NYC Cultural Institution Belongó Announces Robust New Season of Concerts and Community Programming

 Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Performances at BRIC Jazz Festival in Brooklyn, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Weekly Residency at The Pocket in Times Square

August 4, 2026 -- Belongó is a New York City-based non-profit cultural institution founded by pianist/composer and GRAMMY Award-winner Arturo O’Farrill in 2007 that is dedicated to performing, teaching, and preserving the music of the Americas rooted in African and Indigenous traditions through jazz. While its state-of-the-art cultural hub and future home, Casa Belongó, is built in East Harlem, Belongócontinues to lead and inspire as it provides free music education to thousands of NYC public school children, an educational residency for incarcerated youth at Riker’s Island, and a pre-professional youth orchestra for aspiring musicians known as the Fat Cats. Belongó is also widely celebrated for programming a remarkable slate of world-class concerts and cultural events each year.

Today Belongó announced its new season of concerts and impactful community programming, including a robust schedule of events from August into January of 2027 at festivals, beloved cultural centers, and venue stages nationwide. A number of New York City events feature O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO), including a weekly residency at the new jazz club The Pocket, Brooklyn’s BRIC Jazz Festival in October, and Jazz at Lincoln Center in January. O’Farrill will also bring the cultural legacy and joy of Afro Latin jazz music to California as the first-ever Artist-in-Residence at Segerstrom Arts Center in Costa Mesa.

See below for a detailed schedule of Belongó’s upcoming season.

Weekly Live Jazz at The Pocket 

Every Tuesday - New York, NY

Belongó presents Arturo O'Farrill & the ALJO’s ongoing residency at The Pocket, New York City’s newest jazz club in Times Square. The celebrated orchestra performs from their deep repertoire of Afro Latin jazz from across the Americas every Tuesday, with sets at 7 and 9PM.  ALJO’s residency is now in its 29th year, and has become a key part of the cultural fabric of the city. Tickets here. 

Afro Latin Jazz Music Exploration at Harlem Library 

Monthly - New York, NY

Belongó presents Afro Latin Jazz Music Exploration, a free, monthly educational series for school-age children (ages 6–12) at the Harlem Library. Held one Saturday each month from 12–1 PM, the interactive program offers live music, hands-on participation, and joyful opportunities to explore the rhythms, instruments, and stories of Afro Latin jazz. The series continues on August 29, with additional sessions on September 26, October 24, November 21 and December 19. More info here. 

Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra at Flushing Town Hall with Vincent Hsu

August 15 - Flushing, NY

Belongó presents O'Farrill & ALJO with acclaimed Taiwanese-born bassist Vincent Hsu at Flushing Town Hall. Led by O'Farrill, the GRAMMY Award-winning orchestra joins Hsu—leader of the Soy La Ley Afro Cuban Jazz Band—for an evening exploring the connections between Afro Cuban, jazz, and Taiwanese musical traditions through original compositions and improvisation. Tickets here. 

Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and Friends at ShapeShifter Lab

September 16 - Brooklyn, NY

O’Farrill and ALJO pay tribute to the life and music of Jimmy Garrison, in celebration of John Coltrane’s centennial. Presented by Belongó and ShapeShifter Plus, this special evening will feature new arrangements, adaptations, and collaborations as the orchestra is joined by special guests Ravi Coltrane, Marcus Gilmore, and Matt Garrison. More information soon.

Arturo O'Farrill Trio at Spanos Theatre 

September 17 - San Luis Obispo, CA

O'Farrill brings his trio to San Luis Obispo, presented by the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Arts, for an intimate evening on California's Central Coast with one of the defining voices in Afro Latin jazz. The trio format offers audiences a closer look at O'Farrill's original compositions, improvisation, and collaborative musicianship. Tickets here. 

Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra at Segerstrom Center for the Arts

September 19 - Costa Mesa, CA

Belongó presents O'Farrill & ALJO at Segerstrom Center for the Arts as O'Farrill begins his inaugural season as the first Artist-in-Residence. Part of the ¡VIVA! Spenuzza Series celebrating Hispanic culture, the performance marks the orchestra's debut at Segerstrom and showcases its signature blend of Afro Cuban rhythms, jazz improvisation, and big-band orchestration. Tickets here.

Arturo O'Farrill Quintet at Blues Alley 

October 3 & 4 - Washington, DC

O'Farrill brings his quintet to Blues Alley, the nation's oldest continuing jazz supper club, for four sets across two nights in Georgetown. A more intimate ensemble, the quintet performs original compositions alongside interpretations of jazz standards, highlighting the spontaneity and interplay at the heart of Afro Latin jazz. More info here. 

Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra at BRIC JazzFest 

October 16 - Brooklyn, NY

Belongó presents O'Farrill & ALJO at BRIC JazzFest with a special tribute honoring the centennial of legendary pianist and composer Randy Weston. Presented at BRIC House, the performance celebrates Weston's enduring legacy through original arrangements and interpretations that reflect his lifelong exploration of African and Afro Diasporic musical traditions. Tickets here. 

Lucibela at Joe’s Pub

October 22 - New York, NY

Belongó and World Music Institute present Cape Verdean vocalist Lucibela for one night only at Joe's Pub. Known for her expressive interpretations of morna and coladeira, Lucibela performs music from her acclaimed album Moda Antiga, celebrating the rich musical traditions of Cabo Verde while bringing her own contemporary voice to the repertoire. This evening reflects Belongó's belief that the music of the Americas is inseparable from the wider African diaspora, the same currents running from West Africa through the islands to the stages of New York. Tickets here. 

Belongó continues to expand its role as a presenter and curator, highlighting artists from across the African diaspora and the Americas alongside its own acclaimed ensembles. Lucibela's performance reflects that growing vision, celebrating cultural exchange and the global traditions at the heart of Belongó's mission.

Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Quintet at Stockton Performing Arts Center

November 21 - Galloway, NJ

Belongó and O'Farrill bring the Afro Latin Jazz Quintet to the Stockton Performing Arts Center for an evening of original compositions, Afro Cuban rhythms, and contemporary jazz. The smaller ensemble highlights the group's dynamic improvisation and close musical dialogue. Tickets here. 

Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center

January 15 - New York, NY

O'Farrill & ALJO open Jazz at Lincoln Center's Unity Jazz Festival with a performance in the Appel Room. The ensemble presents a program of original works and reimagined traditions celebrating the musical connections across the Americas. The festival's opening night also features Myra Melford and Weedie Braimah & The Hands of Time across the House of Swing. Tickets here. 

About Casa Belongó

A new state-of-the-art cultural and education hub that broke ground in February, Casa Belongó will occupy the first two floors of Timbale Terrace, a 341-unit building of affordable housing in East Harlem. Featuring opening remarks from Mayor Mamdani and the premiere of a new O’Farrill composition penned for the occasion called Mamdani Belongó Mambo, the groundbreaking was covered by the New York Times, Gothamist, WNYC, NY1, JazzTimes, 1010Wins, ABC7, Pix11, Hellgate, and more.

About Belongó

Belongó, formerly the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, was founded by Arturo O’Farrill in 2007. The non-profit institution is dedicated to performing, educating about, and preserving the music of all of the Americas, emanating from African and indigenous roots, through the entry point of jazz. The organization produces the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra's annual performance season in New York and worldwide. Its educational programs include the Afro Latin Jazz Academy of Music (ALJAM), an in-school residency program serving public schools citywide with instrumental and ensemble instruction; the Fat Cats, a pre-professional youth orchestra that prepares the next generation of musicians; and the Global Rhythms in Our Tribe (G.R.I.O.T.), a music program that connects youth with rhythms and storytelling from global cultures as a way to engage them in anti-violence activities. In addition, it holds a world-class collection of Latin jazz musical scores and recordings. 

Belongó embraces its mission with a commitment to social justice, equity, inclusion, and the equality of all cultures worldwide. For additional information, visit belongo.org. 

For photos and more information:

https://shorefire.com/roster/arturo-ofarrill-belongo