Johnny Blas

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

TIME: 3:00-4:00PM

VENUE: WEST STAGE. MIDWAY PLAISANCE AT South ELLIS AVE.

Johnny Blas + His Afro Libre Sextet 

Hard-hitting conguero Johnny Blas has performed and recorded jazz and Latin music for over thirty years. Charismatic and intense, he is a seasoned, innovative performer who exhibits a sound that is stylish and funky—an infusion of Latin funk and jazz with an Afro-Caribbean groove. 

A New York native, Blas is influenced by the music of Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto, Dizzie Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Armando Peraza. With his Afro-Libre Orchestra, he puts on a fierce, dynamic show, displaying passionate energy, flashy solos, and enough heat to melt asphalt, while also revealing more restrained interior lines. 

In addition to his work as a percussionist, Blas is also a band leader, saxophonist, and composer. His original arrangements have been showcased on six Latin jazz recordings and earned critical praise in the Latin and jazz music press. 

​​The musicians:

Johnny Blas – congas

Adrián Ruiz – piano

Héctor Alonso Márquez – bongo

Frank Plaza – bass

Danny Hernández – timbales

Arturo Vázquez, Jr. - trombone