Que Pasa - TT: What's going on - Artículo Breve

Latin Beat Magazine, Oct, 2001 by Rudy Mangual

The Los Angeles County Arts Commission, with the support of the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, announced their annual Arts Open House set for October 6. Over 150 arts events including performances of music, dance and theatre, visual arts exhibitions, film and television screenings, and workshops will be offered free to the public on Saturday, October 6. The event marks the city's National Arts and Humanities Month celebration as well as the California Arts Council's 25th Anniversary. Numerous events and activities will take place in 36 different communities throughout the greater Los Angeles area as part of this grand Arts Open House.

Patrons of the arts and humanities can take in a mariachi and Latin jazz concert in East L.A., a street painting festival in Santa Clarita, screenings of "I Love Lucy" episodes in Beverly Hills, a classic car show in Inglewood, Beethoven in Long Beach, a poetry workshop in Glendale and or an American Indian story in La Cañada. Many of these activities are geared toward families and some feature hands-on participation.

This year, the Arts Open House has a total of 14 designated centers of activity. These are areas where the public can come, park and spend the day, easily walking between events. Some of the prime centers are the Ford Amphitheatre (Hollywood), Grand Performances/California Plaza (downtown L.A.), Lancaster Performing Arts Center, the Museum of Latin American Art (Long Beach), Pasadena Conservatory of Music, Museum Row (mid-Wilshire section of L.A.), and the Music Center of Los Angeles County (downtown L.A.). Music events to attend include Percussion Music from Latin America by Julio Ledezma - Viver Brazil, contemporary dance interpretations from Brazil - and All Baba, traditional Malian music accompanied by stories of the African people. All these events will take place at the California Plaza center in downtown L.A. For the most up-to-date schedule of activities and information on the L.A. County Arts Commission visit their website at http://www.lacountyarts.org --and through the Open House 24-hour Hotline, 213-972-3099.

The 5th Annual Los Angeles Latin Jazz Festival presents Latin Divas starring Mercedes Sosa, Gal Costa and Dori Caymmi, benefiting The Los Angeles Latin Jazz Foundation. Scheduled for Saturday, October 6 at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, this year's festival showcases the gifted vocals and interpretations of Mercedes Sosa, the driving force behind the nueva canción movement of Latin America. Also sharing the stage with Sosa will be two of Brazil's leading singers --Gal Costa (a pioneer of the Tropicália movement and a leading vocalist for over three decades) and Dori Caymmi (a passionate interpreter of the Brazilian traditions).

In celebration of Latino Heritage 2001 the Grand Performances Summer Season 2001 series of free concerts at the California Plaza will feature Domingosiete on Friday, October 12 at noon. This is evocative music that will take you back many years when radio was playing the cumbias and sones that many of us loved. Domingosiete blends classic and original music that pays homage to tradition but is filtered through the contemporary vision of its seven brilliant young members.

Albert Torres Productions continues to surprise and delight dancers in Los Angeles with his Friday Salsa Nights at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City, as he features local and international top talents. Upcoming events include the group Son Sublime from New York on October 5; also from New York City, Jimmy Bosch & his New York Band on October 12; and direct from Cuba, the legendary Orquesta Aragón on November 9. For a complete schedule of performances and information visit www.salsaweb.com/albert.> The 3rd Annual El Premio de la Gente, Ritmo Latino Music Awards 2001 will be held on October 18 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. This award show is the first in Latin music history where the public selects the winners in a nationwide popular voting process. Voting takes place nationally at 325 Vons supermarket stores and at 41 Ritmo Latino Music Stores.

On-line voting is also available thanks to AT&T Wireless at www.RitmoMusicAwards.com. Performing this year at the awards show will be Mexican superstar Juan Gabriel and A.B. Quintanilla y Los Kumbia Kings, among others. Fans will be able to vote on 14 different music categories.

From our northern neighbors in San Francisco comes PlazaCuba Music Seminars. This group conducts legal travel to Cuba for cultural and educational purposes, offering a unique taste of Cuban culture during their upcoming Popular Music and Dance Workshop and Music Educator Seminars, scheduled from February 16, 2002 through March 2, 2002. The ten days of intensive music instruction draws on a star-studded faculty of world-class players and educators. These first workshops of the year 2002 in Havana, Cuba, coincide with the city's carnaval celebration. For more information visit www.PlazaCuba.com.