The annual January carnival/salsa fundraising dance for the Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival, now in its ninth year, is being held Saturday, Jan. 20, at Roberts Creek Hall.
This year Jazz Fest organizers are bringing back Rumba Calzada, an upbeat Latin jazz, salsa and Afro-Cuban Juno nominee that hasn't been to the Coast since 2002. This Vancouver-based group, led by Philippino-Canadian Raphael Geron-imo, is joined by pianist Lou Mastroianni, vocalist/percussionist Rolo Preza, multi-instrumentalist Nicholas Apivor, Rod Murray on trombone and Allan Johnston on bass. Individually the players reflect Vancouver's cultural mosaic, sprouting from a diversity of cultural backgrounds. Rumba Calzada's take on Latin music is also reflective of its locale. The equatorial heat of their percussion-driven sound simmers with the cool of West Coast jazz.
This band's repertoire runs from traditional Latin to Latin jazz, playing original compositions and drawing influences from legendary artists like Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri. Two of their original songs have been charted in Miami, Fla. The band has been performing as a group for many years, has travelled across Canada, as far south as San Francisco to Manila and beyond. They can get your adrenaline to dancing level and keep it there all night long.
Tickets are $20 at Coast Books in Gibsons, Talewind Books in Sechelt and Roberts Creek Health Food Store. This dance is always a sell out so get your tickets early. Doors open at 9 p.m. For more information, contact Linda at 604-740-5825.
