Every other Friday, June 28th through September 6th, from 6-8 pm, we’ll be firing up the music in the Rose Pavilion– the outdoor stage at the Madison Community Arts Center. Kick off your shoes, and dance on the lawn. The Center doors will also be wide open, you can dance in there, too. And If it rains, we’ll bring it all inside.
View more Forbidden Tropics on their YouTube Channel
Madison has an exciting array of shops and businesses and an excellent choice of diverse eating experiences. You can find them all by clicking here or on the Experience Madison Magazine image.
Time for some sweet Summer Nights at MCAC.
Forbidden Tropics is an Afro-Peruvian Jazz band from New Jersey led by guitarist/composer Alejandro Ataucusi. Their music blends Afro-Peruvian rhythms such as Festejo, Lando, Zamacueca, and Panalivio with sophisticated harmonic elements of Jazz. Forbidden Tropics released their latest album “Peruvian Rhapsody” in 2022 and it is available on all streaming platforms. The current band members are Alejandro Ataucusi (guitar), Robbie Sko (keyboards). James Nascimento (bass), Robin Estela (Afro-Peruvian percussion), and Mike Dick (drums).
Alejandro Ataucusi (guitar) from Perth Amboy, NJ is a composer, educator and band leader of Forbidden Tropics. He has been the guitarist for the William Paterson University Latin Jazz Ensemble since 2013. He has played with many well-known Latin and Jazz artists such as Jimmy Bosch, Claudio Roditi, Pete Nater and members of the Tito Puente Orchestra such as Ray Vega, Mitch Frohman, and Jose Madera. Alejandro is endorsed by Godin guitars, Udo Roesner amps, and Aquila strings.
Robbie Sko (keyboards) is a multi-instrumentalist who produces a wide variety of music from Neo Soul to French House using Ableton Live. He performs on keyboards with ensembles of all sizes in addition to DJing and mentoring students on how to play rhythm instruments and produce their own music.
James Nascimento (bass) from Staten Island, NY, attended Curtis High School and graduated from its performing arts program in 2013. His education continued at Rutgers University where he received his BM (2017) and MM (2019) in Jazz Studies. At Rutgers, he studied with Kenny Davis and played in Latin jazz ensembles. Now, James freelances throughout New York and New Jersey playing mostly Jazz and Rock.
Robin Estela (cajon, cajita, donkey jaw bone) born in Trujillo Peru, moved to the United States with his family at the age of 11 years old.This is where his vocation and admiration for the Afro-Peruvian and Andean music began, developing his arts with differents instruments such as the cajon, donkey jaw bone, cowbell, etc. He had the opportunity to play and learn from great exponents of Afro-Peruvian music such as Marcos Napa, and Cesar Ferreyra.
Mike Dick (drums) has been a member of Forbidden Tropics since 2021. His affinity for sound led him to study acoustical engineering and music at the Hartt School of Music as well as Jazz Performance at New England Conservatory. In addition to performing music internationally, Mike is a composer and a board-certified member of the Institute of Noise Control Engineering.
