The Latin Quarter descended on the Queens Hall last night for Rumba Caliente’s tour de force performance.
And what a performance it turned out to be. The eleven-strong band coaxed and cajoled almost every member of the audience, young and old, from their seats. All in an effort to explore the fascinating world of this afro latin soul orchestra.
Rumba Caliente is one of several latin inspired projects by Scotsman Toby Shippey. His other, Salsa Celtica, is famous for its trailblazing mixture of Scottish Traditional Music fused with latin beats.
Last night he was joined on stage by Ricardo Fernandez Pompa from Cuba on lead vocals and guest vocalists Colombian MC Johan "Magico" Ortiz. All together they managed to successfully fuse traditional rumbas, salsas and even some classic funk into an evening even the most stoic could enjoy.
Those that got into the spirit of the proceedings will have spent the night on their feet enjoying the atmosphere and quite possibly talking with random strangers. Those that didn’t were more likely to notice the plentiful supply of sound issues that plagued the performance. Among them were the Venezuelan on bass guitar who was swamped by every other sound out there. Also, anything other than the trumpet in the horn section may as well have sat out for the count.
In the long run, Rumba Caliente Afro Latin Soul Orchestra is designed for one thing. Dance. You get up, move your hips, enjoy the music and maybe meet a pretty person. If that’s not your thing, best to sit this one out.