Home » Jazz Articles » Film Review » Poncho at Montreux

196

Poncho at Montreux

By

Sign in to view read count
Poncho Sanchez
Poncho at Montreux
Concord Picante
2004

Poncho Sanchez looks great. He and his band simply don't age. They rock and swing with inexhaustible energy. Sitting at the congas leading his band, and singing from the Latin jazz tradition, he kicks off this indoor concert performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival with the same confidence and poise that has brought him from local neighborhood garage bands to worldwide acclaim. He gives his audience a superb performance every time out.

The camera pans left and right, moving up close and then backing off for full panorama shots, giving us a complete picture of the Sanchez organization in action. The leader's hands move deliriously to the rhythm of songs that honor the creative work of influential artists such as Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, Cal Tjader, and James Brown. Timbales provide mesmerizing action, as the camera swings from one artist to the next. His three horn players sway cohesively to the music's rhythm as they provide a full harmonic sound.

Scott Martin turns his flute toward the piccolo range on salsa arrangements such as "Conmigo and "Guaripumpe, producing a high-wire tension that builds consistently. Similarly, high-note specialist Serafin Aguilar stretches the envelope on trumpet with a flair.

Between songs, the camera shifts elsewhere to informal conversations with Sanchez and friends, as they reminisce about the music and its driving force. Putting it all together comes quite naturally to this conguero, who's dedicated his life to Latin jazz. A brief film clip of the Cal Tjader ensemble with a youthful Sanchez sitting up front introduces "I Showed Them, a Tjader composition that represents the vibraphonist's Latin jazz sound well.

Sal Vazquez applies a strong dose of tradition on tres with "Conmigo, an Eddie Palmieri salsa tune that burns with foot-tappin' anticipation. James Brown's "Out of Sight features Sanchez as the song's emotional vocal lead. He's backed by tenor, trombone, trumpet and organ in a rollicking affair that turns the concert hall into a virtual high-rollin' nightclub for a period of time.

Watermelon Man closes the concert performance with a summary of the power that this band holds. Martin's churning alto solo and David Torres' sizzling keyboard/organ refrain create a sensation of family togetherness, as the band drives its Montreux audience into unconditional surrender.


Track Listing: One Mint Julep; El Shing-a-Ling; Guaripumpe; I Showed Them; Conmigo; Out of Sight; Watermelon Man.

Personnel: Poncho Sanchez: congas, percussion, lead vocals; David Torres: piano, organ; Tony Banda: bass, background vocals; George Ortiz: timbales; Sal Vazquez: bongos, congas, percussion, background vocals, tres; Serafin Aguilar: trumpet, flugelhorn; Scott Martin: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute; Francisco Torres: trombone, background vocals, Dave Samuels: vibraphone on "I Showed Them.

Program notes: Directed by Romain Guélat; 60 minutes. Special features: Brief interviews with José Rizo, Jesse Varela, Robb Fisher, Vince Lateano and Edward James Olmos; Full-length interviews with Poncho Sanchez; Photo session; Biography; Discography.

Comments

Tags

Concerts

Apr 8 Mon
Apr 26 Fri
Apr 26 Fri
Apr 27 Sat
Apr 27 Sat

For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.