Special Holiday Event | *PARRANDA NAVIDENA* at Lehman Center for the Performing Art

LEHMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTS?
Celebrating the Holiday Season Jíbaro Style!?
PARRANDA NAVIDEÑA?
Featuring FELITO FELIX Y EL TRIO LOS ANTARES,?ODILIO GONZALEZ “El Jibarito de Lares” and LILY Y SU GRAN TRIO?

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts will once again present its popular, special holiday event, PARRANDA NAVIDEÑA, featuring a Christmas celebration featuring the unique jíbaro music from the mountains of Puerto Rico with three celebrated masters of the genre, on Saturday, December 13th, 2014 at 8pm. The concert will feature FELITO FELIX Y EL TRIO LOS ANTARES, ODILIO GONZALEZ “El Jibarito de Lares” and LILY Y SU GRAN TRIO. Produced by Lehman Center and Janet Sánchez.

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is on the campus of Lehman College/CUNY at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468. Tickets for PARRANDA NAVIDEÑA, on Saturday, December 13th, at 8pm are $50, $45, and $25, with a special $10 ticket price for children 12 and under, and can be purchased by calling the Lehman Center box office at 718-960-8833 (Monday through Friday, 10am–5pm, and beginning at 12 noon on the day of the concert), or through online access at www.LehmanCenter.org. Lehman Center is accessible by #4 or D train to Bedford Park Blvd. and is off the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Major Deegan Expressway. Low cost on-site parking available for $5.

FELITO FELIX, singer, songwriter and producer who resides in Cidra, Puerto Rico, where he was born, became the pride and joy of the Puerto Rican community around the world with such popular songs as “Luz del Alma Mía,” “Puertorriqueño de Corazón,” “A Escondidas te Veré,” “A La Deriva” and “Un Jibarito Castao.”  He formed his first group, The Sultans, at age 13 and a year later won a competition to appear on television. When Felix was 16 he moved to Camden, NJ and was soon performing in NYC with King Trio Arroyo and later with the legendary Cheito Gonzalez, The Murcianos, Los del Rio and The Borincano. During his days with the group The Four Friends, which performed on the biggest stages in the world, Felix recorded a duet with Elvis Presley. He launched his solo career in 1961 and recorded the hit “My Magdalene.” Felix has won numerous awards, including Billboard, Ace and ASCAP. EL TRIO LOS ANTARES also sang with Felipe “La Voz” Rodriguez, and Felix and the Trio will perform his Christmas songs.

ODILIO GONZALEZ was born in the small town of Lares in the center of Puerto Rico. With charm, a sweet voice and youthful good looks, he became a popular child star after radio performances in San Juan. One of Puerto Rico’s most renowned and beloved popular singers, Gonzalez also enjoyed an avid following for his expert singing of the island’s ancient traditional, poetic song form, the décima (also known as jíbaro music). His stage name was “Jibarito de Lares.” He debuted in 1955 at age 16 in NYC, singing for crowds of nostalgic Puerto Ricans in the famed Teatro Puerto Rico. He made his first recordings of traditional jíbaro singing for the Ansonia label during the 1950s, the Golden Age of New York jíbaro music. His early recordings greatly influenced the singing style of fellow Lares native José Feliciano. Gonzalez crossed over to pop music in 1962 with “Celos Sin Motivo.” His biggest hit, “Yo Tenía Una Luz” (I Had a Light), recorded in the early 70s, became a popular Christmas song and today is considered traditional.

The LILY Y SU GRAN TRIO, is lead by the singer and composer LYDIA “LILY” DELGADO who was born in Utuado, Puerto Rico. While living in Chicago, she composed “Suenan las Campanas de la Iglesia”. Lily then moved to New York City where she recorded her hit song “Toma Mi Corazón” with Her Great Trio that all hail from Puerto Rico?FERNANDO CARDONA and DANIEL BOSQUE from Las Marías and NELSON LUGO of Mayagüez. The group followed up with such famous romantic songs as “Más Te Quiero”, “Transplante de Corazón” and “A Que No Te Atreves”. As a songwriter she has had successful hits that include “Para Que Sigas Como Antes” and “Vivire Para Amarte”. The group’s most recent albums are Amor Y Duda and Navidad, both released on the Fania label in 2010. This will be Lily y su Gran Trio’s first performance in New York in eight years.

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. is supported, in part, with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council. The 2014-2015 season is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and through corporations, foundations and private donations.