Bronx Music Hall Unveils April Lineup For Jazz Appreciation Month
Programming will include spoken word, Caribbean history, comedy, and Latin jazz performances in the South Bronx.
April brings Caribbean history, spoken word, and Latin jazz performances to the Bronx Music Hall (BMH) amid National Jazz Appreciation Month.
The event lineup's highlights include April 11's "Bronx Rising!: Joseph Chatoyer, the Garifuna Resistance, and the US: A Musical Tribute" event, presented in partnership with Casa Yurumein as part of Carnegie Hall's citywide festival United in Sound: America at 250 festival. Following is April 19's Sunday Salon tribute to legendary Bronx Latin jazz percussionist Ray Mantilla, presented in partnership with the Jazz Foundation of America.
On April 10th, multi-Grammy nominated percussionist and Bronx Music Heritage Center Co-Artistic Director Bobby Sanabria will release a new album, Arsenio and Beyond: Live at the Bronx Music Hall, recorded on-site at the BMH with his Multiverse Big Band honoring Cuban bandleader and composer Arsenio Rodríguez who lived in the Bronx for a while.
The album highlights BMH as both a premier performance venue and a high-quality recording space, showcasing its ability to support world-class artists and elevate Bronx music on a beautiful stage in the South Bronx. Learn more: https://bobbysanabria.com/music/arsenio-and-beyond-live-at-the-bronx-music-hall/.
April Lineup
Fri., April 3 - 30 Years as La Bruja: A Living Memoir
Doors: 7:00 PM | Show: 8:00 PM | DJ Dance Party: 10:00PM -11:00 PM | $20
Caridad De La Luz is a world renowned Bronx spoken word artist known as La Bruja. She became Executive Director of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in Jan. 2022 after beginning her career there in 1996. This program is a celebration of her 30th year as an artist with a one woman multimedia show followed by a DJ dance party.
Wed., April 8 - Bochinchando: April Fools' Edition
Doors: 6:30 PM | Show: 7:00 PM | $7
This month's comedy show features comics Osei Caleb and Joey Vega, who regularly play for Grammy Award Winner Marc Anthony. This series is hosted by the popping & locking dancer cum comic, Peaches Rodriguez. Comics are accompanied onstage by co-Artistic Director and percussionist, Bobby Sanabria.
Thurs., April 9 - The Word on 163rd with Sumbodies Mama
Doors: 6:30 PM | Event: 7:00 PM | $5
The Bronx Music Hall's spoken word open mic returns, hosted by Bronx poet Sumbodies Mama, the 2024 Nuyorican Grand Slam Champion known for her heartfelt, sermon-like performances, intense introspection, and masterful wordplay . Open to all ages, the evening welcomes original poetry and spoken word-contact emartinez@whedco.org to sign up. This month's special guest is Jade Duval.
Sat., April 11 - Bronx Rising!: King Joseph Chatoyer, the Garifuna Resistance, and the US: A Musical Tribute
Doors: 6:30 PM | Event: 7:00 PM | $20
During the 18th century, the British Empire faced resistance not only from the American colonies but also from Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in the Caribbean. Among the most formidable of these was the Garifuna, whose struggle for autonomy was epitomized by their revered leader, King Joseph Chatoyer. This program explores Chatoyer's legacy as a cultural hero and military strategist who led the Garifuna in defiance of British colonial expansion and honors the enduring presence and contributions of the Garifuna community in the US, with the Bronx now home to the largest Garifuna population outside Central America. Through a dynamic fusion of music, dance, and theater Felix Gamboa's Joseph Chatoyer Garifuna Dance Ensemble will enact the play, "King Chatoyer" by playwright Rey Allen and present a compelling performance that brings to life the historical narrative of Garifuna resistance. The event will open with a discussion by Andoni Castillo visiting from England about the historical background about Joseph Chatoyer and the cultural traditions connected to his legends.
Presented in partnership with Casa Yurumein as part of Carnegie Hall's citywide United in Sound: America at 250 festival.
Sun., April 19 - Sunday Salon: Tribute Concert to Ray Mantilla
3:00 PM | Free
This special tribute concert honors the life and legacy of legendary Bronx-born Latin jazz percussionist Ray Mantilla, who was a longtime member of the Bronx Music Heritage Center's Advisory Board. Presented in partnership with the Jazz Foundation, the program celebrates Mantilla's enduring influence on Latin jazz through live performances that pay homage to his groundbreaking career and deep roots in the borough's musical community.
Thurs., April 30 - Nuevas Voices: Emerging Voices in Latin Jazz
7:00 PM | $10
Join us for International Jazz Day (April is Jazz Appreciation Month) celebrating Argentinian influences in jazz with Argentine guitarist Carlos Paván and experimental music duo Chuño unite for a dynamic program blending Latin musical traditions with jazz. Paván draws from his classical background, infusing his work with jazz elements, while Chuño incorporates traditional Argentine sounds alongside contemporary jazz influences.
About the Bronx Music Hall
The Bronx Music Hall is a 14,000-square-foot performance venue and community cultural center developed by WHEDco. Opened in 2024, it is the borough's first newly constructed, independent music performance venue in more than 50 years and serves as the permanent home of the Bronx Music Heritage Center (BMHC). The BMH features a 250-seat theater, lobby and exhibition hall, multi-use classroom and studio, green room, and outdoor plazas, and serves as the permanent home of the Bronx Music Heritage Center (BMHC). The venue presents live music, dance, film, theater, classes, and community events that honor, showcase, and cultivate the Bronx's creative legacy. Learn more and purchase tickets: bronxmusichall.org.
About WHEDco
The Women's Housing and Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco) is a nonprofit based in the South Bronx that builds award-winning affordable homes and creates access to resources that support thriving neighborhoods-from high-quality early education and youth programs to economic opportunity, healthy food, and the arts. Learn more: whedco.org.
Videos