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Entre Familia: Celebrando Pete ‘El Conde’ Rodríguez Honors a Bronx Salsa Legacy
- Damian Ali
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Brother and sister lead a one-night tribute in The Bronx, celebrating the music and spirit of their legendary father.
Promotional poster for the "Entre Familia: Celebrando Pete ‘El Conde’ Rodríguez" concert: Courtesy of Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture
Entre Familia: Celebrando Pete ‘El Conde’ Rodríguez will bring Bronx salsa pride to the stage at Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture on Saturday, November 22, at 7:30 p.m. The one-night-only concert is led by his daughter, acclaimed vocalist Cita Rodríguez, and musical director Dr. Pete Rodríguez Jr., honoring their father’s enduring influence on Latin music. Presented at 450 Grand Concourse, the event gathers family, friends, and fans to celebrate the legendary salsero’s life and sound.
Hosted by Raymond Pérez, the night features a powerful lineup of special guests, including Grammy-nominated artist Hermán Olivera, Frankie Vásquez, Ray Martínez, Ray Viera, and Grammy Award winner Willie Torres. Each brings a distinct chapter of salsa history to the stage, from Olivera’s commanding vocals to Vásquez’s dynamic voice and early start on congas at age ten, to Martínez’s reputation as one of the most gifted bassists and arrangers in Latin music. Together, they bring a lineup that reflects the depth and energy of salsa’s ongoing legacy.
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Image of Hostos Theater spaces: Top-Repertory Theater; Bottom-Main Theater. Courtesy of Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture.
In a statement to TalkTeaV, Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture Director Felix Arocho shared what this tribute means to the institution and the Bronx community:
“Hostos proudly supports Cita and Dr. Pete’s dedication to uplifting their father, the legendary Pete 'El Conde' Rodríguez. By supporting them, we celebrate not only the legacy of Pete ‘El Conde’ and the roots and richness of salsa, but also the enduring impact of this family’s commitment to culture, education, and the Bronx community.”
Recognized by The New York Times as “a powerful locus of Latino art,” the Hostos Center for Arts & Culture has become one of the Bronx’s leading stages for performance and cultural connection. Each year, the Center presents more than twenty events ranging from hip hop and Latin jazz to theater, dance, and film, serving both students and the wider Bronx community.
Recent highlights include a free Bronx series by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Julia VIVE, a documentary honoring Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos. Entre Familia continues that tradition, celebrating a family whose story reflects the Bronx’s deep musical roots.
Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez remains one of salsa’s most powerful voices. Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and raised in New York, he rose to fame in the 1960s alongside Johnny Pacheco and the Fania All-Stars. His deep, smooth phrasing helped define the golden era of salsa, connecting dance floors from the Bronx to the Caribbean. For many in the community, his songs still feel like home.
Now, his children carry that rhythm forward. Dr. Pete Rodríguez Jr., a jazz trumpeter and educator, serves as the event’s musical director. A Bronx native and godson of Fania Records founder Johnny Pacheco, he became his father’s musical director at only nineteen.
Over the years, he performed with legends such as Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, and Eddie Palmieri, blending Afro-Cuban jazz with the heartbeat of Nuyorican salsa. A lifelong student of music, he earned his doctorate in musical arts from the University of Texas at Austin and degrees in jazz from Rutgers University.
Cita Rodríguez at Mambo Memories 2016: Image Courtesy of Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture.
His sister, Cita Rodríguez, carries that same mix of discipline and soul. She began singing at sixteen when she filled in as a backup vocalist for her father on a Puerto Rican TV show. Since then, she has become a respected voice in Latin music, performing with the Mambo Legends Orchestra and leading her own band in tributes to her father’s work.
Outside the stage lights, Rodríguez built a second career as a teacher with the New York City Department of Education, earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees while shaping young minds in bilingual classrooms. “You have to be aware of where our students are coming from, how they are living, and you have to be sensitive to all of that,” she once said in an interview with the Salsa Legends and Masters Academy for SlamaNater.com. That same empathy fuels her connection with audiences.
Together, the Rodríguez family stands as Bronx royalty, a bridge between generations of rhythm, education, and resilience. Entre Familia isn’t just a concert; it’s a homecoming of sound, love, and legacy that continues to move with the pulse of The Bronx.
Follow:
Cita Rodríguez on Instagram @cita_rodgz
Ticket Information
Hostos Center on Instagram @hostoscenter
Hostos Center YouTube Channel
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