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Yahoo!Spanish Harlem Orchestra. At UCSB’s Campbell Hall, Tuesday, February 13.
Reviewed by Nicole de Ayora
The line outside Campbell Hall for this concert was full of colorful people. Some were dressed to impress — and dance — in high-heeled shoes, while others were clearly there for a night of simply listening to the tremendous compositions of these East Coast musical masters known collectively as the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. I will freely admit I envied those dancers who filled Campbell Hall’s aisles for most of the night. They were having a ball.
The humble hombres of the group, although playing music typically made to dance to, showed their Grammy Award-winning talent and general enthusiasm for the music with brilliant smiles and even more exciting solos. Each soloist was introduced by one of the three vocalists, who would announce them by telling the crowd, “Escucha bien, como el ritmo va” (i.e., “Listen well to how this rhythm goes”).
As a group, the orchestra proved to be a powerhouse; as individuals, they demonstrated that their leader, pianist Oscar Hernández, has picked some of the nation’s most talented musicians. After almost an hour of non-stop music, while both the vocalists and the dancers in the aisles took a breather, the remaining musicians flowed into a set of Latin jazz.
When the three vocal virtuosos returned, it was to slow down the music into a classic bolero. The bolero is somewhat comparable to the modern R&B genre known as the “love jam.” Although the vocalists reigned supreme in this sequence, even the smallest sounds made by the güiro or the conga could still be heard, making for an incredible fusion that successfully conveyed the passion of more traditional love songs.
The Spanish Harlem Orchestra closed the evening with a bang by demanding everyone get up out of their seats. Those who were already dancing in the aisles took the opportunity to move down to front and center. Campbell Hall was suddenly transformed from an overgrown classroom into a pulsating Latin night club. Young and old alike put their hands in the air, and from left to right one could hear shouts of “¡Olé! ” and “¡Más! ” After this, an encore was obviously necessary, and absolutely everyone stayed put for it. These East Coast sultans of salsa then brought it all home with another classic composition from the fantastic music del barrio.
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