Spring Break
Perm?tanos Salsa: Latin salsa group, Son Venezuela, plays to the Alma Latina
Melissa Treolo
Issue date: 12/5/05 Section: Argo
he "too cool for school" expression, that unapproachable look used to fend off uninteresting prospects and to attract those one is interested in, is one that you will see on many a face at bars and clubs.
Not so at a salsa night with Son Venezuela. This Latin band has a certain way of not only getting every guy and girl in the audience to shake their money maker, but of also breaking down those pesky club-hopping defenses. Smiles are more frequent than cocktails at a Son Venezuela concert and everyone in the place is joined in the spirit of salsa dancing and having a little fun on the dance floor.
Although, Lead Singer Luis Guillen argues, not as much fun as his band is having onstage.
"I always say, if the people out there are having half as much fun as we are, we're doing good," said Guillen. "All of us have careers; this band is our hobby. We perform for the pure love of the music so, when we're onstage, we're doing what we all love to do."
Those that share the same beloved hobby as Guillen are the nine and sometimes 10 or more members that make up the rest of Son Venezuela, including Kelfel Aqui, who often alternates with Guillen on lead vocals, and percussionist Fernando Reynoso. Reynoso's 9-year-old son, Fernandito, also takes part in the mix.
"I just love playing with these guys," said the younger Reynoso, who plays hand percussion with a stage presence that clearly shows his ability to hold his own among musicians who are considerably older.
The band itself is older than Reynoso; Son Venezuela has been together for 11 years now. This longevity stems, Guillen said, from simply not taking the band too seriously. But it does take work to keep things running smoothly.
"It's very hard to keep a band going that long," said Guillen. "But we all have our separate lives and, like I said, this is a hobby for all of us. That's why it works. If we were doing it for other reasons, like for money or if we wanted to make it into a career, we could have problems."
Not so at a salsa night with Son Venezuela. This Latin band has a certain way of not only getting every guy and girl in the audience to shake their money maker, but of also breaking down those pesky club-hopping defenses. Smiles are more frequent than cocktails at a Son Venezuela concert and everyone in the place is joined in the spirit of salsa dancing and having a little fun on the dance floor.
Although, Lead Singer Luis Guillen argues, not as much fun as his band is having onstage.
"I always say, if the people out there are having half as much fun as we are, we're doing good," said Guillen. "All of us have careers; this band is our hobby. We perform for the pure love of the music so, when we're onstage, we're doing what we all love to do."
Those that share the same beloved hobby as Guillen are the nine and sometimes 10 or more members that make up the rest of Son Venezuela, including Kelfel Aqui, who often alternates with Guillen on lead vocals, and percussionist Fernando Reynoso. Reynoso's 9-year-old son, Fernandito, also takes part in the mix.
"I just love playing with these guys," said the younger Reynoso, who plays hand percussion with a stage presence that clearly shows his ability to hold his own among musicians who are considerably older.
The band itself is older than Reynoso; Son Venezuela has been together for 11 years now. This longevity stems, Guillen said, from simply not taking the band too seriously. But it does take work to keep things running smoothly.
"It's very hard to keep a band going that long," said Guillen. "But we all have our separate lives and, like I said, this is a hobby for all of us. That's why it works. If we were doing it for other reasons, like for money or if we wanted to make it into a career, we could have problems."
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