Que pasa in L.A

Latin Beat Magazine, Dec, 1997

This year the city of Los Angeles and its people welcomed the largest number ever of Latin music groups and performers to its stages. Some of the acts that performed for the first time in our city include Cubans NG La Banda, Vocal Sampling, Sintesis, and Cubanismo, from Peru, singer Susana Baca, and from Colombia, the pop group Los Aterciopelados.

Other memorable performances were those by Los Van Van, Roy Hargrove & Crisol, Larry Harlow & the Latin Legends Band, Manny Oquendo & Libre, Eddie Palmieri with Ismael Quintana, Tito Puente, Ray Barretto & New World Spirit, the return of La Orquesta Aragon to Los Angeles after 39 years, Albita, Tito Nieves, El Gran Combo, and Jerry Gonzalez & Fort Apache. The Fourth Annual Hollywood Salsa & Latin Jazz Festival featured this year a rare reunion of Willie Colon & Ruben Blades, plus Oscar D'Leon, India, and Vocal Sampling. The last major event of the year was the First Los Angeles International Latin Jazz Festival held at the Greek Theatre on October 25 to a full house of Latin jazz aficionados. The headliners consisted of Arturo Sandoval, Cachao y su Orquesta, the Caribbean Jazz Project featuring Paquito D'Rivera, Andy Narell, and Dave Samuels, Herb Albert with an all-star cast of local musicians featuring Justo Almario, Oskar Cartaya, Joe Rotondi, Michito Sanchez, and Nengue Hernández among others, and the Tres Maestros Congueros (three master drummers), which featured Armando Peraza, Francisco Aguabella and Giovanni Hidalgo paying homage to master conguero Mongo Santamaría. This last act was the high point of the festival. Highlights from local talents this year embraced the Latin Jazz All Stars jam at the Ashgrove in Santa Monica led by Luis Conte, the reunion concert of Koinonia at the Wadsworth in UCLA led by Alex Acuña, Poncho Sanchez at The Hop (CD release party), Johnny Polanco y su Conjunto Amistad and Orquesta Costazul at the John Anson Ford Amphitheater (Dia de San Juan concert), Bobby Matos at the African Market (Black Heritage celebration), Ricardo Lemvo y Makina Loca at Luna Park, and Son Mayor and Yari More at the Downtown. Most of our night clubs and restaurants will be hosting special holiday celebration parties through the month of December, so make your reservations soon and join in the Holiday Season spirit.