Afro-Cuban orchestra pays tribute to mambo king
By Gaby Mora
Daily Bruin Staff
In a tribute to the legendary mambo king, Mario Bauza, the
Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra will perform its spicy genre known as
Latin Jazz at the Veterans Wadsworth Theater Saturday.
The 18-piece Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra was hand picked by Bauza
himself, and has been described by Billboard magazine as "the best
Latin big band in the land."
Having discovered artists like Gillepsie and Ella Fitzgerald,
Bauza also saw talent in the veteran trumpeter Victor Paz and in
the great Cuban singer Rudy Calzado who now directs the orchestra.
Also with the orchestra are drummer Bobby Sanbaria, saxophone/flute
Enrique Fernandez, trumpeter Manny Duran, pianist Marcus Persiani,
bassist Joe Santiago and master conga player Carlos "Patato"
Valdes.
Calzado says of Bauza, "He was one of the leaders to many
musicians here in the United States. He is the one who led them and
showed them the way to the Afro-Cuban roots."
Since the 1800s, Cuban music has been a part of United States,
developing mostly in New York under the musicianship of Bauza,
Dizzy Gillepsie, Charlie Parker, and Bauzas’ brother-in-law, the
great Machito. With a blend of Cuban rhythms and North American
jazz, both of African origin, these musicians set the sounds to
sheet music forming a part of jazz heritage to be enjoyed decades
later.
Though the New York public and the traditional Latin community
enjoyed Bauza’s creations for quite some time, it wasn’t until 1991
that his music was expanded to a wider audience. When Bauza led a
star-studded concert in honor of his 80th birthday that year, Gotz
Worner of Messidor Musik was in the audience. Worner was so
impressed with the group that he signed a three record deal with
German label, Messidor Records.
The performance will also feature a Center Stage pre-performance
lecture with Steve Loza of the UCLA department of
ethnomusicology.
MUSIC: Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra at the Veterans Wadsworth
Theater on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m. Tickets are available for
$24, $22 and $9 (to students with a valid I.D.) at the UCLA Central
Ticket Office at the southwest corner of the James West Alumni
Center and at all Ticketmaster outlets. For more info, or to charge
by phone, call (310) 825-2102.