This past May, trumpet artist Ray Vega sat for an interview. You may know his name from performing and recording with Tito Puente, Ray Barretto and Mongo Santamaria, to name a few. He released his own CD this past year and is one of the Bronx Horns.

Q: Tell me about some of your recent recordings.
RV: Last week the horn players from Tito's (Puente) band recorded an album called The Bronx Horns. Joe Madera conducted the session and arranged it. Johnny Rodriquez played percussion, and the horn section consisted of Bobby Porcelli on alto [sax], Mitch Fromm on tenor and myself on tenor. We have a record on a European label.

Outside of the Latin Jazz scene, I did a recording with the great saxophonist Joe Henderson on a big band record. It was a great experience. I do some Salsa gigs on a freelance basis, as a sub. I don't commit to Salsa, only because it is not the direction I want to take with my music right now.

I'm trying to get a booking agent out here for my band. I love the Bay Area! But since I'm not a major hitter, agents don't want to dedicate themselves to you unless you are a big name. What troubles me the most, unlike the jazz world, where new artists are constantly being featured and developed, they aren't doing that with Latin Jazz. Instead, they emphasize the same artists that have been in the forefront for the last 50 years. They are doing nothing to develop audiences for the younger artists. It is very difficult just to get work. I would love to be booked at the Concord Jazz Festival. I could come out by myself and use rhythm sections from the Bay Area for back up. The type of jazz I play is straight up jazz, Latin and some more urban elements. You have great musicians here: the rhythm section from Pete Escovedo's band and sons, Karl Perrazzo (Avance), and John Santos' crew. There are a lot of great keyboard players here too: Jeff Chimente, Murry Lo, Mark Levine, Rebecca Mauleon, and John Calloway. You have a great resource of players here, but the promoters don't think of that. The real problem is here is that unless a club and an agent are guaranteed to make mega bucks, they are not addressing the issue of developing the new artists and introducing them.

I have to speak for myself. My main thing is that I've always been into Afro-Caribbean jazz, always. I did some salsa gigs for many years, and I'm very proud to say that I played with the best in the business. But I'm not an instrumentalist that realizes he is drying up in the salsa circuit so now I'm going to record an instrumental album. I came up playing with best: Mongo Santamaria, Mario Bauzo's Afro-Cuban Jazz Orquestra, Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Chico O'Farrill. I've always been into this type of music and I'm not playing it because now it is popular. When it wasn't popular, I was right there making some pretty horrible money with the best of them. I'm not a 20 year old who just came on the scene. I've paid my dues and taken some hits. The main thing is I'm dedicated to the development of this music and see it develop into something fresh. It is going to be 2000 - what is the [music] industry doing to develop the audiences for the new artists? They aren't doing anything because they know it is an easy way out for them to book the bands like Tito's (Puente), and make huge amounts of money. Instead of saying we are not going to make tons of money on a new artist, but hey, let's expose the new artists anyway. It is a real sad thing.

In the jazz world, they are constantly doing things to expose people and develop audiences to the new artists that are out there. They will do promotional gigs at a club, for instance, at the Village Vanguard (in NYC). And that is all about exposure, which is great for a new artist, especially in NYC. If it was up to me, the way to develop it is to take the major metropolis areas, San Francisco included, and to get these new artists to go out there and play so people will here them [new artists]. For instance, a year before my CD came out, my label [Concord] got us a concert gig to have us play instead of Poncho Sanchez. And when we played, the audience was floored. It is really important that the record companies, agents, back the new artists. What happens when the older players stop playing? With Tito, I tour all over the world, which is great. But what bugs me the most is that there are artists, even older them me, that are suffering, and not making what they should be. If the agents don't see you as a way of making quick money, they won't even take the time to even address the issue of Latin jazz.

It isn't necessarily a problem with managers. I can't even get bad managers to return my calls. I'm a pretty slick business person myself. I have my own publishing company, I have my record deal, things a manager would do and take a cut. When I produce my CD, there is no one between me and the record company. Between managers and attorneys they could really destroy the industry and destroy an artist. And accountants. It is kind of sad. I'm out here playing, and I'm trying to see beyond the next couple of years, and its tough, let me tell you. You can put out some great product, get some great reviews, good CD sales, but they won't address the issue. Latin jazz is a tricky thing. It becomes a game of semantics. It stretches from dance music to instrumentals to sit down type, and it is all under the name Latin jazz. As soon as they see a Latino playing Latin jazz, the jazz people immediately think it is a dance thing. I'm not going to record a straight ahead jazz CD, I'm going to record the music I want to record, and I'm going to stick to my guns, and if I have to swim against the current, I'll do it.

I'm a real flag waver, too. I was telling that to John Santos [Machete Ensemble] when we did the Concord Jazz Festival a few years ago with Ray Barretto, in '94 I think. Machete was on right before us. I'm proud of the heritage of this music and I would like to push it forward. And I think it is really important to push the envelope and the perimeters of the music. If you don't, people tend to put the music in a box, and say, OK, this is what it is. Anything outside, people question.

Q: What about all this new and 'cool' jazz that is given air time?
RV: Oh, that issue. These are these smooth jazz stations who play instrumental R & B, instrumental pop and mix it with jazz, and call what they play jazz. These stations are making it really difficult for others artists and making everybody's product sound like a Kenny G product from 7 years ago. It is killing not only jazz, but Latin jazz as well and this is killing the jazz artist more than anything. They call it radio architecture. What they do is make sure things fall into a certain format of instrumental music that you can listen to in the car, etc. But what about the people who have been playing real music for years, who can't even get arrested? So the whole smooth jazz radio really makes it difficult.

There seems to be these not so good musicians, who have managers promoting like crazy, they get heard and listened to, and it is pretty sad. If anything, the acid jazz thing, these are the kids who said I'm going to play what I want. I think that is great they made the choice to play something and not stick to the parameters that are laid down by the powers that be. Now, it is realized they can make money with this stuff. Don't get me wrong. I'm not bitter because I love what I do. I'm a realist, and I see what is happening, and I don't like it. By not recording CDs of my own music, I'm surrendering to that, and that's not what I want.

Q: Do you see the same trend with commercial Salsa?
RV: Yes. What's being put out today is some of the biggest garbage I've heard. My problem is that they have put handcuffs on the music as far as creativity. They have taken contributions to this music that made it vibrant and alive and were a reflection of the culture of which it was from and then have it eliminated. They have completely depercussionized the commercial salsa music. They have taken out the conga solos and such.

The major labels that now want a piece of the market have brought out this sad, sterile, impotent music, with no depth. The thing that really kills me is that they use the same musicians on all the recordings, so all the recordings sound the same. They use the same arrangers and producers too! There is no variation in texture of an artist. It is just throwing a guy in front of a karaoke machine. In the old days, when you heard [Eddie] Palmieri, it was Palmieri's music. When [Ray] Barretto recorded, it was Barretto's music and had the Barretto sound. The music had character and different flavors and textures. That is what makes the music exciting, tasty and vibrant. That is what makes it music and life!

Don't come to me and eliminate the creative aspects of the music. There were a lot once, but they can no longer be leaders in the salsa music, and now they go out and record Latin jazz records. That is not good, because they are salseros, not jazz musicians. If it is a jive attempt, you'll get me mad.

Now all of the bands are run by vocalists who know nothing about music. I take that as an insult to me, a person who has taken the time to study music. If you are going to be leader, at least take the time to learn something and respect my efforts and what I have done to get it together. All these vocalists have no connections with the musicians and have no idea what we go through. So these vocalists align themselves with the management that exploit them and treat the musicians like hell, and there you have it. You can market garbage, and if you market it properly, and make people believe that people need it, they will go out and buy it. I love the music and my culture too much to see what is happening and not say what I think.

This past May, trumpet artist Ray Vega sat for an interview. You may know his name from performing and recording with Tito Puente, Ray Barretto and Mongo Santamaria, to name a few. He released his own CD this past year and is one of the Bronx Horns.

Q: Tell me about some of your recent recordings.
RV: Last week the horn players from Tito's (Puente) band recorded an album called The Bronx Horns. Joe Madera conducted the session and arranged it. Johnny Rodriquez played percussion, and the horn section consisted of Bobby Porcelli on alto [sax], Mitch Fromm on tenor and myself on tenor. We have a record on a European label.

Outside of the Latin Jazz scene, I did a recording with the great saxophonist Joe Henderson on a big band record. It was a great experience. I do some Salsa gigs on a freelance basis, as a sub. I don't commit to Salsa, only because it is not the direction I want to take with my music right now.

I'm trying to get a booking agent out here for my band. I love the Bay Area! But since I'm not a major hitter, agents don't want to dedicate themselves to you unless you are a big name. What troubles me the most, unlike the jazz world, where new artists are constantly being featured and developed, they aren't doing that with Latin Jazz. Instead, they emphasize the same artists that have been in the forefront for the last 50 years. They are doing nothing to develop audiences for the younger artists. It is very difficult just to get work. I would love to be booked at the Concord Jazz Festival. I could come out by myself and use rhythm sections from the Bay Area for back up. The type of jazz I play is straight up jazz, Latin and some more urban elements. You have great musicians here: the rhythm section from Pete Escovedo's band and sons, Karl Perrazzo (Avance), and John Santos' crew. There are a lot of great keyboard players here too: Jeff Chimente, Murry Lo, Mark Levine, Rebecca Mauleon, and John Calloway. You have a great resource of players here, but the promoters don't think of that. The real problem is here is that unless a club and an agent are guaranteed to make mega bucks, they are not addressing the issue of developing the new artists and introducing them.

I have to speak for myself. My main thing is that I've always been into Afro-Caribbean jazz, always. I did some salsa gigs for many years, and I'm very proud to say that I played with the best in the business. But I'm not an instrumentalist that realizes he is drying up in the salsa circuit so now I'm going to record an instrumental album. I came up playing with best: Mongo Santamaria, Mario Bauzo's Afro-Cuban Jazz Orquestra, Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Chico O'Farrill. I've always been into this type of music and I'm not playing it because now it is popular. When it wasn't popular, I was right there making some pretty horrible money with the best of them. I'm not a 20 year old who just came on the scene. I've paid my dues and taken some hits. The main thing is I'm dedicated to the development of this music and see it develop into something fresh. It is going to be 2000 - what is the [music] industry doing to develop the audiences for the new artists? They aren't doing anything because they know it is an easy way out for them to book the bands like Tito's (Puente), and make huge amounts of money. Instead of saying we are not going to make tons of money on a new artist, but hey, let's expose the new artists anyway. It is a real sad thing.

In the jazz world, they are constantly doing things to expose people and develop audiences to the new artists that are out there. They will do promotional gigs at a club, for instance, at the Village Vanguard (in NYC). And that is all about exposure, which is great for a new artist, especially in NYC. If it was up to me, the way to develop it is to take the major metropolis areas, San Francisco included, and to get these new artists to go out there and play so people will here them [new artists]. For instance, a year before my CD came out, my label [Concord] got us a concert gig to have us play instead of Poncho Sanchez. And when we played, the audience was floored. It is really important that the record companies, agents, back the new artists. What happens when the older players stop playing? With Tito, I tour all over the world, which is great. But what bugs me the most is that there are artists, even older them me, that are suffering, and not making what they should be. If the agents don't see you as a way of making quick money, they won't even take the time to even address the issue of Latin jazz.

It isn't necessarily a problem with managers. I can't even get bad managers to return my calls. I'm a pretty slick business person myself. I have my own publishing company, I have my record deal, things a manager would do and take a cut. When I produce my CD, there is no one between me and the record company. Between managers and attorneys they could really destroy the industry and destroy an artist. And accountants. It is kind of sad. I'm out here playing, and I'm trying to see beyond the next couple of years, and its tough, let me tell you. You can put out some great product, get some great reviews, good CD sales, but they won't address the issue. Latin jazz is a tricky thing. It becomes a game of semantics. It stretches from dance music to instrumentals to sit down type, and it is all under the name Latin jazz. As soon as they see a Latino playing Latin jazz, the jazz people immediately think it is a dance thing. I'm not going to record a straight ahead jazz CD, I'm going to record the music I want to record, and I'm going to stick to my guns, and if I have to swim against the current, I'll do it.

I'm a real flag waver, too. I was telling that to John Santos [Machete Ensemble] when we did the Concord Jazz Festival a few years ago with Ray Barretto, in '94 I think. Machete was on right before us. I'm proud of the heritage of this music and I would like to push it forward. And I think it is really important to push the envelope and the perimeters of the music. If you don't, people tend to put the music in a box, and say, OK, this is what it is. Anything outside, people question.

Q: What about all this new and 'cool' jazz that is given air time?
RV: Oh, that issue. These are these smooth jazz stations who play instrumental R & B, instrumental pop and mix it with jazz, and call what they play jazz. These stations are making it really difficult for others artists and making everybody's product sound like a Kenny G product from 7 years ago. It is killing not only jazz, but Latin jazz as well and this is killing the jazz artist more than anything. They call it radio architecture. What they do is make sure things fall into a certain format of instrumental music that you can listen to in the car, etc. But what about the people who have been playing real music for years, who can't even get arrested? So the whole smooth jazz radio really makes it difficult.

There seems to be these not so good musicians, who have managers promoting like crazy, they get heard and listened to, and it is pretty sad. If anything, the acid jazz thing, these are the kids who said I'm going to play what I want. I think that is great they made the choice to play something and not stick to the parameters that are laid down by the powers that be. Now, it is realized they can make money with this stuff. Don't get me wrong. I'm not bitter because I love what I do. I'm a realist, and I see what is happening, and I don't like it. By not recording CDs of my own music, I'm surrendering to that, and that's not what I want.

Q: Do you see the same trend with commercial Salsa?
RV: Yes. What's being put out today is some of the biggest garbage I've heard. My problem is that they have put handcuffs on the music as far as creativity. They have taken contributions to this music that made it vibrant and alive and were a reflection of the culture of which it was from and then have it eliminated. They have completely depercussionized the commercial salsa music. They have taken out the conga solos and such.

The major labels that now want a piece of the market have brought out this sad, sterile, impotent music, with no depth. The thing that really kills me is that they use the same musicians on all the recordings, so all the recordings sound the same. They use the same arrangers and producers too! There is no variation in texture of an artist. It is just throwing a guy in front of a karaoke machine. In the old days, when you heard [Eddie] Palmieri, it was Palmieri's music. When [Ray] Barretto recorded, it was Barretto's music and had the Barretto sound. The music had character and different flavors and textures. That is what makes the music exciting, tasty and vibrant. That is what makes it music and life!

Don't come to me and eliminate the creative aspects of the music. There were a lot once, but they can no longer be leaders in the salsa music, and now they go out and record Latin jazz records. That is not good, because they are salseros, not jazz musicians. If it is a jive attempt, you'll get me mad.

Now all of the bands are run by vocalists who know nothing about music. I take that as an insult to me, a person who has taken the time to study music. If you are going to be leader, at least take the time to learn something and respect my efforts and what I have done to get it together. All these vocalists have no connections with the musicians and have no idea what we go through. So these vocalists align themselves with the management that exploit them and treat the musicians like hell, and there you have it. You can market garbage, and if you market it properly, and make people believe that people need it, they will go out and buy it. I love the music and my culture too much to see what is happening and not say what I think.