Workshop2Ensemble

Latin Jazz, funk, and salsa are more than musical styles—they are cultural bridges connecting history, identity, and community. For the growing Latino population in Westchester County and the greater New York region, this music represents a vital and enduring artistic legacy.

​

Emerging in New York City through collaborations between jazz musicians and Afro-Cuban artists, Latin Jazz became a distinctive synthesis of rhythm, harmony, and improvisation.

​

Artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo, Mario Bauzá, and Tito Puente established a musical language that continues to influence generations of musicians.

​

Workshop2Ensemble builds upon this legacy by exploring a broader range of Afro-Cuban, African American, and Caribbean musical traditions. The ensemble is rooted in Afro-Cuban Latin Jazz while exploring related traditions including African American funk and Afro-Caribbean forms such as son montuno and salsa.

​

In addition to performing established repertoire, the ensemble contributes original compositions and arrangements, helping ensure that Latin Jazz remains a dynamic and evolving art form.

​

By presenting both historic and original works, Workshop2Ensemble participates in the ongoing preservation and advancement of a vital cultural tradition.