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"¡Sabor Latino!"
Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band; Omar Sosa
Friday, March 9 • 8pm
$58
$38
$30
$25
“[Fort Apache is] the best Latin jazz group working.” – The New York Times
Program Notes
Jerry Gonzalez burst onto the jazz scene as both an extraordinary percussionist and a classically trained trumpeter. Like so many 20th century Afro-Caribbean musicians, he crossed paths with Dizzy Gillespie, joining the master's band at the tender age of 19. That appointment with Gillespie led to gigs with Latin jazz legends Manny Oquendo, Eddie Palmieri, and Tito Puente, as well as modern trailblazers Tony Williams, McCoy Tyner, and Jaco Pastorious.
Named for the rough and tumble Bronx neighborhood Jerry and his bassist brother Andy grew up in, the multi-Grammy-nominated Fort Apache has been called "the best Latin jazz group working today" (The New York Times). Though this program is not part of the Spring Season's Monk Project, Gonzalez and Fort Apache have their own history with the 20th century jazz icon. Their third album, 1989's Rumba Para Monk, was named "Album of the Year" by the French Academe du Jazz, and stands as an important milestone for its blend of Latin and progressive jazz. The group's latest album, Rumba Buhaina, is also a tribute, this time to legendary drummer and bandleader Art Blakey. "As far as tributes go, Rumba Buhaina is the gold standard. It’s a winner on every level and it's particularly fitting that another great bandleader, Jerry Gonzalez, is putting it out there," said All About Jazz.
Fellow musical alchemist Omar Sosa opens tonight's show. Born in Camaguey, Cuba, Sosa attended the the Escuela Nacional de Musica in Havana before globetrotting to Ecuador, Spain, and finally, the Bay Area where he hooked up with Machete Ensemble founder John Santos. His 2002 album, Sentir, on which Sosa fused with his extraordinary arrangements, was nominated for both a Latin Grammy and a Grammy. It was named Afro-Caribbean Jazz Album of the Year from the Jazz Journalists Association
The pianist's most recent studio album, Mulatos, was another Grammy-nominated, cross-cultural affair featuring instruments from Morocco, India, as well as the legendary clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera. Many of those same compositions are featured on the new CD, Live à FIP, which showcases Sosa's dazzling ability on keyboards and marimba, as well as his versatile band playing at the top of their game.
Personnel:
Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band
- Jerry Gonzalez, trumpet, flugelhorn, congas
- Andy Gonzalez, bass
- Steve Berrios, drums
- Larry Willis, piano
- Joe Ford, alto & soprano saxophones
Omar Sosa Quartet
- Omar Sosa, piano, Fender Rhodes, electronics, vocals
- Geoff Brennan, acoustic bass
- Josh Jones, drums
- Eric Crystal, saxophones
Robert and Barbara Amore
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