MUSIC

It's hard to cha-cha or salsa under summer temps without a refreshing breeze and plenty of room to dance. The Tito Puente Latin Music Series takes place in July and August at outdoor locations across Boston, cool backdrops for sultry experiences. The six-concert series is an infectious soundscape of timba, mambo, bolero, Cuban, and Afrorican jazz mixed with funk, soul, and groove music. Performers include Berklee faculty, students, and alumni, along with world-renowned artists from Puerto Rico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Cuba, Argentina, Israel, and Brazil. Caliente, a Celebration of Latin Music and Culture with Jerry Rivera and Eguie y Su Orquesta at City Hall Plaza, One City Hall Square, Boston Through a special collaboration with Mayor Thomas M. Menino's Office of Arts, Tourism, and Special Events, the series descends on City Hall Plaza for the remarkable Caliente, a Celebration of Latin Music and Culture. Grammy and Latin Grammy–nominated salsa singer Jerry Rivera was born in Humacao, Puerto Rico, and signed with CBS Music as a teenager. By his second album, Abriendo Puertas (Opening Doors), he was scoring No. 1 hits in Puerto Rico, the United States, and across Latin America. His third album, Cuenta Conmigo (Count on Me), became the biggest-selling salsa album in history, and held the No. 1 spot on the Latin American Billboard chart for three consecutive months. Wyclef Jean sampled Rivera's "Amores Como El Nuestro" in his 2004 song "Amores como el nuestro," which would later become the worldwide number-one hit "Hips Don't Lie" by Wyclef and Shakira. Berklee professor Eguie Castrillo is from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and his Eguie y Su Orquesta—styled after big bands that created the legendary Latin music scene at New York's Palladium Ballroom in the 1950s—is a high-octane crowd pleaser. The free concerts are from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Call 617 927-1707, or visit berklee.edu/events/summer for more information. All locations are wheelchair accessible. Berklee College of Music; Villa Victoria Center for the Arts; ParkARTS; and the Mayor's Office of Arts, Tourism, and Special Events present the sixth-annual series.