Don Aliquo Quartet, 15-year-old New Jersey guitarist to perform at VOMA

Aug. 17—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A jazzy night of music awaits at this performance.

Venue of Merging Arts will present the Don Aliquo Quartet, with special guest 15-year-old New Jersey guitarist Marel Hidalgo, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at VOMA, 305 Chestnut St. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

The quartet features Aliquo on saxophone; Mark Perna on upright bass; Kevin Moore on keyboards; and John Schmidt on drums.

Aliquo has played major clubs, show venues and festivals in the Pittsburgh area; recorded for "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood"; was a guest soloist with the River City Brass Band; and performed at Heinz Hall and the Benedum Center with Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, Mel Torme and Johnny Mathis. He also has performed with many legendary jazz and big band greats.

Hidalgo, a resident of Bradley Beach, New Jersey, started playing guitar at 4 years old. His talent was immediately recognized, and at age 5 he played a tribute to Prince at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

By his next birthday, he formed his first band, Marel Hidalgo & Friends, a unique multicultural and multi-generational project that explored a wide variety of music genres, including classic rock, soul, blues, funk, reggae, country, bluegrass and Latin jazz.

In 2015, Hidalgo received the "Tito Puente Award" at the 29th Annual Hispanic Youth Showcase at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

In 2017, he was invited to play the first of several performances at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Hidalgo has performed with his band at the Denver Day of Rock festival, and he continues to perform at numerous festivals and venues.

While his musical interests have expanded over the years, most recently he has focused on jazz and learning the guitar style of one of the most influential jazz guitarists of all-time, Johnstown's Joe Pass.

Dennis Mical, executive director of VOMA, said that they were contacted by Hidalgo's father, who while doing research on Pass learned of his ties to Johnstown.

"They happened to find the VOMA website and saw we have a jazz night once a month," he said. "He also tracked down Don Aliquo and explained how interested his son is in Joe Pass.

"Don grew up with (Pass) and they played together when they were younger. Don likes to promote young talent, so he invited Marel to sit in with him."

Hidalgo will perform a few songs with the quartet and some solo numbers.

"I'm really blown away by him, and we want to promote this," Mical said. "This will be a unique opportunity for people to see someone with this extreme talent in VOMA's intimate setting."

The 21-and-over show is BYOB. Admission is $8 for VIP members and $10 for general public.

For more information, call 814-410-2245 or www.vomajohnstown.com.