Bands

Orquesta La Romana

Sunday, 14 November 2010 10:06 | Written by Sue Elliott |

Edwin Ortiz y su Orquesta La Romana

To the untrained ear, or even to some trained feet, salsa music is salsa music. But to Orquesta La Romana bandleader Edwin Ortiz, there's only one kind that matters: salsa dura, or hard salsa, the aggressive, grittier kind, rich with pouncing trombone drives, defiant conga slaps and irrepressible timbale licks over seductive bass lines and sprawling piano improvisations. It's a sound born in late-'60s New York when young Latinos started experimenting with their parents' music.

"I was too young to play, but my brother Edgar [who plays the bongos in La Romana] was at just the right age," Ortiz says. "He played with salsa legends like Willie Colón, Larry Harlow and Tito Puente." But the youngest Ortiz never relinquished his love for that sound, and he eventually got his chance. At 18, Ortiz decided New York was no place to raise his baby daughter, so he moved to Washington in 1980. "My immediate concern was to join a band and play the bongos, the congas, whatever," Ortiz says. He joined longtime D.C. bandleader Pedro Julio Velásquez's hot-at-the-time Sonora Nuevo Amanecer, but Ortiz had to settle for playing slower, bouncier, accordion-laden cumbia instead.

Orquesta La Romana broke up in 1987, but two years later Ortiz re-formed the band. It has been together since. Today, Orquesta La Romana is a high-torque salsa machine. It honors classic salsa numbers with fresh, feisty arrangements that exude the spirit of exploration that once defined the golden age of salsa.

For nearly 30 years, Ortiz has served up salsa dura whether Washington wanted it or not. And with La Romana, his nine-piece band of nearly 20 years, he'll do the honors again at the Second Baltimore Salsa Fest in 2011.

Last Updated (Tuesday, 05 July 2011 13:09)

Salsaley Orchesta

Saturday, 06 February 2010 22:45 | Written by Sue Elliott |

Bio coming soon. Check them out on February 14 at Cancun Cantina.

http://www.facebook.com/salsaley

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Last Updated (Saturday, 30 October 2010 22:41)

Joe Falero and DC Latin Jazz All Stars

Saturday, 30 October 2010 22:33 | Written by Sue Elliott |

Joe Falero and the DC Latin Jazz All Stars

Joe "Killer Joe" Falero was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico. He is the charismatic bandleader of the DC Latin Jazz All Stars, which was formed in 2004 in Washington, DC after Joe moved from New York City to the DC area.

Joe began playing with different local bands. He did this for almost 6 years, showing his skills on bongos, congas, timbales and vocals.

Joe is known for his showmanship, great technique and spectacular solos. He is an excellent band leader who strives to get the best out of his fellow musicians, this is manifested through his desire to always do something original in every show. The band reflects Joe's ability to blend different styles of Latin music like Mambo, Salsa, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Bolero, Salsa in English and more...

Tito Puente Jr. performed with the band at the new Washington Convention Center, he was the special guest. We did a show with the great sonero Frankie Vazquez, he sang with Joe's band at Cafe Peju in Bethesda Maryland. They also played with the great violinist from Cuba Alfredo de la Fe! Joe Falero & DC Latin Jazz All Stars participated on a TV commercial for Bud Light recorded at The Nation's Club in Washington, DC. Joe played the timbales for flutist Dave Valentin at a concert in Howard University.

In November 2002, Joe was playing with the Zeniza All Stars and decided to leave and follow a different path. He met Flautist Arch Thompson, keyboardist Bill Davis, Bongo player-Rafy Alvarez and guitarist Tony Harrod and they became the "Latin Jazz All Stars". In 2004 Joe formed a new band and called it "Joe Falero & DC Latin Jazz All Stars". Since its creation the band has played in many venues and at many functions on the east coast of the U.S.

Thank you for supporting the music of Joe Falero & DC Latin Jazz All Stars. CD prices are: $12.50 by mail or $10.00 at the Baltimore Salsa Fest March 25-27, 2011! Buy Now.

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Last Updated (Sunday, 14 November 2010 10:05)

Sin Miedo

Saturday, 06 February 2010 22:33 | Written by Sue Elliott |

Sin Miedo is Spanish for “fearless” and it’s also the name of one of the best Salsa bands in Washington.
Voted Number one Salsa Band in the DC/VA/MD area two years in a row by salsametro.com

It has been over 10 years since we first started in a small club in Adams Morgan (Washington DC), called Rumba Cafe. What started as a quintet ended up as a 10 piece band. We play mostly original Salsa and covers from the 70's to today's radio hits, Chachacha, and Bolero.

"Estoy Enamorado" is our new 2009 release and our 3rd CD.

Baltimore Salsa Blog

Bands

Orquesta La Romana

Salsaley Orchesta

Joe Falero and DC Latin Jazz All Stars

Sin Miedo