TKOs and Timbales: The Intersection of Boxing and Music

Bronx Music Heritage Center and El Maestro to Present TKOs and Timbales: The Intersection of Boxing and Music

Learn about the rich history of music and boxing in the Bronx on Saturday, September 20

(Bronx, New York) – On Saturday, Sept. 20, the Bronx Music Heritage Center – part of the Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corp. (WHEDco) – will join boxing gym and cultural center El Maestro in presenting TKOs & Timbales: The Intersection of Boxing and Music. The free, daylong series includes a panel discussion (featuring Carlos Ortiz, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Leon Gast, and rock critic Dave Marsh), a boxing demo, film screenings, and a concert by legendary Bronx-born musician Orlando Marin. All events will take place at the BMHC Lab,1303 Louis Niné Blvd or just across the street at El Maestro, 1300 Southern Blvd.

For decades, boxers frequented and even owned music venues, and musicians were known to visit boxing matches and gyms. The boxer Carlos Ortiz owned the Tropicoro club on Longwood; Cuban brothers Manny and Tony Alfaro, owners of the Tropicana Club on Westchester Avenue, managed Cuban boxers including Benny “the Kid” Paret and regularly entertained boxers like Kid Gavilan; musicians like Miguelito Valdes (Mr. Babalú) started out boxing in the Bronx. See below for a schedule of events that cover this historical intersection of music and sport.

Events Schedule:

1pm | BMHC Lab

Panel discussion: With boxer/club owner Carlos Ortiz, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Leon Gast, rock critic Dave Marsh, and scholar Christina Abreu. Moderated by Scott Martin.

3pm | El Maestro

Boxing demonstration: Real ring, real boxes, real intensity!

4pm | BMHC Lab

Film screenings:

When We Were Kings (1996); Q&A with director Leon Gast

The Champion’s Trek: The Untold Story of Sugar Ramos (in-progress); Q&A with filmmaker Elio Bernardo-Ruiz

6pm | Intermission

7pm | El Maestro

Concert: Orlando Marin, Bronx Latin Music Legend

About the Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation

The Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corp. (WHEDco) is a community development organization founded on the radically simple idea that all people deserve healthy, vibrant communities. Working in the South Bronx, WHEDco builds award-winning, sustainable, affordable homes that serve as anchors for strong communities that residents can be proud of. WHEDco’s mission is to provide the Bronx with access to all the resources that create thriving neighborhoods – from high-quality early education and after-school programs, to healthy food, cultural programming, and economic opportunity. For more information: www.whedco.org

About the Bronx Music Heritage Center

Cutting-edge music has a deeply rooted history in the Bronx (population 1.41 million). Jazz legends, Hip Hop innovators, and a melting pot of sounds have proliferated in the borough for decades. While the music thrived, venues didn’t: over 10,000 live music seats in dozens of clubs and theaters were lost in the Bronx since the 1970s. Yet, to this day, artists from a wide array of cultural backgrounds make the Bronx their home, creating new work, collaborating across genres and generations, and innovating music forms in one of the most diverse counties in the nation. The Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation has proposed developing the Bronx Music Heritage Center, a performance and community space to showcase and amplify the Bronx’s rich musical legacy, scheduled for completion in 2016. In the meantime, the BMHC is activating the site at the future facility by engaging artists and community members to gather, participate in performances, and express their vision for this new cultural facility. For more information: www.bronxmusic.org

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