Immerse yourself in an enchanting evening of live music with Manuela Zapata. Explore her passion for Latin, Jazz, and Brazilian Rhythms. Join us for a night to remember!

Greg Burrus and Rutgers IJS Presents Latin Vocalist Manuela Zapata

Date: Mar 5 • 7:30 pm

Location: 15 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102

Manuela Zapata

Manuela Zapata is a 24-year-old Colombian singer whose passion for music dates back to her beginnings in the church where she grew up. From a young age, she discovered in singing a way to deeply connect with her emotions and her faith, which drove her to forge a path in the musical world.

With a deep-rooted love for Latin music, jazz and Brazilian rhythms, Manuela has managed to combine these influences to create a unique and authentic style. Her voice, full of nuances and emotion, is the reflection of a career marked by dedication and commitment to her art.

Today, Manuela continues to explore and expand the limits of her creativity, bringing the essence of her roots and the diversity of the genres that inspire her into each performance. Her story is a testament to the transformative power of music and the passion to share a message that transcends borders and cultures.

Joining Manuela Zapata on Clements Stage will be:

Rodrigo Romero

Rodrigo Romero is a Peruvian saxophonist and educator based in East Orange, NJ. As a performer, Romero keeps a busy schedule playing as a sideman in the NYC/NJ area with different artists such as Radam Schwartz Organ Trio, Carrie Jackson Quintet , Eddie Allen’s Salongo and Jeffrey Lopez’s Swing Combo to name a few. He also develops his skills as an arranger, working with Willwallz and Manuela Zapata, producing their music and performances. As an educator, he has been part of the staff of Jazz House Kids since 2022, and Paterson Music Project since last year, teaching Middle and High School students from Montclair and Paterson, as well as having his own private studio. Rodrigo is a graduate from Montclair State University’s John J. Cali School of Music, where he studied under Bruce Williams and Mike Lee.

Eric Dupont

Eric Dupont is a talented multi-genre drummer, composer, and educator based in the New York area. He began his musical journey in New Hampshire, receiving his first drum set at the age of 12. Throughout high school, he honed his craft and earned titles such as the NHMEA Jazz All-State drummer and the Woody Herman Jazz Award.

Eric studied European classical percussion at the University of Massachusetts before transferring to the jazz program at William Paterson University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 2016 with a major in Jazz Studies and Music Management. He has had the opportunity to study under renowned drummers like Billy Hart, Winard Harper, Horacee Arnold, and Bill Goodwin..

Eric has performed at various venues in New York and beyond, and he has been involved in teaching students of all ages and playing levels. He has also received scholarships and grants from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and the Music Business Association.

Gabriel Belado

Gabriel Balado is a Peruvian bass player and composer based in New Jersey. He spent part of his formative years in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he studied at the prestigious Conservatorio Manuel de Falla.

In Argentina, he collaborated with renowned local artists and had the opportunity to share the stage with world-class musicians such as Antonio Hart, Rodney Jones, and Donald Harrison. His versatility and domain of the bass have allowed him to participate in various projects, blending influences from Jazz, African, and Latin American traditions.

Always in search of new sonic explorations, Gabriel continues to evolve as a performer and composer, bringing his vision and creativity to every project he takes part on.
He is currently working as a sideman in the greater NYC/NJ area.

Raul Huaman

Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Raúl Abbad Huaman is an eclectic guitarist and composer based in the NYC Metropolitan Area. Raul’s original music is a reflection of his heritage; a fusion of traditional South American Folkloric music, world music, and the modern sounds of American jazz and rock. Raul grew up listening to his mother’s records of the traditional Peruvian guitarist Raul Garcia Zarate which became a source of inspiration to him. This led him to seek out Garcia Zarate as a guitar teacher and study with him. After moving to the US, Raul studied music education, classical guitar under Dennis Cinelli, jazz guitar under Stephen Benson and composition at Montclair State University under Fred Cohen.
Raul’s background in Peruvian and classical guitar was a jumping off point for exploring electric guitar, extended range guitars, mandolin, charango, electric bass, and keyboards. Over his career, he has developed a specialty in Peruvian music which includes a variety of diverse styles such as Afro-Peruvian, Coastal Creole, Andean, and Amazonian music. However, his musical lexicon expands beyond Peru to classical, jazz, rock, and other South American traditions. Raul’s unique gift is navigating and mixing these diverse musical styles with ease and authenticity.  Raul interprets and presents these styles in a progressive light, always leaving his own unique mark on the music. 
Raul has worked on a variety of projects, including commissions for the New Jersey Youth Symphony, New Jersey Guitar and Music Society, and the Colonial Symphony. He is the songwriter and producer for a variety of artists, including LaFolie Austral, an indie-rock-en-Español project. He is the guitarist and composer for Bajopontino, a South American and Afro Peruvian jazz quartet. Raul has also performed regularly with Iraida Valdivia, acclaimed traditional Peruvian singer, including several broadcasts on Peruvian television with her. He also performs regularly with bassist Justin Lee in the NJ/NY metropolitan area. Raul served as the musical director for the Bloomfield Mandolin Orchestra for two seasons. When Raul is not composing and performing, you can find him teaching guitar and music technology at JP Stevens High School and the Paterson Music Project.

Vic Ortiz

Vic Ortiz was born in DR and learned how to play the flute when he immigrated to the United States. He received the Carollo Scholarship where he studied with Aki Kasuga in Newark School of the Arts. He graduated from Montclair State University with his bachelors in Music Education. During his time there, he had studied under Allison Loggins-Hull, Bruce Williams and Alice Jones. He had the privilege to travel to Czech Republic, Germany and Austria with the MSU wind ensemble for the WASBE 2022 conference. He also created and led the Afro-Caribbean Ensemble with the help of Oscar Perez. Currently, he is a middle school general music teacher in Paterson as well as part of the staff in the Carollo program of Newark School of the Arts.