‘The Bronx Bombers' play The Pavilion

Latin Jazz Fest dedicated to the late Ray Barretto Sugar Loaf — You would be mistaken if you thought that a former baseball team was coming to town. Instead, two American Latin-jazz artists, both from the Bronx, will be bringing their vibrant music to bucolic Sugarloaf for the weekend of June 2 and 3. “The Bronx Bombers” in this case are Ray Vega and his All Star Quintet, and Bobby Sanabria and his group, Quarteto Aché. Sanabria’s guest artist will be alto saxophonist Chris Barretto, for whose late father, Ray Barretto, the festival is being dedicated. It was as an aspiring artist in the Bronx that Ray Barretto honed his mastery of the congas. Both Vega and Sanabria performed and recorded with the late maestro. Hosted by Sugarloaf Music, the festival will be held at The Pavilion of the Lycian Performing Arts Center on Kings Highway in Sugarloaf. Vega will perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 2, and Sanabria, featuring Chris Barretto, will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 3. Trumpeter Vega is much sought after in the Latin-jazz venue. Shortly after his appearance in Sugarloaf, he leaves for Burlington, Vt., where for the past few years he has been artist-in-resident at the Flynn Theatre. A native of the South Bronx, he was not only a featured trumpeter with Ray Barretto, but has also played with Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Mario Bauza, Hector Lavoe, Johnny Pacheco, and Louie Ramirez. Presently, Vega is on the faculty of the State University of New York at Purchase, along with other jazz luminaries such as Jon Faddis and Todd Coolman. For many years, he was also the cornerstone to the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Afro-Caribbean Orchestra. For more information, visit www.rayvegamusic.com. Drummer and educator Sanabria’s credits include working with Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Paquito D’Rivera, Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto, Chico O’Farrell, Candido, and Mario Bauza. Also a native of the South Bronx, Sanabria attended Berkley School of Music. He has been featured in the movie “The Mambo Kings,” The Bill Cosby Show, several PBS specials on the history of Latin-jazz, and the CBS documentary “Rivkin: Bounty Hunter.” Sanabria has been nominated for several Grammy Awards. He has held the chair of Afro-Cuban Jazz Resources for the International Association of Jazz Educators, and presently heads the Latin-Jazz Big Band at Manhattan School of Music. For more information, visit www.bobbysanabria.com. Chris Barretto was raised in Warwick, where he began his studies on alto sax and piano. He has studied with a myriad of jazz artists, including reedman Dick Oates and Bobby Sanabria. He toured with his father in Europe as part of Barretto’s band “New World Spirit,” and he made his first record appearance on his father’s last recording for the Zoho Record label. The two-day festival is made possible in part through funding from The National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, Target Stores, Orange & Rockland Utilities, Newman’s Own, Provident Savings Bank, Jazz Promo Services, Orange Tourism, and The Puffin Foundation. Snacks and beverages will be available. Seating is limited. Tickets are $30 for both events, or $20 for individual performances. For reservations, call 986-6463 or visit www.sugarloafmusic.org.