Lehman Center for the Performing Arts presents El Parrandón de la Gran Manzana on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 8 8 p.m. The show features Víctor Roque, Henry Hierro, Pablo Martinez, Willie Gomez, Victor Brito, Tony Valdez, with special guests, Grupo d’Ahora, and the great salsa showman and Lehman Center favorite, José Alberto aka “El Canario.” This historic reunion of the original members of La Gran Manzana will be a one-of-a kind concert at Lehman Center, a celebration welcoming in the Christmas season.

 

The merengue band, La Grand Manzana, was founded in 1982 by members Victor Roque and Henry Hierro. Known as one of the most influential bands of the 80s and 90s, Roque’s goal was to create a traditional merengue band with North American influences. Their sound is a unique combination of a musical structure developed by Hierro combined with the avant-garde dynamism Roque learned from American music.

 

After deciding to move ahead with the band, the duo integrated singers, Valdez, Willie Hierro and Marcos Burdier. Along with these singers, the band relaunched under the name “La Gran Manzana,” meaning “The Big Apple,” paying homage to New York City, which is where all the members lived at the time. The group recorded their first project entitled “Henry, Víctor y La Gran Manzana” in 1983, but it wasn’t until their second album of the same name was released in 1984, that they became a radio sensation with the hits, “Mentirosa,” “Mole Mole,” and “Rosa Blanca” topping the music charts.

 

Their other hits include songs such as “Por Tu Querer,” “No Me Sigues Más,” and “Tus Besos.” Roque and Henry Hierro will join together once again, along with leading members Martinez, Gomez, Brito, and Valdez to perform these timeless songs on the Lehman Center stage for a historic “La Gran Manzana” reunion.

 

Alberto got the nickname “El Canario” (The Canary) because of his exquisite voice and amazing ability to use his highly melodious whistling skills as a soloing instrument. He is one of the most successful and respected artists on the salsa music scene. Alberto first received international attention in 1977 as the lead vocalist of the groundbreaking ensemble, “Típica ’73,” whose recordings include “Salsa Encendida,” (1978), “Charangueando con La Típica ’73,” (1980), and “Into the ’80s” (1981).

 

Forming his own group in 1983, Alberto recorded three albums entitled, “Típicamente” (1984), “Canta Canario” (1985) and “Latino Style” (1986). In the ’90s, Alberto recorded several hit recordings, including “Dance with Me” (1991), followed by “Llegó la Hora” (1992), with hit tracks, “Nada se Compara Contigo” and “Discúlpeme Señora.”

 

His 1997 “Tributo a 2016 Machito” featured guest Grammy winners, Tito Puente and Dave Valentín. In 2011, Alberto’s album “Original” was nominated for a Grammy award, and he won a 2013 Latin Grammy award, as a featured vocalist, on “Sergio George Presents Salsa Giants.” In 2015, El Canario released Latin, Grammy-winning, Best Traditional Tropical Album, “Tributo a Los Compadres: No Quiero Llanto.”

 

In May of 2018, El Canario released his album, “Salsa Con Invitados,” which was nominated for the Grammy for Best Traditional Tropical Album, for his release with “El Septeto Santiaguero” entitled “A Mi Qué – Tributo a los Clásicos Cubanos.” His latest album, “El Maestro Vive Cumbre,” which was created with the help of both Gilberto Santa Rosa and Charlie Donato, was released on February 15, 2022. This album pays homage to the late maestro, Johnny Pacheco.

 

Grupo d’Ahora is a Dominican típico band that was founded in 2017. They specialize in typical merengue music with a modern twist without losing the classic sound of the oldest genres in the Dominican Republic. The band is a trio of artists, Bralen Robles, Randy Collado, and Joe Yunior Peña. Based in New York City, they are most well known for their song “La Colota (Marapica),” which was released in 2018. They will be making their Lehman Center debut at the upcoming concert in December.

 

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. is supported, in part, by public funds through the SVOG Grant. In addition, Lehman Center receives funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the New York City Council and the Bronx delegation. The center wishes to thank U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nydia Velázquez (NY-9) for their support of arts and culture by implementing the SVOG grant.

 

The center would also like to thank Assemblyman José Rivera for what the center representatives say is his generous grant from The New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Department. Additional funding is provided by the New York State Council of the Arts, with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State legislature. The 2022-2023 season is also made possible through sponsorship by Goya Foods, Con Edison, Havana Café and Friends of Lehman Center.

 

Lehman Center is located on the campus of Lehman College/CUNY at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468. Tickets for El Parrandón de la Gran Manzana on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. can be purchased at $100, $70, $60, $50, and $35 by calling the Lehman Center box office at (718) 960-8833, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Alternatively, tickets can be purchased on the day of the show from 4 p.m., or online at https://www.lehmancenter.org/events/parrandon-gran-manzana. The Lehman Center is accessible by the 4 or D subway to Bedford Park Boulevard, or by road, off the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Major Deegan Expressway.