Featuring the Pittsburgh based quartet with the legendary Don Aliquo on saxophone, Mark Perna, bass, Kevin Moore, keys and John Schmidt on drums.
A special guest performer, Marel Hidalgo, will be sitting in on a few songs with the Quartet and will also play a few solo songs.
Bradely Beach, New Jersey’s Marel Hidalgo, now 15 years old, began playing guitar when he was four years old. His special talent was immediatly recognized and the young prodigy flourished. At 6 years of age he formed his first band, “Marel Hidalgo & Friends”, a unique multicultural and multi-generational project that explored a wide variety of music genres including classic rock, soul, blues, funk, reggae, country, bluegrass and Latin jazz.
His musical journey has taken him from playing various festivals and venues along the Jersey Shore to venues in New York and PA, several performances at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH and the Denver Day of Rock festival in Denver, CO.
In 2015, at 7 years of age, this amazing young man was awarded the “Tito Puente Award” at the 29th Annual Hispanic Youth Showcase at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey and has been featured in multiple newspaper and magazine articles as well as TV interviews and performances including the Harry Connick Jr. daytime talk show in 2017.
While Marel’s musical interests have expanded over the years, most recently he has focused on jazz and learning the guitar style of one of the most influential jazz guitarists of all-time, Johnstown’s Joe Pass.
On Saturday August 19th at the Venue of Merging Arts (VOMA), Marel will have the opportunity to share the stage with another Johnstown native jazz legend, Don Aliquo Sr., who grew up playing with Joe Pass when they were kids.
Don Aliquo is a true jazz legend. He has played all major clubs, show venues and festivals in the Pittsburgh area. He has recorded for “Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood” TV program, was a guest soloist with River City Brass Band, performed at Heinz Hall and Benedum Center with Tony Bennet, Lena Horne, Mel Torme, Johnnie Mathis and many other stars. He has also performed with many other legendary jazz and big band greats including Hal Case, Woody Herman, Johnnie Long and Walt Harper.
Check out Don Aliquo Quartet Video: https://youtu.be/sKVyYXFy7h8 and Marel Hidalgo clip at https://youtube.com/shorts/MrJMWftkI4E?feature=share
Doors at 7pm - Music at 7:30pm
$10 General Admission - $8 VOMA VIP or Student ID
BYOB is welcome with proper I.D