Celebrating the Afro Latin Roots of Jazz
Salsa! Co-curated by Picture Editor, Author, Collector Vicky Gold Levi and International Salsa Museum Co-founder, Pianist, Composer Willy Rodriguez
August 1- October 19, 2024
The National Jazz Museum in Harlem continues our celebration of the Afro Latin Roots of Jazz with our first-ever collaboration with the International Salsa Museum.
The International Salsa Museum (ISM) is driven by an unwavering passion to preserve the vibrant and rich history of salsa music and honoring and celebrating the cultural heritage of salsa, ensuring its legacy thrives for future generations. The National Jazz Museum in Harlem (NJMH) is dedicated to preserving, promoting and presenting jazz. This provides a perfect framework for our first-ever collaboration to celebrate the space where salsa and jazz history, music and culture unite.
If jazz was born in New Orleans, it spent a lot of time growing up in Harlem. Salsa was born in New York City, so it’s only natural that there should be a museum dedicated to its origins, influence and sounds. Equally natural is a celebration of the roots, birth and evolution of Afro Latin jazz. NJMH has invited Bronx-based ISM to join the celebration with a showcase of part of their collection in our space. The exhibit, with rarely-seen photographs from the collection of Picture Editor, Author, Collector Vicky Gold Levi, will also feature music, clothing, instruments and limited-edited merchandise, and will continue through Hispanic Heritage Month. The collection will transform during its stay to include newly-added surprise artifacts, workshops with salseros, presentations by salsa historians, and live performances by the NJMH House Band and other artists. Currently highlighted are legendary pioneers of salsa, rumba and Afro Latin jazz including “King of Latin Music” Tito Puente, trumpeter Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros, bassists Andy Gonzalez and Alfonso Panama Joseph, vocalist La Lupe, flutists Karen Joseph and Dave Valentin, pianist Eddie Palmieri and so many others.
Check our events page for exhibit updates.
National Jazz Museum in Harlem
We are your go-to venue for off-site meetings, receptions, film screenings, workshops, networking events, socials and more. Located in the heart of Central Harlem’s thriving culinary and entertainment district, The National Jazz Museum in Harlem is the perfect place to hold your next gathering.