ERNESTO OVIEDO WITH JOHN SANTOS SEXTET AND SPECIAL GUESTS

SAN FRANCISCO JAZZ CENTER

FEBRUARY 8, 2014

PHOTOS BY TOM EHRLICH © 2014

The Oviedo family is one of the royal families in Cuban music. Most of us know of Isaac Oviedo, a legendary tresero and composer and Papi Oviedo tresero who played with the Buena Vista Social Club.  BUT Isaac's son and Papi's brother, Ernesto Oviedo is not well known outside of Cuba.  

Fortunately for those of us who live in the Bay Area, the great percussionist, band leader, composer and educator of everything musica Afro-Caribbeaño, invited Ernesto Oviedo to the Bay Area twice.  His latest visit was to perform at the new world class San Francisco Jazz Center for a CD release celebration. This CD was recorded during his first visit to the Bay Area, produced by John Santos and his record label Machete Records and was Ernesto's first CD with him as the featured artist. As John says, Ernesto is 78 years young and he is one of the pre-eminent boleristas in the world today.

I have seen him perform classic boleros from all over Latin America a few times now and every time he overwhelms audiences with his smooth beautiful emotion drenced voice. Quoting Mr. Santos, "his Johnny Hartman-esque sound and range raises eyebrows and melts hearts".  For those of you who do not know the late Johnny Hartman, he is one of the all time great American jazz singers. For me he is one of the best if not the best bolero/ballad singers I have ever heard, moving many to tears when he performs.

Ernesto's new CD is called Siempre Clásico and can be purchased on line at www.ernestooviedo.com.

What follows are photos from Ernesto's sold out performance on February 8, 2014.

PERFORMERS

ERNESTO OVIEDO VOCALS

JOHN SANTOS CONGAS, BONGO, LEADER

JOHN CALLOWAY - FLUTE

MELECIO MAGDALUYO - SAX

MARCO DÍAZ - PIANO

SAUL SIERRA - BASS

DAVE FLORES - DRUMS

SPECIAL GUESTS

ORESTES VILATÓ -TIMBALES, BONGO

JOSÉ HERNÁNDEZ - GUITAR, SMALL PERCUSSION AND VOCALS

ANTHONY BLEA - VIOLIN

WALFREDO DE LOS REYES - DRUMS

PERICO HERNÁNDEZ - VOCALS, CONGAS

ROBERTO BORELL -DANCER

GRACE TORRES - DANCER

John Santos introducing Ernesto Oviedo

Ernesto Oviedo's entrance

Ernesto Oviedo with the band - Marco Díaz piano, Saul Sierra bass, John Calloway flute,Dave Flores drums, Melecio Magdaluyo sax, Orestes Vilató timbales, Roberto Hernández small percussion and John Sanots congas

Marco Díaz

Ernesto vocals, Melecio Magdaluyo sax

Ernesto with the band, Saul Sierra bass, Dave Flores drums, John Calloway sitting (flute), Orestes Vilató bongo, José Hernández back small percussion and John Santos congas.

Erneso vocals, José Hernández guitar

 José Hernández guitar

John Calloway

John Santos

Ernesto, Saul Sierra bass, Marco Diaz piano

Walfredo De Los Reyes drums and Ernesto vocals

John Santos bongo and  José Hernández guitar

Ernesto vocals, José Hernández guitar

Saul Sierra bass, Anthony Blea violin, Ernesto

Ernesto vocals, Roberto Borell and Grace Torres dancers, Saul Sierra bass

Ernesto and Roberto Borell

Ernesto taking a bow

John Santos sound check

Ernesto and Perico Hernández

Perico Hernández

John Santos and Perico back stage

Saul Sierra bass, Anthony Blea violin, John Calloway flute, Melecio Magdaluyo sax sound check

Marco Diaz piano, Ernesto

Saul Sierra

Ernesto vocals, José Hernández guitar

Orestes Vilató timbales

Ernesto, Walfredo De Los Reyes and Perico Hernández back stage

John Calloway flute and Melecio Magdaluyo sax

Perico Hernández congas, Ernesto

Ernesto and John Santos congas

José Hernández

Roberto Borell and Grace Torres

Melecio Magdaluyo

John Calloway flute and Ernesto

John Santos congas and Orestes Vilató

Ernesto vocals, Saul Sierra bass John Calloway, Dave Flores drums in back

John Santos

Marco Díaz and Ernesto

Los Cubanos - Roberto Borell, Ernesto Oviedo, Walfredo De Los Reyes, Perico Hernández and Orestes Vilató

El Maestro