Photo Documentation by Jo Q Nelson, Chad Stayrook and Hatuey Ramos-Fermín While the Bronx was
Burning, Casa Amadeo was holding it down was a multi-modal installation and series of public programs. This project was produced collaboratively by Elizabeth Hamby, Hatuey Ramos-Fermín, and Action Club (Chris Domenick, Kerry Downey, Jo Q. Nelson, Douglas Paulson), as part of Shifting Communities, a sequence of exhibitions curated by Chad Stayrook at the Bronx River Art Center. Casa Amadeo is a record shop and a cultural treasure trove preserving the history and vitality of Latin music in the South Bronx. By choosing it as a launch pad, we are able to explore ideas of community, collaboration, and culture. In response to challenges we each have in our individual artwork and our shared concerns about the responsibilities of socially engaged art, we gave each other assignments that respond to Casa Amadeo’s rich social, visual, and acoustic space. DEATH TO FALSE BOOGALOO mixtape in collaboration with Douglas Paulson, Kerry Downey, Hatuey Ramos Fermín El Elemento del Bronx Panel Discussion
The first
Bronx Music Heritage Center (BMHC) Latin Music roundtable, “El Elemento del Bronx, a Latin Jazz Tale”, was moderated by
Bill Aguado of the Bronx Music Heritage Center with guests:
Elena Martinez, folklorist;
Bobby Sanabria, multi-nominated Grammy bandleader, drummer, and educator;
Michael Max Knobbe, Executive Director of Bronx Net;
Angel R. Rodriguez Sr., musician, arranger and Bronx Living Legends producer; and
Al Quiñones, producer of 52 Park Music Series. Roundtable guests have distinguished themselves as Latin Jazz music leaders and historians, representing the Bronx through their creativity and commitment.
Participants discussed the role of demographic shifts in the Bronx in the shaping of the musical landscape of today, the evolution of Latin Music over the last 30 years, and the role of women musicians in the Latin music field.
Hip Hop then, now and tomorrow… Panel Discussion
Hip hop has become the chronicler of our times, providing historical context of issues, concerns, social attitudes, and negative stereotypes Panelists will be asked to reflect on hip hop as they remember it and talk about what hip hop is today. They also were asked about how the changing demographics influenced hip hop as a genre. The BMHC is committed to preserving the legacy of hip hop and other music genres in the Bronx for current and future generations. This conversation was documented in audio and video and was added to the growing archive of the Bronx Music Heritage Center for sharing with the broader community.
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Documentary Film Screenings:
