Zman Music
Reviews
Jazz Puerto Rico at 'La Voz'
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It was so CALIENTE ... the dance floor nearly caught on fire!
Filled to capacity at the Lancer's Club East on Sunday, August 10th, JazzElPaso Connection brought Jazz Puerto Rico (PR) with headliner Willie Hernandez for their first performance in El Paso. The band, founded by trombonist and arranger Randy Zimmerman, is one of Austin’s top Latin Jazz and Salsa bands as evidenced by its clean, smooth and powerful sounds. Willie Hernandez’s superb vocal work and renditions of the great salsero, Hector Lavoe, filled the room. He opened up with “El Cantante” and gave us a treat with the boleros “Escandalo” and “Beautiful Maria of My Soul” from the “Mambo Kings” soundtrack. Thereafter, the floor filled up with cha-cha and salsa dancers keeping the beat to Raciel Tortolo on the congas, Tito Alves on bongos and Willie’s finesse on the timbales. The brass section, masterfully performed by Randy Zimmerman and Frank Otero on trombones, accentuated the Latin verve. Rounding out this great sound was Angel Lopez on piano and Luis Ojeda on bass. Their final number “Jazz PR Descarga”, an original composition by Randy Zimmerman, was so hot – I thought the floor would catch on fire! This was one of those rare occasions when top musicians came together and “clicked” weaving a memorable and dynamic concert experience. These guys are “salsa”! See for yourself by viewing the slideshow in our Photo Gallery.
- Kenneth Vaughan
Contact Randy Zimmerman at rezmann@sbcglobal.net for more information or availability.
Filled to capacity at the Lancer's Club East on Sunday, August 10th, JazzElPaso Connection brought Jazz Puerto Rico (PR) with headliner Willie Hernandez for their first performance in El Paso. The band, founded by trombonist and arranger Randy Zimmerman, is one of Austin’s top Latin Jazz and Salsa bands as evidenced by its clean, smooth and powerful sounds. Willie Hernandez’s superb vocal work and renditions of the great salsero, Hector Lavoe, filled the room. He opened up with “El Cantante” and gave us a treat with the boleros “Escandalo” and “Beautiful Maria of My Soul” from the “Mambo Kings” soundtrack. Thereafter, the floor filled up with cha-cha and salsa dancers keeping the beat to Raciel Tortolo on the congas, Tito Alves on bongos and Willie’s finesse on the timbales. The brass section, masterfully performed by Randy Zimmerman and Frank Otero on trombones, accentuated the Latin verve. Rounding out this great sound was Angel Lopez on piano and Luis Ojeda on bass. Their final number “Jazz PR Descarga”, an original composition by Randy Zimmerman, was so hot – I thought the floor would catch on fire! This was one of those rare occasions when top musicians came together and “clicked” weaving a memorable and dynamic concert experience. These guys are “salsa”! See for yourself by viewing the slideshow in our Photo Gallery.
- Kenneth Vaughan
Contact Randy Zimmerman at rezmann@sbcglobal.net for more information or availability.
Jazz Puerto Rico at 'La
Voz' w/ Willie Hernandez
"Jazz y LaVoz" with Willie Hernandez and Jazz PR
Jazz lovers, Willie Hernandez, "La Voz” did it again! ?His salsa group, Jazz PR, nearly caught Lancer's East on fire during his second performance of Puerto Rican style jazz!
It was smoking hot and not for the faint of heart. If you wanted to get on that dance floor you needed to check with your doctor before hand.
It was a great performance with Willie's own vocal sound conjuring up images of the great Hector Lavoe.
Jazz PR is, Willie Hernandez on timbales, Randy Zimmerman, Frank Otero and Jose Del Rio on trombones, Raciel Tortolo on congas/bongo/trumpet, Tito Alves on congas/bongo, Luis Ojeda on bass and Angel Lopez on keys These guys are all old friends and have played together for many years. That’s one of the things that makes this band so great. They're really tight and and compliment each other perfectly. It was a foot tapping, salsa dancing delight. Hope we hear more from these guys very soon.
Contact Randy Zimmerman at rezmann@sbcglobal.net for more information or availability.
Jazz lovers, Willie Hernandez, "La Voz” did it again! ?His salsa group, Jazz PR, nearly caught Lancer's East on fire during his second performance of Puerto Rican style jazz!
It was smoking hot and not for the faint of heart. If you wanted to get on that dance floor you needed to check with your doctor before hand.
It was a great performance with Willie's own vocal sound conjuring up images of the great Hector Lavoe.
Jazz PR is, Willie Hernandez on timbales, Randy Zimmerman, Frank Otero and Jose Del Rio on trombones, Raciel Tortolo on congas/bongo/trumpet, Tito Alves on congas/bongo, Luis Ojeda on bass and Angel Lopez on keys These guys are all old friends and have played together for many years. That’s one of the things that makes this band so great. They're really tight and and compliment each other perfectly. It was a foot tapping, salsa dancing delight. Hope we hear more from these guys very soon.
Contact Randy Zimmerman at rezmann@sbcglobal.net for more information or availability.
