Descarga: Salsa meets Jazz

The SJF has created an exceptional ensemble of jazz and Latin stars to introduce our audiences to the rapturous rhythms and songs of Salsa music, and to an historic musical tradition. For years, the Village Gate in New York hosted a Monday night Descarga, a extraordinary session where famous jazz soloists dropped in the jam with the great Latin rhythm masters. We asked trombone master Wayne Wallace, a major force in the both Latin (Irakere, Pete Escovedo, Tito Puente) and "straight-ahead" (McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Rollins) jazz, to lead a Descarga of our own.

Internationally known percussionists Louie Romero and Michael Spiro will churn out the Latin rhythms, joined by the wonderful Babatunde Lea, who's mastered just about every known percussion style, and bassist Peter Barshay, who moves between the Salsa and jazz worlds with grace and style. The jazz soloists for our Descarga will be innovative firebrands Warren Gale (trumpet), Mike Zilber (saxophones) and Murray Low (piano).

Let us introduce you to Salsa, and to the Descarga, and to a whole world of fun.