Harold Lopez-Nussa at Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society

Harold Lopez-Nussa
Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society
Live performance
Half Moon Bay, CA
February 16, 2025

Cuban jazz pianist and composer Harold Lopez-Nussa surfed his quartet into the picturesque seaside venue of Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society in Half Moon Bay, San Francisco. The weather was overcast and chilly, but the heartwarming music generated a genuine warmth among the sold-out audience.

López-Nussa, wearing a colorful, trippy guayabera paired with color-coordinated sneakers, took his place at the piano. Joining him were his younger brother, Fernando López-Nussa on drums, Luques Curtis (known for his work with Eddie Palmieri) on stand-up acoustic bass, and the formidable Swiss-born harmonica virtuoso, Gregoire Maret. The evening was emceed by BD&D Society's artistic director and president, Barbara Douglas Riching.

Early in the set, the group launched into López-Nussa's upbeat composition, "Conga á la Americana." It was a smoker right from the downbeat(!), which transitioned into a hot rumba during Fernando's sizzling drum solo, culminating with a staccato Cuban Songo rhythm to keep that strong downbeat emphasis. The entire band stayed locked into the rumba clave, either stated or implied, throughout.

Next, they performed another of López-Nussa's compositions, "Mal Du Pays" ("Homesickness" in French). The piece began with Harold plucking the low register of the piano strings before Maret's haunting harmonica carried the melody. His tones were crisp and clean, like a soprano saxophone.

The first set closed with Beny Moré's classic, "Bonito y Sabroso," a feel-good, sing-along tune, on which López-Nussa played with verve and joy.

The second set kicked off with Moisés Simón's timeless composition, "El Manisero" (The Peanut Vendor). López-Nussa's playing evoked shades of Les McCann, adding a fresh twist to this beloved Cuban standard. Bringing new life to such a well-worn piece is always a challenge, but this quartet handled it with aplomb, perhaps thanks to the influence of Chucho Valdes, whose melodic montunos subtly wove their way into the tune and even throughout the performance.

The next piece (no name) featured a swinging harmonica solo from Maret, followed by a screaming drum solo from Fernando. His masterful performance made it clear he could well be included in the ranks of Latin jazz trap drum legends Enrique Pla, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, and Dafnis Prieto.

The group then performed "Bajista Guerrero" (Bassist Warrior), with Curtis doing a riveting bass solo/introduction. This was followed by Maret's poignant composition, "Why?," a soulful and contemplative piece that showcased his expressive ability on the harmonica.

The evening reached its climax with López-Nussa launching into an exciting "circus" montuno, spiced with a clave-based drum solo that fired up the crowd.

The audience, demanding an encore, was treated to Luiz Bonfa's classic "Manhã de Carnaval." Once again, this masterful quartet breathed new life into the Brazilian classic, cooling the crowd down after an electrifying evening, allowing them to sway their way out and head home.

Harold López-Nussa and his quartet are masterful musicians, bringing fresh interpretations and new compositions to life while always honoring the rhythms and emotions that this music so beautifully embodies.