Omar Sosa in New York City

NEW YORK (Top40 Charts) - The Cuban composer and pianist Omar Sosa and his band will perform at the BLUE NOTE in New York City on Monday, June 24 (two shows: 8 PM & 10:30 PM. $10.00 for seating; $5.00 for the bar area - reservations recommended - tickets via www.bluenote.net). The Blue Note is located at 131 West 3rd Street (between 6th Avenue and McDougal).

Joining Omar at the Blue Note will be vocalist Martha Galarraga (Cuba), percussionist Gustavo Ovalles (Venezuela), drummer Elliot Kavee (New York), bassist Geoff Brennan (San Francisco), saxophonist Eric Crystal (San Francisco), hip-hop lyricist/rapper Brutha Los (Oakland), plus special guests.

Reviewing a recent show at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, Don Heckman of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "Sosa's performance was an extraordinary example of state-of-the-art world jazz, splendidly illustrating how entrancing the music can become when it is open and receptive to global input and interaction" (April 18, 2002).

Omar Sosa's new CD "Sentir" has been nominated for Afro-Caribbean Jazz Album of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association, along with recent recordings by Charlie Haden, David Sanchez, Jane Bunnett, and Michel Camilo. Winners in 39 categories will be announced at a cocktail party on Wednesday, June 19, 4-7 PM at Jazz Standard, New York City, 116 East 27th Street. Jazz industry representatives and the general public are invited to attend for $100.00 per ticket to benefit the Jazz Foundation of America's Musicians Emergency Fund (www.jazzhouse.org).

Additional Omar Sosa performances on the East Coast include:
Saturday, June 22 Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, Wilmington, DE
Sunday, June 23 Summer Arts Festival, Huntington, NY (Long Island)
Friday, June 28 Spectrum, Montreal International Jazz Festival, Montreal, Quebec, Canada