High life jazz  series

Friday September 23rd  $15  7PM to 9 PM
Harry Rios Trio
call (386) 328-8998 to reserve tickets


Harry Rios TrioJazz is the new word in the Palatka music scene thanks to the Arts Council of Greater Palatka and the “High Life” jazz concert series. September’s venue keeps hitting hard, now with the Harry Rios Trio. According to Executive Director, Denise Aiken, this is a trio not to miss. “We have worked long and hard to provide high quality authentic jazz for our High Life Jazz series,” said Aiken. The venue at the Larimer Arts Center, 216 Reid Street in Palatka, according to Co-Chair Luke Taft has produced, “jazz, jazzy, and jazzish, but this concert will be capital ‘J’ JAZZ for all you hard core ‘efficinatos’ hiding in the woodwork, just waiting for the ‘real deal’.” The concert is Friday, September 23rd. The Larimer will be transformed into a laid back, cool atmosphere with fine wine and hors ‘devours sponsored in part by Michael Gagnon, one of the top private contributors to youth arts and jazz concerts for the Arts Council. The show starts at 7 PM, tickets are $15, and seating is limited. Reservations are strongly encouraged as seating is capped to ensure a quality experience and memorable ‘night on the town’ to concert goers. Too many people mean “no room to dance” according to Aiken.
The Harry Rios Trio has earned their place in the jazz world. All members are dedicated musicians and love to perform.
Pianist and jazz vocalist Harry L. Rios, continues to excel in his artistic endeavors covering a wide range of repertoire from Johann Sebastian Bach to Aaron Copland. In May of 2011, Harry completed a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance at Stetson University as a student of internationally renowned pianist Dr. Michael Rickman and a William E. Duckwitz Talent Scholar and Stetson Piano Scholar.  Additionally, he studied composition at Stetson with Dr. Manuel DeMurga, piano improvisation with Harold Blanchard and organ with Dr. Boyd Jones.  Harry began his formal training with pianist Drucilla Engel and vocalist Carla Delvillaggio at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida.

At the age of seven, when playing his first notes on the piano, Harry quickly learned that he wanted to be a pianist performing in the styles of Jazz, Latin and classical music. Growing up in New Orleans, he was exposed to a wide array of jazz forms ranging from Ragtime to bebop, ballads and fast swing. His Puerto Rican heritage influenced him to blend the styles of salsa and jazz into Latin jazz. Since 2006, Harry has studied and excelled rapidly in Classical music.
With his arranging, teaching and performing, Mr. Rios maintains an active schedule collaborating with musicians throughout Central Florida.  As the Music Director and Worship Leader for St. Clare Catholic Church in Deltona, Florida, Mr. Rios is responsible for weekly choir rehearsals, music arrangements and performances for his Children’s Choir and Adult choir. As a private piano instructor, he maintains a following of students in Central Florida teaching beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of piano playing. As a jazz pianist and singer, Harry regularly performs at Sinatra’s L’Aldila Ristorante and Café in the Historic Cassadega Hotel in Lake Helen, FL .
Harry Rios SR., born in New York, raised in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, started his musical education in the late seventies at the age of 12 by joining the local band. Eight months later he would be playing trombone professionally in local venues in Ponce, PR. Under the tutelage of master trumpeter and Puerto Rican legend Kito Velez, he learned improvisation in salsa music. Later on, Harry would go on to study at the Inter American University in San German, PR, for studies in Musical Education.
In 1983, Harry moved to San Francisco, California, where he played his trombone with the likes of Chepito Areas, Francisco Aguavella and who at the time was a young Karl Perazzo, now a long standing member at the Carlos Santana group. Upon joining the US Navy Band, Harry worked in South Carolina and New Orleans military bands. While in New Orleans, he played bass and steel drums with the Navy Steel Band and traveled the world.
Upon his completion of military tour, Harry was recruited for the Al Hirt band in New Orleans, while also playing with legends like “Deacon” John Moore, The Neville Brothers, The Batiste Brothers, Marva Wright and many more. While there, Harry formed his own band called “Harry Rios y Los Monstros” (Harry Rios and the Monsters), a high energy Latin Jazz 7-piece band, where they played Latin Jazz originals for the Archbishop of New Orleans, the Mayor and many other upscale clienteles for many years.
In 2000, He moved to Orlando, Florida, and worked with many Latin artists as a trombonist, bassist and arranger. Harry also founded Broken Slide Music, along with his partner and fellow trombonist Terry Baber. BrokenSlideMusic.com is a website dedicated to supplying band leaders, directors and conductors with music of all styles and genre including but not limited to: Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Latin Jazz, Big Band, Jazz Standards, and other popular music.
Percussionist Idel Martinez completed a Bachelor of Music in Percussion at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. Additionally, he studied privately with the late Keith Copeland in Boston, Massachusetts.
While completing his degree, Idel had performed in numerous concerts with the Orchestra at the Puerto Rican Conservatory of Music. He had continued to gain a reputation with popular orchestras like the Puerto Rican Chamber Orchestra, the Arturo Somohano Pop Orchestra and became a musical instructor himself for the Puerto Rican Department of Education. During his time on the National Guard, Idel performed with the PR 248th National Guard Band on several occasions.
With his educating and performing, Idel continues to work with different ensembles and groups throughout Central Florida.  He has done work as a percussion instructor at the Latin Music Institute, Sacral Music Experience, the 2395 Orlando Veterans of Foreign Wars Band playing timpani and percussion and has performed in Japan with Japan Disney Tours doing Latin percussion. Idel currently lives in Orlando Florida with his wife.
The Arts Council of Greater Palatka continues to bring innovative and inclusive concerts to Putnam County. The High Life Jazz Series is one of many programs offered to accomplish this goal. The Arts Council is supported in part by members, the Putnam County Tourist Development Council, and Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs. More info about the Arts Council and their programs can be found at artsinputnam.org or by calling (386) 328-8998.

The Arts Council is the Designated Local Arts Agency for Putnam County and is supported in part by our members,
 the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts,

the City of Palatka, the Putnam County Commission and the Putnam County Tourist Development Council.
sponsors