BOBBY RAMIREZ PLAYS CONCERT AT SATCHMO

Cuban born BOBBY RAMIREZ grew up listening to GROVER WASHINGTON JR., big bands, both Latin and American, such as Mayrna Ferguson, and rock (LED ZEPPELIN SANTANA and the POLICE). He always dreamt of writing music. He started his musical carreer at the tender age of 12 and came to MIAMI in 1972. I've never thought of him as anything other than native. When you hear him play now you can hear the influences of COLTRANE, HUBERT LAWS and
CHARLIE PARKER.

I'm ashamed to say, spending most of my time on the beach and not having visited Coral Gables for a while, I hadn't discovered SATCHMO until BOBBY alerted me to it. So, as one of my favorite people was playing there I went down to check it out. It's been open two years, wish I'd known sooner...WHERE HAVE I BEEN? (O.K. an institution) The club/restaurant on MERRICK WAY has a beautiful ambience with live entertainment Mon.-Sat. You can look them up at www.miamiblues.com.

Famous agent Linda Lou Nelson was at the door with BOBBY'S CD'S and T-shirts, great to see her again since she left South Beach where she used to own and run the successful CACTUS CANTINA. We had some good times.

The band was setting up. An interesting orchestration; DANNY ZAREMBA on keyboards (who used to play with GATO BARBIERI) EDILIO ZAREMBA on electric violin, RICARDO MARTINEZ on BASS, CARLOS PLANAS on CONGAS, RUBEN "TUTTI" JIMENEZ on DRUMS and of course BOBBY RAMIREZ on TENOR, ALTO.and SOPRANO SAXOPHONES and FLUTE.

The band started off with the classic "MORNING" featuring EDILIO on the violin. They cooked from the very beginning. SPICY! I LOVE IT! The menu is Cajun but can the room take the heat from this band?! EDILIO blew me away! DANNY on keys was excellent, RICARDO took a soulful solo. And these guys were starting out cold! They continued with the classic "WAVE" with some original harmonic touches by DANNY and RICARDO.

Then at last (people were growing impatient) entered BOBBY RAMIREZ, grabbing his tenor sax, it was MAGIC! EDILIO got onto percussion, TUTTI and CARLOS came passionately alive as if they had been saving themselves for him, I don't know, it was as if BOBBY brought AFRICA! Then Bobby performed a tune from his CD called "SAO PAOLO" He changed to his flute. The song is what I'd call a "city samba" with the bustles and the lulls, very expressive, an exciting song.

He followed with a new composition "ENCUENTRO" which will be on his next CD. It's a classis "son" but original. DANNY, the Argentinian keyboard player again showed his talents and harmonic richness and EDILIO played his heart out on the violin, that kid is going somewhere! Anyway this time BOBBY took us to CUBA (without an inner tube) TUTTI ended it with an incredible drum solo. "LA COMPARSA" followed showing the variety RAMIREZ is famous for with his variety of latin rhythms, then also from his CD the haunting "HISTORIA DE UN AMOR" which will awaken the lost love in anyone's heart cried out from his tenor sax. They ende the set with MONGO SANTA MARIA'S AFRO BLUE'

The band stopped for a bite of SATCHMO'S excellent cuisine but not for long. There was so much creative energy, these guys had to play it off! They started the second set with a new composition, so new it hasn't been baptized yet, though it could be "PINK MAMBO" let's just say it's salsa and I wanted to dance but I was a wallflower. BOBBY cooked on the tenor, EDILIO plucked his violin, this young discovery of BOBBY'S overflows with enthusiasm for the music

He announced that his wife MARIA is pregnant with their 2nd baby; welcomes e-mails with suggestions for a name. It has to be something musical. Then he played "SONG FOR MARIA" and even vocalized Brazilian style. Showing his versatality he continued with a new composition "MASSIVE MACHINE which was heavy funk with latin fusion.

By special request they repeated "ENCUENTRO" I especially enjoyed CARLOS conga playing this time, maybe those cajun calamari did something to him. Then Tutti let it all hang out. They followed with one of my all time favorites, "NAIMA" BOBBY RAMIREZ showed his soul playing the soprano, the soul of the eternal musician.

Then they jammed bringing up conga player PERRY COLON from the audience, the tune was "NIGHT IN TUNISIA" and in 6/8, great for percussion all the percussionists were jamming. People were jumping up and down. One thing I want to say about this evening is I never saw BOBBY play sax like this before. He's growing, he's outta control......just kidding; the music's got him and he's got the music!

At home BOBBY enjoys his family life with MARIA and son "RITMITO" He's working on his new CD which I can't wait to get after the samples I heard tonight. He get's involved in the community, especially in projects helping the homeless. BOBBY you da man!