Jesse Bermudez was all about music.
Born to a Puerto Rican father and a Cuban mother, the late Bermudes is a legend in Philadelphia and beyond. Although he passed away in his September 2022, he is remembered as a visionary, a mentor and one of Latin music’s all-time greats. He was named Grammy-nominated Best His Latin Jazz Album in 2009 for his production of trombonist Papo Vasquez’s recording of Marund/Islado.
“Jesse was a man and a source, which meant he had the opportunity to collaborate with many Latin music pioneers (the Fania label scene in New York, musicians in Miami and Cuba, and Latin talent in Philly). said Rahsaan Lucas, Co-Founder of AFROTAINO. “It wasn’t outside the brand that he brought in legends like Celia Cruz and Johnny Pachecho. He was a legacy he wanted to move forward. There is definitely a hole in our hearts.”
The Kimmel Cultural Campus recently paid tribute to the legend of Philadelphia’s Latin music and education this week with contributions from friends and admirers of local salsa bands, Orquesta La Paz and Afrotaino.
Currently celebrating its 18th anniversary with founders Marangeli Mejia Rabel and Lucas, Afrotaino is a curated cross-cultural hub that Lucas calls “Afro-Latin, Indigenous, Caribbean, and within their diaspora It is the headquarters for all of the people in the city and connects all points of culture – music, art, film, education, dance, food – in the Philadelphia area, and up and down the East Coast.
Few people fit that criteria more than Bermudez.
“Jesse was a visionary and ahead of his time when it came to the future of the Latin music industry,” Lucas said.
After working as an advocate for wages and working conditions for Latino musicians, Bermudez founded the Latin American Music Association and the Latin School for the Performing Arts (LSPA). Then, in 2006, together with Esperanza Inc., he founded the first school of Latin music performance, He AMLA, Artistas y Músicos Latinoamericanos.
“Whether it was fundraising, education or entertainment, he put on the best Latin jazz party the city has ever seen. Jesse knew exactly what the pulse was. He knew what his community needed and wanted.When it came to Afrotaino, he was our mentor and gave us a lot of opportunities, advice and humor personally. Our moments with him were golden, as were the musicians, the students, and the people who loved him.”
“Jessie said there is no party unless you dance to a live Latin band,” adds Lucas. “He was totally focused on coordinating the harmonies not only backstage, but onstage and in front of the audience for the audience. And make sure everyone has a good time.”
