Yumbambe – 2009
Poncho Sanchez
Latin jazz played for a dancing audience
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One of the main reasons that Latin (or Afro-Cuban) jazz has retained its popularity for decades is that it is quite danceable and often performed for dancing audiences; the dancers are inspired by the musicians and in turn inspire the players.
Poncho Sanchez has been leading his own very popular band since the early 1980s.
This version of “Yumbambe” was performed before a dancing audience at Kimball’s East in San Francisco in 2009.
In addition to the group vocalizing, Sal Cracchiolo takes a colorful trumpet solo and Sanchez leads the percussionists (Papo Rodriguez on bongo and Ramon Banda on timbales) through the stirring performance.
-Scott Yanow
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