1990_04 The Daily Collegian April 1990

              APRIL, 1990 LA VQZ DE AZTLAN
J
CSV, FRESNO
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Art and Entertainment
ON COMPACT DISC
Sanchez cooks with 'Chile Con Soul1
i
Al Robles
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
In a truly magnificent display of his
seasoned virtuoso talent as a musician,
bandleader, and arranger, Poncho San¬
chez's latest release, "Chile Con Soul'
brings forth a musical synthesis of jazz,
blues, saia a, and the relentless heart of
soul.
Congruent with the title, the cover
photo shows Sanchez holding two dinner
plates, one with soul food and the other
Mexican, and the music definitely lives up
to the image.
In a manner surpassing his previous
releases -all on the Concord/Picante label
- 'Chile Con Soul' explores the relation
sh ips between the above mentioned styles
with an appreciation of all they have to
offer. The panoramic interplay of every-
thing that Latin Jazz is, or should be,
becomes definedin this release in amanoer
uniq\ie to Sanchez's talents.
The liner notes include a review by
retired NBA superstar and long-timejazz
fan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whoremarks,
"Poncho's band plays the, music of the
Americas. That is to say, any tune may
haveitsfeetintheCaribbean,itsheartin
Brazil, and its mind in New Orleans. But
Sanchez's band brings all theseelements
together in the most appropriate ways."
The opening track, "Song For Cal,"
pays tribute to the late Cal Tjader who
was one of the greatest inspirations of
Sanchez's career. Cal Tjader was also one
of the most influential artists in Latin
Jazz and served as Sanchez's artistic
mentor when he joined Tjader's band in
1975.
The song kicks off with the dance hall
swing style, characteristic of many of
Sanchez's previous releases, while sus¬
tained by his unrelenting conga rhythms.
"A Night In London" embarks on a
similar course with the horn section ac¬
centuated by Sal Cracchiolo's signature
trumpet solo until Sanchez lets loose on
thecongasinamanner that almost defies
the law of gravity.
Two other tracks, "Lover Come Back
To Me" and TiPonPa'fthe later combin¬
ing the nicknames ofTi to Puente, Poncho
Sanchez, and Papo Rodriguez) are high-
Hghted by percussion solos from the guest
artist, none other then "El Rey del Tim-
bal," Tito Puente. Puente has been a
phenomenon in Latin music for decades
and his presence on this release inspires
the excellence of Sanchez's band to new
heights.
"Con Migo" gives it up with a stylized
salsa flavor that is New York in its roots
and LA in its delivery. Charlie OtwelVs
piano provides the drive while Gene Burk-
ert's flute solo pierces the harmony with a
freeftoatingpitchthatenticesthelistener
to a sensual bliss.
If none ofthe other tracks will get you
up and on your feet, and it's hard to stay
still to almost any of these tunes, then try
James Brown's combined classics, "Cold
Sweat/ Funky Broadway" done up with a
distinct LA. Latin Funk flavor.
Poncho's voice takes command on this
track with a granite like texture th at does
justice to the "Godfather of Soul" (even if
the state of Georgia hasnt-)
"Chile Con Soul" can appropriately be
seen as a culmination of Poncho's life as a
West Coast Chicano jazz artist paying
tribute to the giants ofthe East Coast,
pioneers of the Afro-Cuban-Puerto Rican
sound that has put the juice in American
popular music for over 50 years.
Artists such as Tito Puerhe, Perez
Prado, Machito, Chano Pozo, Dizzy
Gillespie, Horace Silver, Mongo San-
t am aria, Lester Young, and Cal Tjader
continue to inspire Sanchez's love of music.
Sanchez, in turn, continues to define
the LA jazz sound in a truly hip fashion.
"Chile Con Soul" definitely breaks new
ground in this direction. Escucheconsabor.
Marios Morenos
by Joe M. Torres
'Pobre la gente"
She looked around,
uncertain of herself
hands golden brown
withered with pain
'La mujer mexicana
cadadia"
Her eyes brown as the earth
Skin soft and filled with sores
Brought from work
Her youth remains silent
"El mundo es bueno* but
her world lies lonely and still.
•
r*T   '  '
>   '
I
Sara Soria
LA VOZ STAFF WRITER
Marga Gomez, comica Chicana lives in a San
Francisco apartment once occupied by Janice Jop-
lin. She said she inherited her father's comedy but
not his Spanish language.   "*" —
Que lastima No?, she said.
Gomez's alter ego, Filumena, was named by her
father in her early childhood years. "I remember
my dad calling my mom and I Filumena." Gomez
incorporated her alter ego into her act by putting
on dark shades, puckering her lips and talking
Gomez ties
Herstory
month off
with laughter
with a deep Spanish accent.
The San Francisco comedian's performance
was the last event commemorating Women's
Herstory Month at CSUF.
Gomez said both her parents were entertain¬
ers; her mother was a dancer and her father was
a comedian. "My dad used to do Cantinflas
impressiortff" Cantinflas, a popular comedian to
many'in the Mexican cinema, has acts goingback
to the early '40s.
Gomez's audience filled the seats in Industrial
Arts, Room lOl.Theroom filled with laughter as
Gomez made chistes about campus political par¬
ties, mentioning Reality.
Margaalso picked on theartorcsinthenoye/as.
"Don't Jou think these actors overdramatize?" she
Baid. "When a woman is emotionally distraught
about a lover in a novela, Bhe just doesn't plead
with him to stay by saying, "I love you." Gomez
bent at the waist, clenched her fista, squinted her
eyes and grunted: Tequiero!"
She saidacn Spanish-speaking people can flip
through the Spanish stations and actually under¬
stand the storylines through the actors exagger¬
ated mannerisms.
Gomez joked about nights of discomfort from
H«ot A-Ht*t*a/$?ECUl TOLA VOZ
Marga Gomez entertained a capacity crowd
March 31.
wearing partly hose. She said "Have you ever gone through
nights of saggy crotches just to look pretty?"
Late-comers to the event couldn't get by Gomez without
being thoroughly embarrassed by her acknowledgement of
their tardiness. "Don't worry, we can start over for you."
The Bay area comica entertained and humored the audi¬
ence with her charm and wit throughout the hour.
Marga Gomez has received the "1989 Entertainer of the
Year" award for the San Francisco area, aired in "Comedy
Tonight," and worked with Linda Ronstadt and Whoopi Gold-
Gomez
incorporated *
her alter ego
into her act
by putting
on dark
shades,
puckering
her lips and
talking with
a deep
Spanish
accent.
*