Main Concert&Club Review Page

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Photos and Review by Joe Aytch

(click on images to view larger versions)

"Afro-Cuban All Stars is an ambitious project, not a band. The only real requirement for the participants is to possess a very high level of musical ability and to want to play Cuban music without making any concessions whatsoever.."

-Juan de Marcos González,
composer/arranger/musical director

And that’s exactly what was delivered when the "project" toured California this past June — "A high level of musical ability, and Cuban music without concessions". I caught the Cuban super band at Villa Montalvo Winery. Named for the popular 16th-century Spanish writer Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo, Villa Montalvo, is a century-old, Mediterranean-style villa located on 175 acres in the beautiful foothills of Saratoga, CA.

Much of the property is a county park and winery. Concerts, gallery exhibitions, literary readings and special events are held in its Garden Theatre, Carriage House Theatre, and Front Lawn Garden. All to rave reviews.

The appearance of the Afro-Cuban All-stars was more special than most. Led by Havana based producer, Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, the man credited as the conceptual artist for the now legendary "Buena Vista Social Club," the band began a 21 concert tour of the US and Canada to promote their latest CD "Afro Cuban All Stars Present Felix Baloy."

Gonzalez is one of the most "distinguished personalities" behind the worldwide resurgence of Cuban music. He initiated the Buena Vista Social Club project, wrote the musical arrangements, selected the repertoire, wrote the arrangements and invited Ibrahím Ferrer, Company Segundo, Omara Portuondo and Rúben González.

Since then, his Afro-Cuban All Stars were nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award, and distinguished by The New York Times as the Best Latin Music Record of the Year, received an award at WOMEX 99 (World Music's Most Important International Event), awarded the "Best Beyond Band" by Downbeat Magazine, and has also been nominated for the Billboard Awards 2001.

After a late start, the Afro-Cuban All Stars performed songs from their three recordings "A Todo Cuba le Gusta" (Nonesuch), "Distinto, Diferente" (Nonesuch) and their latest release "Afro-Cuban All Stars Present Félix Baloy" (Tumi Music).

Their first record, "A Toda Cuba Le Gusta" paid tribute to the wonderful Cuban music of the 1950s. Participating musicians included Cachaíto López, Ibrahím Ferrer, Ruben González, Puntillita and Pío Leyva, musicians of that generation.

Without losing the integrity of the roots of Cuban music, the second recording "Distinto, Diferente" emphasized the ideas of the younger Cuban musicians.

Their latest, "Afro-Cuban All Stars Present Félix Baloy," features one of the best Cuban soneros together with a new generation of extraordinary Cuban musicians.

Félix Baloy has been singing for more than 40 years and has sung with bands like Revé, Tropicuba, Son 14 and others. With a rough voice and an outgoing personality, he is one of the great figures of modern Cuban music. He has tremendous charisma and remarkable talent.

The recording includes cha-cha-chás, son montuno, boleros and a variety of Cuban son classics, such as "Mami Me Gusto" by Luis Lili Martinez. The album also mixes other Cuban genres such as changüí (the ancestor of son montuno) and guaguancó.

With a new slogan of "See. Hear. Create. Be.", Montalvo, formerly known as Villa Montalvo, announced its 2001 summer concert series amidst a new booking relationship with Bill Graham Presents and a brand new look for its arts center. Scheduled to appear in 2001 will be performances by The Neville Brothers and Steel Pulse, Buena Vista Social Club, and Ravi Shankar. They will continue to sponsor music events off the estate. For more information visit www.villamontalvo.com.

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Joe Aytch is a San Francisco Bay Area Photo Journalist whose writing and photos have appeared in various publications throughout the United States, including The Reggae Calendar International, Exodus, The Buffalo Soldier, Forward, Dub Missive, The African Voice, The Guardsman, The Bayview Heritage and more. He is currently an Editor/Writer for CityFlight Newsmagazine and was formerly an editor for the Reggae Review. He appears on several web pages, and has been a featured MC at the Afribbean and One Root Festivals. He can be reached at jtaytch@aol.com or at P.O. box 90384, San Jose, CA 95109-3384.

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