Belongó, formerly the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, and El Museo del Barrio announced a new concert residency in 2026 featuring composer and pianist Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. The residency, spanning three pairs of performances in January, March and May, will take place at the museum’s El Teatro in East Harlem.
The residency opens Jan. 9–10 with a retrospective celebrating over 20 years of O’Farrill’s work and a tribute to the late spoken word artist Christopher “Chilo” Cajigas. Guests will include turntablist DJ Logic and poet Caridad De la Luz.
On March 13–14, the orchestra will collaborate with BronX BandA, an improvisational ensemble from the Bronx-based Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education, performing original compositions and arrangements blending traditional jazz with community sounds and stories.
The residency concludes May 15–16 with a performance of the 18-piece orchestra accompanied by strings, featuring works by Chico O’Farrill, Arturo O’Farrill, and other Latin jazz compositions. This engagement is part of Carnegie Hall’s United in Sound: America at 250 festival.
In addition to the concerts, the residency will include artist talks, panels and museum-based programs designed to deepen audience engagement with Latin music and its cultural roots.
Arturo O’Farrill called the residency “a homecoming,” highlighting East Harlem’s influence on the city’s Latin music scene. Patrick Charpenel, executive director of El Museo del Barrio, said the partnership honors the neighborhood’s creative legacy while opening new avenues for cultural dialogue.
Belongó will also break ground in 2026 on Casa Belongó, a new performance space within Timbale Terrace, a 340-unit affordable housing project in East Harlem, which will serve as a community hub for arts education and programming.
The program is supported by the New York City Council.
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