IAJE Pro Latin - Long Beach California 2002

The second annual IAJE Pro Latin Jam 2002 was a scorcher from the first downbeat!!
por Richard Boukas

Fotos cortesía de Richard Boukas

Right to Left: John Santos (percussion & Pro Latin Jam co-organizer), Teco Cardoso (reeds, São Paulo/Brazil), Hugo Alcazar (percussion, Lima/Peru), Harvey Wainapel (reeds, San Francisco), Carlos

Malta (reeds, Rio de Janeiro/Brazil), Jesse Stern (bass, Los Angeles) and IAJE Brazilian Music Chair Richard Boukas (guitar).

Organized and led by Oakland-based Latin percussionist John Santos and Lake Charles, Louisana-based saxophonist Rick Condit, the jam featured top musicians from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Peru, Brazil, Mexico and the U.S.

The sizzling rhythm sections included Marc Levine andJovino Santos Neto (piano), drummer/percussionists Bobby Sanabria, Ruben Alvarez, Airto Moreira, Hugo Alcazar, the Banda brothers (Ramon on timbales and Tony on baby bass) and Jesse Stern (bass). Soloists in the front line were numerous, including Teco Cardoso, Carlos Malta, Harvey Wainapel (reeds), Susie Jensen (violin), Chris Washburne (trombone) and Richard Boukas (guitar).Besides the official IAJE Latin Jam, there was also an unofficial afterhours Brazilian Jam at the Hilton Hotel organized by IAJE Brazilian Music Chair Richard Boukas.

The otherwise low-key bar/lounge area suddenly filled to capacity for a three-hour session of classic choro, samba, baião and frevo.

The reunion of these musicians at both jams had such an infectious spirit that the audience was an integral part of the festivities.

With the ever-increasing presence of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and other South American forms of Jazz at IAJE conventions, we are hoping that 2003/Toronto will include a Pro Brazilian Jam following the Pro Latin Jam, and then a superjam finale with musicians from all represented styles. Stay tuned!!