The Bronx Music Hall is bringing a full lineup of music, art, and cultural events to the borough this November, including a celebration of Bronx jazz legends Valerie Capers and Bertha Hope, the 16th New York Son Jarocho Festival, and a photography exhibition documenting the final years of the Third Avenue El. Located in the South Bronx, the performance venue will also host live Puerto Rican music, spoken word, dance classes, and free community events throughout the month.
Here’s what’s happening at the Bronx Music Hall in November.
Afro Cuban Dance Baile Ochun
Dates: November 4, 11, 18 and December 2
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: $30 per class
Explore Afro-Cuban percussion and dance through a series of classes accompanied by live music from Arere Music and friends. The first two classes focus on batá and shekere percussion, taught by Yaquinay Acuña. The final two classes focus on dance, taught by Jinae Suire. Participants should bring a skirt.
Uptown Happy Hour with DJ ThankYouEddin
Date: Thursday, November 5
Time: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Cost: Free
Kick off the month with a free happy hour featuring DJ ThankYouEddin, a Harlem-based DJ, producer, photographer, and content creator. His sets blend genres including old-school reggaeton, dembow, and cumbia. The evening will also feature an artist marketplace.
Sunday Salon: Bronx Legends of Jazz Piano — Valerie Capers and Bertha Hope
Date: Sunday, November 8
Time: 3 p.m.
Cost: Free
The Bronx Music Hall will celebrate jazz musicians Valerie Capers and Bertha Hope, both Mellon Jazz Fellowship winners, in a special Sunday Salon presented in partnership with the Jazz Foundation of America.
Capers is a jazz musician, composer, and educator who became the first blind graduate of the Juilliard School. Hope is a jazz pianist, composer, and educator whose work has influenced generations of young musicians. The program will also include a special birthday celebration for Hope.
Opening Reception: The Third Avenue El in the Bronx, 1972–1973
Date: Wednesday, November 11
Time: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Cost: Free
Photographer George Malave documents the Bronx’s historic Third Avenue elevated railway during its final years of operation in this photographic exhibition.
Presented in partnership with the Bronx County Historical Society, the exhibition will remain on view through April 11, 2027, giving visitors several months to explore this piece of Bronx history.
Nuevas Voces: Pedro José Pastrana Trio
Date: Thursday, November 12
Time: 7 p.m.
Cost: $15
The Bronx Music Hall’s Nuevas Voces series welcomes Bay Area-based musician Pedro José Pastrana for a concert exploring the sounds and traditions of Puerto Rican music.
Pastrana blends folk traditions with contemporary compositions, drawing on the different identities and influences that shape his musical heritage. He will perform with Fernando Garcia Rodas on drums and Armando Lopez on bass.
The Arena: A Radio Play
Date: Friday, November 13
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $25
Presented by Infinite Variety Productions, The Arena is a documentary radio play exploring the value of art and the role of artists in society.
Inspired by the memoir of Hallie Flanagan, who led the Federal Theatre Project during the Great Depression, the production revisits a period when the New Deal program employed artists and brought live theater to communities across the country.
The story follows an out-of-work composer who discovers Flanagan’s memoir and uses it as the starting point for a dream featuring vaudeville-style sketches and a reimagining of the congressional hearing that preceded the project’s closure.
16th New York Son Jarocho Festival
Date: Saturday, November 14
Time: Doors open at 12:30 p.m.; festival runs from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: $20
The New York Son Jarocho Festival is coming to the Bronx for the first time, bringing together musicians and collectives from across the East Coast to celebrate the traditional music of Veracruz, Mexico.
The festival will conclude with a community fandango, a participatory gathering where music and dance bring people together. It’s an opportunity to experience this Mexican musical tradition right here in the borough.
Sunday Salon: Bobby Gonzalez — The Last Puerto Rican Indian
Date: Sunday, November 15
Time: 3 p.m.
Cost: Free
This special musical and poetic tribute will honor the life and legacy of South Bronx artist Bobby Gonzalez, who passed away in 2023. The celebration will recognize his artistic contributions and his connection to the Bronx community.
The Word on 163rd
Date: Thursday, November 19
Time: 7 p.m.
Cost: $5
Poetry fans can head to the Bronx Music Hall for The Word on 163rd, a spoken word open mic featuring Pastiche Queen, a non-binary Latindigenous interdisciplinary performance artist.
Based in Hollywood, California, Pastiche Queen has won multiple individual slam poetry championships and has appeared on Apple TV’s Dear… and Facebook’s Queer Community Leaders of Color Initiative.
Sunday Salon: Rueda de Oro and Artist Marketplace
Date: Sunday, November 22
Time: 3 p.m.
Cost: Free
Learn about Colombian bullerengue music and its accompanying dance traditions in this interactive session with musician Juan Ospina.
Participants will have an opportunity to learn about the music before joining a rueda, or circle, to experience the tradition together. The event will also feature an artist marketplace.
For tickets, additional information, and event updates, visit bronxmusichall.org.