Bomba music by Los Pleneros de la 21

Los Pleneros de la 21

From Puerto Rico to El Barrio in New York City to Williamstown, the LP21 Bomba Ensemble perform a concert of traditional and contemporary Bomba music and dance. Their concert includes a mix of regional styles from Puerto Rico, engaging the audience with rare chants, intense drumming, and enigmatic dances that characterize this iconic Puerto Rican genre. Audience participation is encouraged!

Founded in 1983 by National Heritage Fellow, Juan Gutiérrez, LOS PLENEROS DE LA 21 (LP21) is an East Harlem traditional performing arts nonprofit organization created to foster awareness & appreciation of Puerto Rican traditional expressions–particularly those of African descent: Bomba & Plena–as indispensable to a healthy community life. LP21 accomplishes its objectives through a unique model which combines both community programming and widespread international touring efforts, that has allowed them to remain at the forefront of creating accessible cultural programming, and pioneer the performance practice and education on Puerto Rican traditional arts and Bomba and Plena and inspiring over three generations of cultural organizations and traditional arts practitioners.

Since inception, LP21 has toured in more than 200+ cities internationally and has brought Bomba and Plena to tens of thousands locally and worldwide, inspiring countless musicians, traditional arts practitioners, and ensuring the permanence of Puerto Rican traditions and a strong community voice in cultural arts for generations to come.

April 30 – 8PM | Greylock, 2nd floor

Audience participation is encouraged!

The Puerto Rican Music Project is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Williams College sponsorship includes Department of Romance Languages, the Lecture Committee, the Programs in Africana and Latina/o Studies, and the Center for Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Cultures.

Poster for LP21