RAFAEL HERNÁNDEZ – El Jibarito de Borinquen | Puerto Rico’s beloved “country boy” who became the father of Latin America’s songbook

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Hot House shines a light on the extraordinary yet often overlooked legacy of Rafael Hernández — Puerto Rico’s most celebrated composer and one of Latin America’s greatest musical voices. Before he penned classics like Lamento Borincano and El Cumbanchero, Hernández was a young trombonist in the Harlem Hellfighters Regimental Band, recruited by James Reese Europe during World War I. Alongside 17 other Puerto Rican musicians, he helped introduce proto-jazz and ragtime to Europe, shaping the soundscape that would fuel both the Harlem Renaissance and the Latin jazz tradition. His story is one of artistry, resilience, and cultural pride — a reminder that the roots of jazz are as global as they are American.

✨ Read the full story in this issue of Hot House Jazz Magazine — written by Elena Martínez and edited by Bobby Sanabria — as they uncover the Puerto Rican voices within the Harlem Hellfighters and trace Hernández’s journey from Aguadilla to New York, Havana, and beyond.

🚀 Boundary-Pushers

Artists experimenting, innovating, and stretching jazz forward

This weekend’s Boundary Pushers spotlight artists who are stretching the language of jazz in fearless new directions. From Jonathan Suazo & Ricano at Aaron Davis Hall and Kelvyn Bell at Harlem Jazz Boxx Series offering bold Afro-Caribbean and electric textures, to the genre-bending sounds of Anat Cohen’s Quartetinho at Columbia’s Miller Theatre, innovation takes center stage. At the Jazz Gallery, Sullivan Fortner’s Duo Series pairs him with pianistic visionaries like George Cables, Jason Moran, David Virelles, and Kris Davis, while Terri Lyne Carrington’s We Insist 2025! at Eastman keeps the revolutionary spirit alive. Guitarist Oz Noy brings adventurous fusion to The Falcon, and Robert Glasper has kicked off his now-legendary month-long “Roctober” residency at the Blue Note NYC, curating an ever-changing lineup of surprise guests and cross-genre collaborations. Vocalists are also breaking molds, with Amy London at Swing 46 and Kelly Green at Bar Bayeux showing how the next wave of voices are redefining standards and carving out fresh space in the tradition.

🎷 Keepers of the Flame

Masters and modern torchbearers carrying the jazz tradition forward

This weekend’s Keepers of the Flame remind us that the jazz tradition is alive, vibrant, and constantly renewed. Uri Caine’s Bud Powell Celebration at Birdland Theater brings bebop’s brilliance into the present, while Cyrus Chestnut keeps the piano lineage burning strong at Dizzy’s. At Jazz at Lincoln Center, Abdullah Ibrahim’s Life of a Legend featuring Terence Blanchard and Kenny Garrett honors one of the music’s towering voices. The Ethan Iverson Sextet takes the Village Vanguard stage with sharp modernism rooted in classic form, and Jason Marshall keeps the baritone sax swinging at Zinc. From Mike DiRubbo, Stacy Dillard, and Frank Lacy at Smalls to Philip Harper at Jazz Forum, and David Janeway with Joe Magnarelli and Gary Smulyan at Maureen’s, the weekend is filled with artists carrying forward the fire. Rising voices like Sara Hanahan at The Jazz Club @ Aman, Champian Fulton in Jersey City, and Alexis Cole in Tarrytown balance veterans like the George Gee Swing Orchestra at Swing 46 and the stylish Modern Martinis at The Pierre, while Marianne Solivan’s set at The Jazz Club @ Aman adds a timeless vocal touch.

✊ Voices of Resistance

Artists channeling jazz’s spirit of resilience, protest, and community

This weekend’s Voices of Resistance amplify jazz’s role as a music of truth, protest, and affirmation. At Smoke, Nicholas Payton leads his group with the fiery spirit of a bandleader who challenges conventions while honoring tradition, while the Emmet Cohen Trio and Birdland Big Band channel swing into a living, breathing force. Vivienne Aerts offers her art in a free First Fridays set at Neighborhood Church, and Tomeka Reid brings fearless creativity to The Stone at New School. In New Jersey, Lady Got Chops joins Minisibass and Kim Clarke at Mt. Zion AME for a community celebration, while Bobby Sanabria’s Multiverse Big Band at McCarter @ Princeton University reimagines West Side Story as a vibrant call for justice and unity. Sacred sounds ring out with Marvin Carter’s Jazz Vespers at Saint Peter’s Church, while Willie Martinez infuses Latin rhythm into resistance at ArtsWestchester, and Rachiim Ausar-Sahu’s septet at Sista’s Place reminds us that spiritual uplift and struggle walk hand in hand. Pianist Eric Reed adds his voice at Mezzrow, threading gospel, swing, and hard-bop fire into a statement of resilience.

FESTIVALS

🎪 Festival season is in full swing this weekend, offering everything from neighborhood park vibes to full-on concert halls. Uptown, Jazz in the Park at Ralph Ellison Park (Oct 5) brings community together with free outdoor sounds. Downtown, Arts for Art’s inGardens Festival (Oct 4–5) takes over First Street Green Cultural Park with a lineup of experimental trios, duos, and spoken word that embodies the spirit of the avant-garde. Queens keeps the energy alive with Culture Lab LIC’s Sunset Jazz (Oct 3) featuring the Betty Kean Band. And for those looking to venture upstate, Hudson Jazz Festival at Hudson Hall (Oct 3–5) packs a full weekend: from the dancefloor heat of BIGYUKI and the modern swing of Julius Rodriguez, to rising vocal star Caity Gyorgy, brass fireworks from the Gotham Kings, and a Sunday night closer with vibraphonist Joel Ross. Whether in Harlem, the East Village, Queens, or Hudson, this weekend’s festivals showcase jazz as both community ritual and artistic frontier.

🎷 Jazz Festival & Special Event Listings (This Weekend)

Ralph Ellison Park – Riverside Dr & W. 150th St, New York, NY 10031. nycgovparks.org Oct 5: 2:00pm Jazz in the Park at Ralph Ellison.

First Street Green Cultural Park – 33 E 1st St, New York, NY 10003. artsforart.org/ingardens . Oct 4: 2:00pm inGardens Festival ft. Janice Lowe Trio; Claire de Brunner Trio; L.I.P.; Warren Trae Crudup III Trio. Oct 5: 2:00pm inGardens Festival ft. Lesley Mok Trio; Wolper/Parker Duo; Sol Cabrini/Tongo Eisen Martin; Selendis Quartet.

Culture Lab LIC – 5-25 46th Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101. 347-848-0030. culturelablic.org . Oct 3: 8:00pm Sunset Jazz: Betty Kean Band.

Hudson Hall – 327 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534. 518-822-1438. hudsonhall.org . Oct 3: 7:00pm Hudson Jazz Festival: Dance Party ft. BIGYUKI; Julius Rodriguez Group. Oct 4: 7:00pm Hudson Jazz Festival ft. Caity Gyorgy Quartet; Tristen Jarvis: Deep Tones for Peace; Gotham Kings. Oct 5: 7:00pm Hudson Jazz Festival ft. Joel Ross.

🎂 Special Event

George Wein’s 100th Birthday Celebration – City Winery NYC 📍 25 11th Ave, New York, NY 10011. 646-751-6033. citywinery.com/new-york-city 📅 Oct 7, 7:00pm The godfather of the modern jazz festival, George Wein is celebrated on what would have been his 100th birthday with a benefit for the Newport Festivals Foundation. Hosted at City Winery, the evening features Christian McBride and an all-star lineup honoring Wein’s legacy as a visionary producer and tireless advocate for the music.

🎯 MUST SEE NEXT WEEK

Looking ahead, next week is packed with can’t-miss performances that stretch from tributes to trailblazers. On Oct 7, City Winery hosts George Wein’s 100th Birthday Celebration, a benefit for the Newport Festivals Foundation led by Christian McBride, honoring the man who invented the modern jazz festival. The same evening, Birdland doubles down with the Dave Stryker Quartet and a rare Ron Carter–Bill Frisell Duo, while the Village Vanguard opens a week-long run pairing Kurt Rosenwinkel and Gerald Clayton in intimate duo explorations. Uptown, the Bronx comes alive with Bochinchando: Bronx Vaudeville at Bronx Music Hall Plaza, blending jazz, theater, and community spirit. Midweek (Oct 8) brings a stellar lineup: Makaya McCraven at (Le) Poisson Rouge unleashing his boundary-breaking grooves, Smoke Jazz Club’s Thelonious Monk Festival featuring Orrin Evans, Melissa Aldana, Robert Hurst, and Terri Lyne Carrington, and the Women in Jazz Living Legacy Project at Hunter College’s Kaye Playhouse spotlighting voices from Madeleine Peyroux to Ryan Keberle’s Big Band. With icons, innovators, and community-driven showcases across the city, next week promises jazz at its most celebratory and adventurous... MORE SPOTLIGHTS

George Wein’s 100th Birthday Celebration 📍 City Winery NYC, 25 11th Ave, New York, NY 10011. 646-751-6033. citywinery.com 📅 Oct 7, 7:00pm A benefit for the Newport Festivals Foundation, this historic evening celebrates the centennial of festival founder George Wein with an all-star lineup led by Christian McBride. A rare chance to honor the visionary who shaped the modern jazz festival.

Bochinchando: Bronx Vaudeville 📍 Bronx Music Hall Plaza, 438 E 163rd St, Bronx, NY 10451 📅 Oct 7, 8:00pm • $10 An immersive Bronx variety showcase blending vaudeville flair, jazz, and local artistry in a community celebration.

Dave Stryker Quartet / Ron Carter Duo with Bill Frisell 📍 Birdland, 315 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036. 212-851-3080. birdlandjazz.com 📅 Oct 7, 7:00pm & 8:00pm A powerhouse double bill: guitarist Dave Stryker with saxophonist Troy Roberts, followed by the legendary Ron Carter in a rare duo with Bill Frisell.

Kurt Rosenwinkel & Gerald Clayton 📍 Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014. 212-255-4037. villagevanguard.com 📅 Oct 7–12, 8:00pm Two of today’s most lyrical improvisers in duo conversation, revisiting material from Rosenwinkel’s collaboration with Geri Allen and exploring Strayhorn and Monk. (Spotlight feature, Hot House, Oct 2025)

Makaya McCraven 📍 (Le) Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012. 212-796-0741. lpr.com 📅 Oct 8, 8:00pm • $25 The Chicago-based drummer and “beat scientist” brings his boundary-smashing grooves that fuse jazz, hip-hop, and global rhythms into living soundscapes. (Spotlight feature, Hot House, Oct 2025)

🎷 Wednesday Jazz Hang (Oct 8)

Jazzmobile Sessions ft. Danny Mixon Quartet – Interchurch Center, 7:00pm

Thelonious Monk Festival ft. Orrin Evans, Melissa Aldana, Robert Hurst & Terri Lyne Carrington – Smoke Jazz Club, 7:00pm

Verena McBee Trio – Flûte Midtown, 8:00pm

Women in Jazz: Ryan Keberle’s Big Band Living Legacy Project w/ Lilli Cooper, Maya Days, Hilary Kole, Madeleine Peyroux – Kaye Playhouse, 7:00pm

Makaya McCraven – (Le) Poisson Rouge, 8:00pm

Alex Kautz Quartet w/ Hélio Alves, Jerome Sabbagh, Joe Martin – Bar Bayeux, Brooklyn, 8:00pm

Alexis Cole Quartet – Pangea, 7:00pm

DIRECTORY OF JAZZ BRUNCHES AROUND TOWN

🎺 Opportunity in Jazz Journalism

The Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) is seeking a new Executive Director to guide its programs, including the annual Jazz Awards, educational initiatives, and community engagement. This leadership role is a rare chance to shape the future of jazz journalism and advocacy.

👉 Learn more and apply at jazzjournalists.org

📢 Join the Hot House Team

Hot House Jazz is expanding its voice across North America — and we’re looking for writers, content producers, and social media creatives to cover the jazz, spoken word, and arts scenes in:

• Boston / Northeast

• Chicago

• Detroit

• Los Angeles

• New Orleans

• New York

• Toronto

If you’ve got a voice for storytelling or a vision for digital content, we’d love to hear from you.

📩 Send inquiries to [email protected]