (drums) $25 in advance/$30 day of | Members: $18.75/$22.50 Named 2011 Latin Album of the Year by Downbeat Magazine, veteran trumpeter-percussionist-composer Jerry Gonzalez returns to the Bride to debut a brand new project. Jerry Gonzalez has been living the Afro/Latin lifestyle since 4 years of age when his musical family moved to Manhattan. His father Jerry Sr. emceed and sang for the best Latin big bands during the Palladium era. Little Jerry was immersed by Afro-Cuban rhythms daily. He picked up the congas and trumpet and by the time he was in junior high he was jamming and playing paid gigs with local bands. Not too long after completing his formal studies he was lending African based conga rhythms to Latin Jazz pioneers of the day including Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Palmieri and Manny Oquendo. His signature sound then became an integral part of large ensembles lead by Tito Puento, McCoy Tyner, as well as Jaco Pastorius. With his brother Andy Gonzalez, Jerry founded the Conjunto Anabacoa, Grupo Folklórico y Experimental Nuevayorkino. Numerous records, tours, write-ups, awards and honors later, Jerry continued to explore the Afro/Latin music Diaspora sourcing new inspiration, creating, producing and performing new works. Inevitably, in 1979 Gonzalez would form his best-known band: Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band which included his brother Andy and other members such as Kenny Kirkland, Sonny Fortune, Nicky Marrero, Milton Cardona, Papo Vazquez and the late Jorge Dalto. The ensembles first two albums were recorded live at European jazz festivals, The River is Deep in 1982 in Berlin and Obatalá in 1988 in Zurich. These were followed by their hit album, Rumba Para Monk, in 1988, earning them recognition from the French Academie du Jazz with the Jazz Record of the Year award. This was the record that caught the ears of the jazz community, and is still considered a stellar project. After the premiere of Calle 54, in 2000, Gonzalez spontaneously relocated to Madrid where he immersed himself in the flamenco scene. Drawing on years of experience he began to explore and develop a new concept within the genre.