So, I’ve been a little MIA over the last month–new job, traveling, etc. I have to say that really the best time for live music is the summer. Several weeks ago, I went to the 23rd Annual Central Avenue Jazz Festival, which is a free jazz festival that takes place all along Central Avenue in South Central (close to Downtown Los Angeles).
I wish I had heard about this event sooner. Like the Grand Performances concerts that take place in Downtown Los Angeles, the Central Avenue Jazz Festival really is a great event that way more people should be attending. There are two main stages on either end of section of Central Avenue for headlining artists, with several other smaller stages for smaller bands and performances, and food and local vendors in between these areas. They pass out fliers and have representatives from the community walking around to give you more information about the local community just in case you’re curious. This is a two-day event, taking place usually over a weekend.
Now, this is all great by itself, but this year they were featuring Spanish Harlem Orchestra, a great Salsa and Latin Jazz band, so I absolutely had to attend. Let me tell you–I was not disappointed. Sometimes Latin musicians or groups aren’t as good live as they are on the recording and this group blew my expectations out of the water.
Their vocal harmonies and horn parts were tight (which is not necessarily something you would hear all the time with live Latin music), the percussion section was funky, and the sound was overbearing for any section of the band. They had everyone on their feet and dancing. Even though they have played for larger crowds, I know that everyone at that event truly enjoyed their music and are hoping to have them back at the festival again next year. Below are several video clips from their live performance:
I always encourage people to attend live music shows and to support live music, but I especially recommend anyone and everyone to go see Spanish Harlem Orchestra live if and when they happen to pull into your town. They are one of the few bands that you definitely should not miss experiencing.
