Club Meeting: Caribbean Latin Music in Oregon

Aquiles Montas, bandleader of Conjunto Alegre, will be speaking on Caribbean Latin Music in Oregon.  Since coming to Portland 45 years ago, Aquiles has been a leader in promoting Latin Caribbean culture in Oregon and Washington. He shares his knowledge of the music, dance, food, geography and history of the culture.

The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.

Aquiles Montas is the bandleader for the Latin music group Conjunto Alegre, which has performed in Oregon and Washington for more than 35 years. He immigrated from the Dominican Republic and has been a resident of the Portland area for 45 years. He graduated from Grant High School in Portland then earned his degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Portland State University. He also studied small business management at Portland Community College. He currently works for Multnomah County as the director of a youth enrichment program in the Northeast Cully neighborhood. He is a proud husband, father, and now grandfather.

In 1984, Aquiles joined forces with his Dominican friend Pedro Beltran and his Puerto Rican friend Amador Marcano to form the Latin music band Ritmo Tropical. In 1987, he broke away and formed Conjunto Alegre (Spanish for “happy band”). That band is still performing all around Oregon and Washington 36 years later, including at the 2023 Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts on August 3. Please go to Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts website at www.wilsonvilleconcerts.com for more details.

Aquiles has shared the stage with many local and international artists such as Tito Puente. He was selected to play for Cirque Du Soleil in 1999 in Portland and 2000 in Seattle, and has performed and presented at many local events and college campuses. His passion has always been helping people, particularly recent immigrants to find housing, jobs, and health care and with learning the English language. He helps them make connections and find friends through the larger Latin community in the Portland area.

His hobbies and interests include teaching, Spanish, English, dancing, percussion, cooking, history, geography and politics. He will be speaking on the topic of Caribbean music in the Portland area.