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Band Leader on timbales: Pete Escovedo
Piano: Downtown Uncle Joe, Joe Rotunde
Guitar: Michael Angel
Bass: Juan Otaya
Saxophone & Flute: Justo Almario
Trumpet, Music Director: Mario Gonzales
Trumpet: Ramon Flores
Trombone: Humberto Ruiz
Trombone: Arturo Velasco
Drums: Peter Michael Escovedo
Congas: Juan Escovedo
The sold-out venue was packed and buzzin’ as the classy suit-clad group of eleven band members weaved their way to the stage.
Pete Escovedo~
“Hello, everybody! Thanks, for coming out! I don’t know if you’ve read our advertising, but we’re celebrating my seventy-fifth birthday! We’re gonna do some Latin Jazz for you and this first song is entitled, Esta Noche.”
Wow! The Escovedo sound was spectacular. The airwaves filled to capacity immediately. Standing, sitting, you name it, the energy was on high. The entire audience was in awe and enveloped their vibe. All eyes were on the band and every foot was tappin’ to the beat! Chair dancing, chair dancing and more chair dancing wiggled every chair! Pete shared his boyish smile with son, Juan Escovedo as they pelted a rhythmic beat into a swirled frenzy of percussion genius. Trombonist Humberto gifted a solo that scored all ‘A’s’!
Pete~
“That was Humberto Ruiz on the trombone solo!”
A woman strolled across the front row.
“Honey, that was good!”
Pete~
“That was my wife! We’re gonna do a number entitled, True or False. And before anyone asks, Sheila E is in Paris with Prince but will be performing with us in San Diego next week. These are my sons, Peter Michael on drums and Juan Escovedo on congas.”
The next tune was off-the-hook. First up was a stellar solo by guitarist Michael Angel. The entire back row of the eleven-piece orchestra swung a shift-footed back-and-forth in perfect unison. Drummer Peter Michael volleyed it to his brother, conguero Juan Escovedo. Their beat vibrated my front row, center chair!
Someone echoed~
“Michael Angelo on guitar!”
The sax man’s solo screamed the experience of his expertise. The entire band hung back while he blew. And blow he did! A collective cut in yielded a sassy finale.
Pete~
“Hey!”
The audience roared.
Pete~
“Michael Angel on that guitar solo! Justo on saxophone! He’s going on tour and we’re gonna miss him. Hopefully, he’ll come back safe and sound with pockets full of money. In addition to my sons, I have a daughter. She’s in the lobby selling merchandise. I thought it only fitting that I should write a song for her. This song’s called Zina’s Zamba.”
A full-bodied horn section hit this one straight up. They coupled it with a hefty dose of congas and every inch of the stage came alive! The drum chemistry between Pete and sons, Peter Michael and Juan was phenomenal. The camaraderie of their beat raced our hearts to the finish line while their stage full of boundless energy lit the place on fire.
Drummer Peter Michael Escovedo~
“Are you sure you’re seventy-five, pops? One more time for Pete
Escovedo on Timbales!”
Pete pointed~
“There’s my daughter, Zina!”
Zina~
“Is my daddy good or what?!”
She shamelessly plugged the birthday tee shirts for sale and kidded around.
Zina~
“These brand-new tee shirts are gonna go for his retirement fund! His birthday isn’t actually until the thirteenth!” They proudly spoke about his fifty-three year marriage.
Pete~
“Give it up for Zina!”
Pete introduced the entire eleven-piece orchestra. Hometown mentions covered the globe from Nogales, AZ to Puerto Rico and beyond.
Pete~
“We’d like to feature ‘Downtown Uncle Joe’ on keyboards!”
Joe Rotunde wrestled the keyboard like it was an alligator, earning a triple wow with his sizzlin’ licks. Pete’s drumstick signals led the way while Zina stood at the side door rocking out like it was the first time she’d ever heard them, evidencing the true passion she holds for her father’s music. The back row of the band never missed a beat as they continued shifting their weight from side-to side, swinging to the beat of the Latin musica with a perpetual sway.
Juan Escovedo~
“One more time for Joe! Com’on y’all!”
Conguero Juan dueled with Pete, both emerged jazzy winners with a smile-filled crowd. Horns wailed while a triple Escovedo percussion collaboration turned the venue inside out! Keyboardist Rotunde gave it up!
Pete addressed the band, then the audience~
“These are the boys, I’m telling you! Without the boys we wouldn’t sound so good!” Escovedo kidded about his age with his son. Zina slipped on stage and surprised her dad with a candlelit birthday cake. The crowd sang Happy Birthday.
Pete~
“We’re gonna take a little break.”
Drummer and son, Peter Michael~
“Com’on, Pop, don’t act your age!”
Pete~
“Well, I guess we can do one more!” He pointed. “This is my lovely wife and we’ve been on a honeymoon for fifty-three years.”
Wife Juanita~
“Don’t go home too late or drunk so you can go to church tomorrow!”
They cut the bassist no slack, kidding him mercilessly after he started the song with the wrong chart.
Conguero Juan Escovedo~
“Let’s give it up for the bass player!”
Someone echoed~
“We found the chart, Juan!”
They split the place wide open with this tune. Juan Otaya brought Puerto Rico home to mama with his solo.
Pete~
“We’re gonna take a break. The more you drink, the better we sound!”
A heckler~
“What about church pops?!”
Thanks to the entire Escovedo family for an unforgettable night of Latin jazz. Celebrating Pete Escovedo’s seventy-fifth birthday, talk about once in a lifetime!
© July 2010 Lynn M. Olson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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