In association with ImageNation
Felix Hernandez
In 1983, Felix Hernandez began a two-year project traveling the U.S. collecting hundreds of hours of interviews with R&B artists. The material was used for a 13-part radio documentary called Harlem Hit Parade, which was syndicated to 70 NPR stations in the mid-80’s. In 1986, Felix introduced Rhythm Revue, New York’s first radio show devoted exclusively to classic soul and R&B. It premiered on WBGO and is now in its 29th year. In 1989, Felix was awarded the first of many production grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts, to develop and produce a weekly radio presentation of live blues and R&B. BluesStage, hosted by the late Tony-winning actress and singer Ruth Brown, ran six years on 200+ NPR stations. The series featured 234 unique episodes of live performances, recorded and produced by Hernandez on location nationwide. In 1991, Felix did his first Rhythm Revue Dance Party at Tramps in New York City. The party outgrew Tramps and moved to the Roseland Ballroom in 1992, where it was held for over two decades. Felix’s unique mix of classic soul, disco and funk consistently draws a crowd of 2,500 to 3,500 dancers per event.
Our Latin Thing
Anchored on the Fania All Stars’ historic performance at the Cheetah Club on the evening of August 26, 1971, Our Latin Thing captures the New York salsa explosion of the ‘70s in all its power and passion. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Leon Gast, the movie features performances from Cheo Feliciano, Héctor Lavoe, Ismael Miranda, Adalberto Santiago and Pete ‘El Conde’ Rodríguez. Gast also takes to the streets of Spanish Harlem where the Salsa phenomenon was born, and brings viewers behind the scenes and into the recording studio for a peek into the creative process with producer/keyboardist Larry Harlow.