HARTFORD--Bushnell Park was filled with the sounds of jazz in the summer sun Sunday as the three-day Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz brought thousands of music lovers to the capital city.
Bands belted out songs on a stage near the Memorial Arch as vendors nearby sold everything from hats and handbags to shirts and jewelry.
The Ross Novgrad Latin Jazz Quintet brought smiles to the crowd by finishing their set with the popular “Oye Como Va,” a tune written by Tito Puente that burst into the American consciousness when performed four decades ago by Santana.
I played with Tito Puente in the early 1970s,” said Hartford resident Ray Gonzalez, a trumpet player for the past 40 years. “He wrote the song, but Santana made it famous.”
After playing in New York City and Puerto Rico through the years, Gonzalez returned to his current hometown Sunday to play with the Novgrad Quintet in the 19th annual festival. The quintet was among about a dozen groups that performed over the three days.
“I gotta run,” Gonzalez said as he ended an interview. “I've got to do a show in Boston later today.”
Bands belted out songs on a stage near the Memorial Arch as vendors nearby sold everything from hats and handbags to shirts and jewelry.
The Ross Novgrad Latin Jazz Quintet brought smiles to the crowd by finishing their set with the popular “Oye Como Va,” a tune written by Tito Puente that burst into the American consciousness when performed four decades ago by Santana.
I played with Tito Puente in the early 1970s,” said Hartford resident Ray Gonzalez, a trumpet player for the past 40 years. “He wrote the song, but Santana made it famous.”
After playing in New York City and Puerto Rico through the years, Gonzalez returned to his current hometown Sunday to play with the Novgrad Quintet in the 19th annual festival. The quintet was among about a dozen groups that performed over the three days.
“I gotta run,” Gonzalez said as he ended an interview. “I've got to do a show in Boston later today.”
