The red hot Latin jazz band Manny Oquendo and Libre will join the Barbary Coast tomorrow night for a concert that promises to be one of the highlights of Winter Carnival weekend.
Manny Oquendo, the leader of the band, is a native of New York City and the percussionist of the group. Though he will play the timbales in tomorrow night's concert, he is a master of the bongos and other percussion instruments as well.
With the urgent sting of a drum set absent, Oquendo assumes the role of timekeeper but simultaneously manages to maintain a strong spontaneous element in his playing.
Playing with musicians like Chano Pozo and, by the early 1950s, Tito Puente, Oquendo has strong roots in early Latin jazz, influences which are part and parcel of his sound.
Andy Gonzalez, the bassist and musical director of the group, along with pianist Willy Rodriguez round out the exceptionally buoyant and powerful rhythm section of Libre. In an interview with The Dartmouth, Gonzalez explained that "the rhythm section is really the heart of the band."
"What I like to do is lock a rhythm section up, and really burn," Gonzalez said. Influenced mainly by the bassists Paul Chambers and Ron Carter, member of Miles Davis' first and second quintet respectively, Gonzalez believes in the importance of blending musical technique with creativity and imagination on the bandstand. "Nothing really appeals to me as much as just straight-ahead rhythm, really cookin' rhythm," he added.
Gonzalez, a native of New York City as well, first picked up the bass when he was in elementary school. Classically trained, he began to branch out into Latin jazz. "It was the only music I really wanted to play," he said. Gonzalez certainly has the experience of a veteran jazzman. He has played with percussionist Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri and the legendary Dizzy Gillespie before joining Oquendo to form Libre.
In a time when most Latin jazz appears to be commercialized and sugar coated, Manny Oquendo and Libre shine through as a unique voice with distinct intentions to break new ground with their playing style.
The Barbary Coast, directed by Don Glasgo, will perform with Manny Oquendo and Libre for the first half of the concert. The Coast features a strong pool of talent, including a strong rhythm section consisting of pianist Luis Scheker '95, drummer Sean Paley '94 and bassist Todd Miller. They are complemented by an equally strong trumpet, saxophone and trombone section.
For the second half of the concert, Manny Oquendo and Libre will take the stage and play a program of Latin jazz tunes. As Glasgo said, "Manny Oquendo and Libre raise the temperature for this year's Coast Carnival Concert caliente hot!"
Tickets for tomorrow night's concert are available at the Hopkins Center box office. Price are $5.50 for Dartmouth students and $10.50 for reserved seats.
