Concert series returns with a Latin twist

By Mary Jekielek Insprucker
Daily Herald correspondent
Posted Thursday, August 18, 2005
 

Put a little salsa in your Saturday night, and keep it hot while listening to the Latin sounds of Angel Melendez and the 911 Mambo Orchestra.
 

The free concert is part of Schaumburg’s Summer Breeze Concert Series Saturday.
 

“Salsa became popular in the ’70s as part of the evolution of Latin music into modern music,” said Andres Meneses, the orchestra’s manager. “It remains popular because it is a romantic, couples’ dance.”
 

Salsas, boleros and cha-chas are the anchor tunes of the band. The music, however, is laced with jazz, contributing to the ensemble’s unique sound.
 

“Angel first tries to make the music danceable and then adds jazz to make it attractive to the listener,” said Meneses, who produced the group’s first CD in 2004.
 

According to Meneses, the brass section size is also distinct to the orchestra, which has played at big name venues such as The House of Blues, The Taste of Chicago, and several Chicago museums.
 

“It (the brass section) is bigger than most bands have, and it is made up of some of the best jazz musicians in Chicago.”

Such novel properties are why the 21-piece, 12-year-old, 2005 Grammy nominee ensemble was chosen, according to Rob Pileckis, production supervisor for the Schaumburg Department of Cultural Services, which organizes the concert series, co-sponsored by the village and park district.
 

“It’s a bit of a departure from what we normally do, but our goal is to have a wide variety of acts and styles, and this group has a strong Chicago following,” said Pileckis. “People love these concerts. We get great comments and they build community.”

Besides building community, and playing the songs of well-known artists as Tito Puente and Perez Prado, Meneses feels the highlight of Saturday’s show will be the performance of the song, “Ven Pa Que Goze,” from their CD, which won an award in the fourth annual Independent Music Awards. Also, he noted that the orchestra’s intensity will electrify the fun-loving crowd looking to squeeze out the last hurrah from the dog days of summer.