Mastbaum High School Alumni
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PA)
Papo Vazquez
Mastbaum High School
Class of 1976
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PAPO'S PROFILE
| First Name | Papo |
| Last Name | Vazquez |
| Graduation Year | Class of 1976 |
| Gender | Male |
| Relationship Status | Married |
| About Me | NEA Latino Master Papo Vazquez. WWW.PAPOVAZQUEZ.COM Click Here - Youtube website: http://www.youtube.com/user/PapoV77 Papo Vázquez Biography ~ April 2010 Trombonist, composer and arranger Papo Vázquez is more than thirty-five years into a career spanning the jazz, Latin, Afro-Caribbean and classical music and recording worlds. Recent honors include a commission from Wynton Marsalis for a new work inspired by Cuban painter Wilfredo Lam, which was performed as part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz and Art concert this past February, and a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album for Papo Vázquez’ Mighty Pirates 2008 recording Marooned/Aíslado, on his own independent label, Picaro Records. He will be presented with a Latino Masters Award by the Pregones Theater in 2011 under the National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces: Presenting program. Beginnings Vázquez was born in 1958 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After spending his early years in Puerto Rico, he grew up in the heart of North Philadelphia's Puerto Rican community. He bought his first trombone from a friend for $5 and joined the elementary school band. At the age of 14, an uncle recommended him to a local salsa band, where he met trumpet player Jimmy Purvis. Purvis inspired Papo’s lifelong passion for jazz by giving him two records: J.J. Johnson's Blue Trombone and John Coltrane Live at the Village Vanguard. By 15, Vázquez was performing with local Latin bands in Philadelphia and accompanying visiting artists such as Eddie Palmieri. At only 17, he moved to New York and was hired to play for trumpet player Chocolate Armentero's band, and soon began playing and recording with other top artists in the salsa scene like The Fania All- Stars, Ray Barretto, Willie Colón, Grupo Folklorico Nuyorquino, Eddie Palmieri, Larry Harlow, and Hector La Voe. Vázquez also became a key player in New York’s burgeoning Latin jazz scene of the late 1970's, performing with Jerry Gonzalez, Hilton Ruiz, and more. He began studying with Slide Hampton, eventually recording and performing for Slide Hampton's World of Trombones. Vázquez went on to perform with jazz luminaries Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Foster, Mel Lewis, Mario Rivera, Hilton Ruiz and Milton Cardona, and to tour Europe with the Ray Charles Orchestra. By the age of 22, Vázquez had traveled the globe. He was a founding member of Jerry Gonzalez' Fort Apache and Conjunto Libre as well as of Puerto Rico’s popular Latin fusion band Batacumbele, performing and recording several albums with the group from 1981 to 1985. Upon his return to New York, he joined Tito Puente's Latin Jazz Ensemble, traveling with them as principal trombonist, and toured Europe with Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra. Leader, Composer, Innovator Vázquez has always been deeply moved by jazz, and specifically cites the music of John Coltrane and J.J. Johnson as having most influenced him. In addition, his appreciation for and knowledge of the indigenous music of the Caribbean peoples provides him with a unique ability to fuse Afro-Caribbean rhythms, specifically those from Puerto Rico, with freer melodic and harmonic elements of progressive jazz. During his time back in Puerto Rico with Batacumbele in the 1980s, he began to experiment with “bomba jazz,” a mixture of jazz and traditional Puerto Rican bomba. In 1993 he recorded his first album as a leader, Breakout. He continued collaborating with a variety of Latin Jazz artists, contributing to Hilton Ruiz’s Manhattan Mambo and Abrazate: Descarga Boricua, Vol. 2. In 1999, he released a live recording featuring a number of important New York Latin and jazz artists, including bassist Andy Gonzalez, saxophonists Willie Williams and Michael Brecher, and drummer Horacio Hernandez. The release of Pirates & Troubadours - At the Point, Vol. 1 was followed next year with At The Point, Vol. 2. This project evolved into the Pirates Troubadours, an “Afro- Puerto Rican jazz band” including musicians such as Roberto Cepeda Milton Cardona and Anthony Carrillo on percussion, John Benitez on bass and Dafnis Prieto on drums, The group performed at festivals around the world and released Carnival in San Juan in 2003, followed by From The Badlands in 2007. During this time, interest in Vázquez as a composer grew. He was the first artist to receive a composer’s commission (Iron Jungle) for the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, then a resident orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center. His first classical composition, Palomita – Afro-Caribbean Suite, was commissioned by the Bronx Arts Ensemble and premiered at the Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture in the Bronx in 2004. In 2007, on a commission from the Bronx River Arts Center, he wrote Sube el Rio (River Rising) for their 20th Anniversary “Bronx River Sounds” concert. The same year, through a grant from The Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia, Vázquez was asked to expand Pirates Troubadours, and was commissioned to compose new music for a 19-piece, Afro-Puerto Rican Jazz Orchestra. The 2008 event was recorded live, resulting in Papo Vázquez Mighty Pirates Marooned/Aíslado, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album. The Mighty Pirates Orchestra continues to allow Vázquez the opportunity to blend multi-faceted compositions and trombone style with rhythms of Afro- Caribbean origins and jazz. Sometimes joined by folk dancers that enhance the music, the orchestra has garnered rave reviews. They are known for Papo’s variations on t raditional themes, and terms like like Yuba' Jazz, Holande Pirata, Jibaro Waltz, Plena Funk and Mapeye Jazz are used to help describe his music. In 2009, Vázquez premiered a composition "Oasis" with the Bronx Arts Ensemble at its Memorial Day Concert. It was his seventh year writing for this concert, held annually in Van Cortland Park in the Bronx. This work grew into the expanded Oasis Project, which had its 2010 premiere at the Pregones Theater in the Bronx with the Pirates Troubadours performing with the Bronx Arts Ensemble and Multicultural Music Group. Vázquez has also shared his compositions with Ruben Blades (Tengan Fe/Antecedente), Hilton Ruiz (Manhattan Mambo) and Dave Valentin (Tropic H eat), among others. His song "Baila Plena" from the At The Point, Vol I. recording is featured on the soundtrack for the movie Free Enterprise. Other movie credits include playing on the soundtracks for The Mambo Kings and Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues. ---------- Biografia en español: Angel R. 'Papo' Vázquez, nace un 24 de febrero de 1958 en Filadelfia. USA, uno de los grandes Trombonistas, compositores y arreglistas no solo en la salsa actualmente con una destacadisima participacion en el Jazz latino, se cria en el barrio puertorriqueno de filadelfia, fue alli donde recoje sus primeras experiencias musicales, integrando las bandas escolares. Ya a la edad de trece años se convierte en un músico profesional. Siendo todavía un adolescente, se muda a Nueva York , donde fue a principios de los 1970 q se integra a tocar con los grandes como;el Conjunto Libre, la banda de Héctor Lavoe y con las estrellas de la escena de la salsa como Ray Barretto , Celia Cruz , Eddie Palmieri y Willie Colon,Ruben Blades,y tambien con las Estrellas de Fania. De 1981 a 1985 vivió nuevamente en Puerto Rico, donde fue co-fundador del grupo Batacumbele consiguiendo un éxito explendido,tambien estuvo con la orquesta de Ray Charles , que estaba de gira por Europa. En el campo del jazz, trabajó con Dizzy Gillespie y la Orquesta de las Naciones Unidas, sino también con Frank Foster , Woody Shaw , Mel Lewis , Hilton Ruiz , Dave Valentin y Jerry González . Durante muchos años fue miembro del grupo de Tito Puente, También trabajó en las bandas sonoras de películas como Los reyes del mambo y Mo 'Better Blues ( Spike Lee con). y participa en mas giras y grabaciones con Gillespie y Puente seguido con participaciones en el North American Festival con sus propio grupo. en 1991, presenta su álbum debut como líder, de 1999/2000 en el punto, Vol. I y Vol. II seguido. Con sus trovadores Piratas y el Mighty Orchestra pirata, se mantuvo con éxito, su álbum Marooned / Aislad fue de 2009 nominado para un Grammy, también ha trabajado en grabaciones de Steve Berrios , Gorbea Wayne, Slide Hampton Mundial de Trombones, Dario Estrella, Chico O'Farrill , Manny Oquendo, Chucho Valdés ,Josssie Esteban y Juan Luis Guerra, Papo Vázquez ha sido siempre profundamente conmovido por el jazz, y cita específicamente la música de John Coltrane y JJ Johnson como el que más influyó en él. Además, su apreciación y conocimiento de la música indígena de los pueblos del Caribe le proporciona una capacidad única de fusionar ritmos afro-caribeños, especialmente los de Puerto Rico, con los elementos más libre melódica y armónica del jazz progresivo. Durante su tiempo de vuelta en Puerto Rico con Batacumbele en la década de 1980, comenzó a experimentar con la "bomba de jazz," una mezcla de jazz y tradicional bomba puertorriqueña.En 1993 grabó su primer disco como líder, Breakout. Continuó colaborando con una variedad de artistas de jazz latino, lo que contribuye a Manhattan Hilton Ruiz Mambo y Abrazate: Descarga Boricua, vol. 2. En 1999, publicó una grabación en vivo con un número importante de América de Nueva York y otros artistas de jazz, incluyendo el bajista Andy González, saxofonistas Willie Williams y Michael Brecher, y el baterista Horacio Hernández. La liberación de los piratas y trovadores - En el punto, vol. 1 fue seguido el año que viene con At The Point, vol. 2.Este proyecto se convirtió en los trovadores Piratas, una banda de "afro-jazz de Puerto Rico", incluyendo músicos como Roberto Cepeda Milton Cardona y Anthony Carrillo, en la percusión, John Benítez en el bajo y Dafnis Prieto a la batería, el grupo actuó en festivales de todo el mundo y lanzado Carnaval de San Juan en 2003, seguido por De The Badlands en 2007. Durante este tiempo, el interés por Vázquez como compositor creció. Fue el primer artista en recibir la comisión de un compositor (Iron Jungle) para la Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, a continuación, una orquesta residente en el Jazz at Lincoln Center. Su primera composición clásica, Palomita - afrocaribeña Suite, fue encargada por el Ensemble Artes del Bronx y se estrenó en el Centro Hostos para las Artes y la Cultura en el Bronx en 2004. En 2007, en un commissionfrom el Bronx River Arts Center, escribió Sube el Río (River aumento) por su 20 aniversario "Bronx River Sounds" de conciertos. El mismo año, a través de una subvención de la novia Pintado Centro de Arte de Filadelfia, Vázquez le pidió que ampliar Piratas trovadores, y fue comisionado para componer nueva música para una pieza, afro-puertorriqueña Jazz Orchestra. El evento de 2008 fue grabado en vivo, dando lugar a Papo Vázquez Poderoso Piratas Marooned / Aislado, que recibió una nominación al Grammy por Mejor Álbum de Jazz Latino. The Mighty Piratas Orquesta continúa permitiendo que Vázquez la oportunidad de mezcla composiciones de múltiples facetas y el estilo de trombón con los ritmos de origen afro-caribeño y el jazz. A veces acompañado por bailarines de danza folclórica que mejoran la música, la orquesta ha cosechado críticas muy favorables. Son conocidos por Papo variaciones sobre temas radicional t, y términos como Yuba como el Jazz ', Holande Pirata, Jíbaro Vals, Funk y Jazz Plena Mapeyé se utilizan para ayudar a describir su música. En 2009, Vázquez se estrenó una composición "Oasis" con el Ensamble Arte del Bronx en su Concierto Día de los Caídos. Fue su séptimo año la escritura de este concierto que se celebra anualmente en el Van Cortland Park en el Bronx. Este trabajo se convirtió en el ampliado Proyecto Oasis, que tuvo su estreno en 2010 en el Teatro Pregones en El Bronx con los Piratas Trovadores tocando con el Ensamble Arte del Bronx y Multicultural Music Group. Vázquez también ha compartido sus composiciones con Rubén Blades (Tengan Fe / patología previa), Hilton Ruiz (Manhattan Mambo) y Dave Valentin, su mas reciente produccion; 'Oasis" Elegida como la Mejor produccion de Latin Jazz CD 2012 por JJA, 2012 Best Latin CD por New York Magazine Record City Jazz, Afro Jazz de...(read more) |
Class of 1976 Alumni and Other Nearby Classes
→ Reunite with 30 class of 1976 classmates that have joined.
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James Declerico
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Carmelo Sierra
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Joseph Guilmartin
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Recent Class of 1976 Reunions
Plan a Class of 1976 Reunion for Free
50th Reunion Class of 1967
Invited Classes: All Classes
Date: Oct 21, 2017
Description: The 29th Annual All-Class Dinner Dance will be held on Saturday, October 21, 2017 - 12:00 pm until 5:00 pm at The Edding...(read more)