A special evening celebrating the life, legacy, and spirit of Héctor “Tito” Matos, the master percussionist, vocalist, and passionate guardian of the plena – the African-rooted musical form from Puerto Rico. Tito helped create and name the Hostos Center’s “BomPlenazo Festival” – the biennial celebration of Afro-Puerto Rican music and dance that began in 2000.
Bringing together the artistry of several bomba and plena artists from New York and Puerto Rico, the BomPlenazo Collective will raise the volume on the songs Tito sang and made popular. As one “familia,” the Collective will pay tribute to Tito’s spirit and his 40 years of artistic, educational and humanitarian contributions.
Luminaries of “Viento de Agua” and “Los Pleneros de la 21” will be featured, along with a special presentation by “La Máquina Insular” with Alex «Apolo» Ayala, Nelson Matthew González, Desmar Guevara, Juan Gutiérrez, Norka Nadal, Ricardo Pons, Erick Noel Rosado, Alberto Toro, Víctor Vélez.
A special thank you to “Los Pleneros de la 21” for their collaborations and contributions.
This BomPlenazo concert made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts, The Howard Gilman Foundation, the offices of City Council member Rafael Salamanca, Jr., and New York State Assemblyman José Rivera