Musical Interludes

Originally from Matanzas Cuba, Yenier Alvarino (L-Yen) began his first steps in music at the age of 15. He began studying guitar, but very soon he developed a greater skill which opened a new horizon and was to be able to express his ideas and feelings through composition. At only 16 years he created his first musical group “Fusión Tropical” and composed most of the songs for the album of that group. The project never comes to fruition because Yenier Alvarino immigrated to the United States. His dream for music never stopped and although he was not singing, he kept composing. In 2011 he met another young local singer and created the Duo “Arteaga y EL Yen”. This new stage of “L-Yen” gave him great experience since as a composer he ventured into other genres such as Reggaeton and Merengue. The duo achieved great acceptance among Latinos in Southwest Florida. They came to have songs on the local radio, songs like Díselo, No Eres Romántica, and Que te Vaya Bonito. Although the duo was on the rise they separated.

In his solo career L-Yen achieved acceptance again among his audience. His first solo singles “Te Propongo” and “Yenyere” has opened doors for him on radio and television. They are songs that define the beginning of a new era for urban music. They are songs that maintain that Latin melody that we like so much, but their sounds, rhythm and message make a difference between the songs that are heard today. Because of the respect he has earned, he has the respect of the media and arts institutions in the SW Florida community. He has been invited to participate in important events organized by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of the Southwest. For example, The Backpack event, The Viva Cape Coral festival, and other charitable and social community events. Television programs, radio, and magazines have interviewed them. L-Yen has shared the stage at several events with recognized artists such as Willy Chirino at the Harbor Side Center, Fort Myers, in Orlando Florida with Jacob Forever, and in the first concert of the tour in the United States of the group Orisha. He also performed at the Seminole casino with the Cuban group Los 4 and at Dimension Night club with the Cuban reggaeton El Chacal. In August 2017, Telemundo called him to participate as a judge in a singing program “Solo Tu Voz” and “Solo Tu Voz kids”. This collaboration with Telemundo gave him the opportunity to perform at the Feria de la Familia, an event held and organized by Telemundo and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce with a presentation at the Germain Arena.

Award-winning New York City jazz pianist and accordionist Ben Rosenblum has been described as “mature beyond his years,” (Sea of Tranquility), an “impressive talent” (All About Jazz), who “caresses [the music] with the reverence it merits” (Downbeat Magazine). Since the release of his debut trio album, Instead (4 stars, Downbeat), Rosenblum has toured extensively with his trio and sextet throughout the United States, including multiple trips to the Northeast, Midwest, South and West Coast, as well as internationally in Canada, Europe and Japan. He was a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall’s Stern-Perelman Auditorium – with Reona Ito’s New York Harmonic Band – and has appeared at prestigious venues throughout the world, including at the Appel Room at Lincoln Center, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Ravinia, Himawari-No-Sato Concert Hall in Yokohama, Bird’s Eye in Basel and the Library of Congress. Rosenblum’s second trio album in 2018, River City, was called “richly romantic” and “well-realized” by JAZZIZ Magazine, which featured the title track as part of their Best of Fall 2018 CD. Most recently, Rosenblum released his third album, Kites and Strings, which is the first to feature him on both piano and accordion alongside his new sextet, the Nebula Project. In 2020, the Nebula Project was voted runner-up for Best New Artist in JazzTimes’ Readers’ Poll. Rosenblum has been privileged to share the stage with many highly acclaimed jazz musicians, including extensive work with Curtis Lundy, Winard Harper, Deborah Davis and Chris Washburne, as well as appearances with Bobby Watson, Sean Jones, TS Monk, Warren Wolf, Eliot Zigmund, and many others. Rosenblum’s musical interests also extend beyond jazz to include work in numerous world music scenes, including musical styles from Brazil, Peru, Croatia, Bulgaria, India, Ireland, Jewish traditions and more.

Latin Grammy award winner for Best Instrumental Album (2015) and a five-time Grammy nominee, Calle is a renowned musician, composer, orchestrator, scholar, professor, and leader.

Throughout his legendary career, Calle has become one of the most recorded saxophonists in history appearing on more than 1,500 albums, almost 10,000 singles, and countless television and movie soundtracks with artists ranging from Frank Sinatra and Celia Cruz to Sylvester Stallone and Andy Garcia.  Join us to enjoy this versatile and extraordinary musician.