FLORES!
A New Beginning is the title of the debut album of Gary Flores and his Latin jazz band, Descarga Caliente. It displays the impressive compositions and musical ideas of this veteran pianist and tenor sax player. For years, he has been a powerhouse in the Bay Area's Latin music scene, playing with pivotal bands such as Ritmo 74 and leading the now-legendary Salsa Caliente.

A few years ago, he was bitten by the jazz bug and found a new musical world to explore. Citing how musicians master their instruments to achieve improvisational freedom, he began playing at Rassella's Nightclub in the SF Fillmore District. Performing with some of the Bay Area's hottest musicians in both the Latin and jazz worlds, Flores has grown into a monster player and leader.

A native of SF, Flores was born and raised in the Excelsior District, where he began playing trumpet in 1972. A year later, he joined Café, the neighborhood Latin rock band, with whom he stayed until joining up with Ritmo 74. Led by singer Gregorio Gómez, Ritmo 74 included the legendary pianist-composer-arranger-educator Carlos Federico, David Hardiman, John Santos, and others.

Flores was like a sponge, absorbing the music and learning from the musicians around him. Ritmo 74 set a qualitative standard for local bands, just as the SF Bay salsa scene got into gear. Nightclubs like César's Latin Palace were emerging, and big concerts featuring the hot NYC acts began coming into town. Flores was greatly inspired by Papo Lucca, and began to teach himself piano.

Ritmo 74 became the opening band of choice for some of the greatest salsa shows the SF Bay ever witnessed. Willie Colón (with Héctor Lavoe), El Gran Combo, Bobby Valentín, Ismael Quintana, Ismael Miranda, Eddie Palmieri (with Lalo Rodríguez), Papo Lucca & La Sonora Ponceña, Larry Harlow, Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano and the Fania All Stars; Gary was in the midst of all that.

As the salsa scene blossomed, Flores formed his own band in 1976. Salsa Caliente was made up of young, vibrant musicians he met playing around town. He started playing piano with the band in 1982. The repertoire consisted of Fania covers from NYC and Puerto Rico.

The cast included lead vocalists Ángelo & Coco Pagán, Richard Kermode (piano), Dan Reagan (trombone), Luis Gasca and Bill Ortiz (trumpets), Ricky Encarnación (bass), Eric Rangel and others.

Actor-singer Ángelo Pagán was an important part of the band in the late 1980s. He brought a charisma on stage that lit up any venue and, as a result, Salsa Caliente garnered a large following. Dan Reagan went on to make a name for himself in NYC, playing with outstanding ensembles like Manny Oquendo & Libre; Bill Ortiz is now with Santana, and Luis Gasca is still alive. The group lasted until the late 1990s and left a legacy of exceptional sounds, although it never recorded.

Perhaps that's why Gary Flores has plunged into A New Beginning with such passion. It's a showcase of his decades of experience and what he's capable of. The core Descarga Caliente band includes Jorge Pomar (bass), Karl Perazzo (timbal), Oscar Soltero (congas), David Flores (traps), Mike Olmos (trumpet), Charlie McCarthy (tenor sax/flute), and Al Bent (trombone). Special guest singers Carlos Ramírez and Kenny Washington add rich frosting to an already well-seasoned cake.

The songs are largely original, with some unique covers. Descarga Caliente features Perazzo and Soltero on percussion. San Francisco Blues is a cool cha-cha that lets the horns riff. Just the Two of Us has Kenny Washington, the highly gifted jazz/R&B vocalist, delivering an exciting performance. There are tunes for his mother, his girlfriend, and for Brazil Avenue, his old block.

As Flores writes in the liner notes: "This project is truly 'A New Beginning.' It is a different world playing in a recording studio instead of a live audience, and recording mostly my own material instead of other people's music, therefore, a new beginning for me."

Currently, Flores plays piano with Eric Rangel's salsa band Orquesta America, in addition to his duo and solo piano gigs at San Francisco's Hyatt Regency Hotel during the week. Descarga Caliente performs regularly every Thursday night at Rassella's Nightclub in the Fillmore District.

For more info on Gary Flores & Descarga Caliente, check out: http://www.garyflores.com. Paz.