Jay St MashUp at Academic Complex Theater and Lobby

Featuring: Martín Vejarano & Magia Gaitera, Gamelan Yowana Sari, Max Pollak Group, Gato Loco, Guitarist Michael Cedric Smith, Flutist Evan Francis, Composer / Bassist Dan Cooper

“New York… is essentially a city of rhythm.” — Anaïs Nin

On Thursday, April 30th, 2026 from 5pm to 8pm, the Humanities Department at City Tech presents ‘Jay St MashUp,’ a follow-up to last year’s exhilarating international music event, ‘Gotham, Get Your Groove On!,’ held in the heart of downtown Brooklyn. A myriad of music genres from Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil, Cuba, and the U.S. are heard as yet another amazing array of groups takes the stage. This year’s dynamic program will feature Martín Vejarano & Magia Gaitera, Gamelan Yowana Sari, Guitarist Michael Cedric Smith, Max Pollak Group, and Gato Loco.

This FREE event, co-curated by Ann Delilkan and Dan Cooper, will be held at City Tech’s Theater, just a 3-minute walk from the Jay-Metrotech (A-C-F-R) subway station, or an 8-minute walk from the Borough Hall (2-3-4-5) station. ’Jay St MashUp' is both for the City Tech community and open to the public! RSVP on Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/fjcb33t6

MARTÍN VEJARANO & MAGIA GAITERA is dedicated to the diffusion of Gaita music—also known as the Chuana. The aim is to reintroduce the Fandango de Gaita alongside diverse rhythms from Colombia's Magdalena River region that have historically lived outside the traditional Gaita repertoire. Born on a leap day in Bogotá, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator Martín Vejarano was surrounded by the arts from an early age. In addition to composing music for a variety of ensembles, Martín's primary focus has been on traditional Colombian music, with an emphasis on Gaita/Cumbia music. He holds degrees in Jazz Percussion from The Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music and in Music Theory from The City College of New York. As an educator and music instructor, Vejarano is currently a staff member at The Third Street School of Music, The Flushing Town Hall, and a long-time collaborator with the Center For Traditional Music And Dance.

GAMELAN YOWANA SARI is a Balinese art ensemble in residence at the Aaron Copland School of Music at CUNY Queens College. Founded by Michael Lipsey, the ensemble performs both traditional Balinese music and contemporary compositions on authentic Balinese instruments. The group is currently co-directed by Michael Lipsey, Fred Trumpy, and Ruka Shironishi. Yowana Sari has performed in Buleleng and Pengosekan, Bali, in 2018, 2020, and 2024, and has worked closely with master composers and musicians, including I Dewa Ketut Alit. The group is deeply committed to the transmission of Balinese culture through traditional music, while also fostering the creation of new works for gamelan. Yowana Sari’s repertoire combines traditional aspects of Balinese music with contemporary compositional approaches and is distinctive for its integration of electric guitar and bass alongside Balinese gamelan instruments. The ensemble’s debut album is scheduled for release in March 2026 from Cantaloupe Music.

Trailblazing musician and bandleader MAX POLLAK brings his explosive signature blend of percussive dance, body percussion and vocals to the concert stage. A native of Austria and a leader in cross-cultural performance for more than 25 years, Max blends Jazz, Afro-Caribbean traditions, and his theatrical roots into a dynamic chamber music experience. He is the creator of 'RumbaTap,' which merges American Rhythm Tap with Afro-Cuban music and dance, and is the only non-Cuban member of the Afro-Cuban Rumba and folklore ensemble Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. Max has toured internationally throughout Europe, Japan, Cuba, Brazil, Turkey, Canada and the United States, including NYC's Central Park Summer Stage. He appears on one of five U.S. Postage stamps (Quantity Issued: 18,000,000) commemorating the rich history of tap dance in America and its impact on the world of dance. Max is a graduate of the Theater an der Wien Musical Theater School in Vienna and The New School in NYC.

GATO LOCO: Stefan Zeniuk - saxophone, Adam Caine - guitar, Joe Exley - tuba, and Phil Kester - drums, was born from the streets of New York. Exotic and foreign, yet simultaneously urban and familiar. Their live show delivers an instant party, filled with celebration and joy; like a decadent latin mambo ballroom, thrown in the midst of a 21st century rock show: this is BIG music. Since 2009, they have released 4 albums, including 2 on Winter & Winter records. They have toured extensively throughout Europe and beyond, playing major festivals, jazz clubs, and art parties alike. Stefan Zeniuk is a New York City-based musician, composer, and animator. He has been featured in the New York Times; appeared on Saturday Night Live, NPR’s Tiny Desk, and Europe’s Arte Live; and had his films featured on Billboard and NPR, as well as being featured at the Venice Film Festival.

Guitarist MICHAEL CEDRIC SMITH appears as a recitalist and in chamber music concerts in New York and across the country. He has appeared twice at the National Festival of the Guitar in the Dominican Republic. He has presented solo recitals in the Purcell Room in London and Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall. He has also performed contemporary American chamber music as a guest artist with the St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble and with the New York University Chamber Players. Mr. Smith is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, MD, where he studied with Aaron Shearer. He currently teaches at the New York City College of Technology and The Caedmon Music School. He has also taught at the Saint Louis Conservatory, Brooklyn College, the National Summer Guitar Workshop, and the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.

Versatile and thorough, EVAN FRANCIS writes, arranges, and has performed extensively in various Latin, Jazz, and Pop music scenes on both coasts. Originally from Los Angeles, he was the featured flute soloist on the Pacific Mambo Orchestra's Grammy-winning album and, in Downbeat Magazine Critics' Poll, he has been named a 'Rising Star' for six years in a row. Evan has toured and recorded in many different contexts. He has performed/recorded/toured around the world with notables like Stevie Wonder, Michael Bublé, Me'shell Ndegeocello, Talib Kweli, and many more. He has toured with the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical 'The Band's Visit,' which prominently featured on-stage saxophone, flute and clarinet, and has performed in 'Buena Vista Social Club' on Broadway.

Composer/multi-instrumentalist DAN COOPER was born and raised in Manhattan, and educated at Columbia, NEC, and Princeton. In addition to extensive international touring experience  from NYC’s Town Hall to Sydney Opera House, Dan has taught music courses for decades at SUNY-FIT, Northeastern NYC (Marymount College), and starting in 2025: City Tech. Dan’s compositions have been described as “full of instrumental virtuosity and sly humor” (-Fanfare), and “invigoratingly eclectic to the max” (-Strings Magazine).

THE HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT maintains a unique position within our college of technology. The department offers courses in art history, communication, world languages, music, and theatre, providing students with laboratories for creative expression, cultural and historical understanding, and practical tool sets for work and living. These enriching competencies help students appreciate multiple perspectives and synthesize ideas, ultimately laying the groundwork for a sense of possibility and a clearer recognition of an individual's place in society.

Press inquiries, please contact Ann Delilkan

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