Led by renowned pianist, composer, arranger and musical director, Oscar Hernández, 5X GRAMMY nominated Spanish Harlem Orchestra is truly honored and grateful to announce their third GRAMMY win! The 13-piece ensemble graciously accepted the award for Best Tropical Latin Album for their fifth album, Anniversary at the 61st GRAMMY ceremony, which took place on Sunday, February 10th at The Staples Center in Los Angeles. Hernandez accepted the award in the company of members Marco Bermudez, Carlos Cascante, Luisito Quintero, Doug Beavers, and Jeremy Bosch.
“On behalf of Spanish Harlem Orchestra, we are ecstatic and on an emotional high after winning our third Grammy, ” said Hernandez this morning, adding, “…it speaks volumes about the commitment and passion we have for our music and as well as its history. We are so proud to represent the best of legacy. Que Viva SHO!”
“On behalf of Spanish Harlem Orchestra, we are ecstatic and on an emotional high after winning our third Grammy, ” said Hernandez this morning, adding, “…it speaks volumes about the commitment and passion we have for our music and as well as its history. We are so proud to represent the best of legacy. Que Viva SHO!”
Upon its release on April 4th, 2018, Anniversary received worldwide acclaim from prominent outlets such as Downbeat Magazine, Jazzwise, Jazz Journal, New York City Jazz Record, The Mercury News, Edmonton Journal, KCRW, and others. The iconic ensemble is now set to follow this win with a four-night run at New York City’s Jazz Standard, beginning February 21st through February 24th, 2019. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased here. Set times: 7:30pm & 9:30pm.
Since their inception 15 years ago, Spanish Harlem Orchestra (SHO), has earned its reputation as the true voice of the barrio with intricate arrangements and pulsating rhythms that are steeped in the authentic salsa tradition. Their high-energy performances have delighted audiences across the globe from Asia to Australia, from Latin America to Europe. Grounded in the past, but with a focused eye on the future, Spanish Harlem Orchestra continues to play an integral role in ensuring salsa dura (“hard salsa”) is not just alive, but a thriving musical force. “Over the course of 15 years, the consistent thread in each of our records has been the hardcore rhythm, sophisticated arrangements and a lot of care toward producing quality music with high integrity for our genre, ” says Hernández.
Each member of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra has a significant connection to the authentic salsa tradition. It begins with Hernández, who has long been considered one of the most prominent musicians on the Latin, salsa and Latin-jazz music scene. Hernández’s musical legacy can be traced back to the 1970’s, a time in which he performed with a who’s who of salsa legends including Tito Puente, Machito, Celia Cruz, Ray Barretto, Rubén Blades, ConjuntoLibre, and Willie Colon. Later, Hernández went on to become the Musical Director for Paul Simon as well as the orchestrator and arranger for Gloria Estefan.
Produced by Hernández and co-produced by SHO trombonist and 2018 GRAMMY nominee Doug Beavers, Anniversary builds on the dynamic legacy built by their previous five releases. Considered “virtuosic journeymen who are one of New York’s great musical resources” (The New York Times), SHO has expanded greatly from their home turf of Harlem to some of the world’s premier stages including the Sydney Opera House, The Edmonton Jazz Festival, the Playboy Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, and many others.
This third GRAMMY punctuates a landmark period for the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. After releasing Anniversary to worldwide acclaim, the ensemble maintained a vigorous touring schedule that brought them across the country and the world. After performing at numerous Canadian jazz festivals, SHO performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival to present Monterey Encounter (A Latin Jazz Suite for Flute), a specially commissioned piece written by Oscar Hernández, featuring NEA Jazz Master Hubert Laws.
Previous nominations including Best Salsa Album for Un Gran Día En El Barrio (2002) and Best Tropical Latin Album for United We Swing (2007). In 2004, Spanish Harlem Orchestra won their first GRAMMY in the Best Salsa/Merengue Album category for Across 110th Street. In 2010, the group won Best Tropical Latin Album for Viva La Tradición.
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