Papo Vazquez Leads National Puerto Rican Day Performance in NYC

Papo Vazquez will be Musical Director of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Orchestra this Sunday, June 9th.

He has been the musical director of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Orchestra on  (Main Stage WABC 7) since 2016. For the past two years, the Orchestra has performed mostly Papo Vázquez original compositions.

Watch last year's performance here: 

GRAMMY-nominated Papo Vázquez has announced the release date of his 11th CD, Songs Del Yucayeke, along with bandmates, Mighty Pirates Troubadours. The CD will be released on June 21, 2024, on Picaro Records, and will be available on all digital platforms, as well as on CD.  Songs Del Yucayeke will feature new original compositions, and arrangements, from Vázquez running the full gamut of the ensemble's fusion of Jazz, Puerto Rican folkloric music, and other Afro Caribbean rhythms. As always Vázquez' Mighty Pirates Troubadours demonstrate why they are perennial leaders on the Latin Jazz scene.  

Vázquez' musical bona fides includes stints with some of Latin music's top names such as Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri, Willie Colón, Larry Harlow, Hector LaVoe, Rubén Blades, and the Fania All Stars. He was a founding member of iconic musical groups such as Jerry Gonzalez' Fort Apache Band, Manny Oquendo's Conjunto Libre, and Batacumbele. While a member of Batacumbele, Vázquez contributed compositions and arrangements to the band's now classic repertoire. Vázquez has also performed, or recorded, with Jazz luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra, Slide Hampton's World of Trombones, Wayne Shorter, Wynton Marsalis J@LC Orchestra, Hilton Ruiz, and Dave Valentin, among others. 

In 2008 Vázquez' CD Marooned/Aislado, which featured an expanded 19 piece Afro-Puerto Rican Jazz Orchestra version of the Pirates Troubadours, received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album. The current iteration of the Mighty Pirates Troubadours includes Jose Mangual (Vocals and Chorus), Ivan Renta (Tenor Saxophone), Rick Germanson (Piano), Ariel Robles (Bass), Alvester Garnett (Drums), Carlos Maldonado (Barril de Bomba, Pandero, Guicharo, Guiro, Timbales [6], Congas [3], Bongo [10]), Reinaldo DeJesus - Barril de Bomba, Pandero, Tambourine, Congas and Papo Vázquez (Trombone, Vocals, Chorus). Guest Artists include Rodney Jones (Guitar), Eric Figueroa (Piano), Jose Claussell (Bongo, Minor Perc.), Bruce Williams (Alto Saxophone), and Raul Rios (Trumpet).