If there is an underground market for startup Salsa bands, I haven't stumbled across it. The venues I dance at hire professional groups, many of which come from Latin America. I think it would be interesting to listen to some of the younger groups which haven't yet earned followings in the adult community. It could also be painful.
Good musicians aren't born, they are self-made through dedication and perseverence. My brother started playing with bands when he was about 15 or 16 years old. He partied with every guitarist he could meet and learned as much as he could from them. By the time he was 18, he had jammed with some of the most famous rock artists in the United States, including Styx, Eric Quincy Tate, Little Richard, and others.
Now, many years later, he still plays for pay on weekends, although he no longer performs with a band. He's more machine than musician, now. Sorry -- you have to expect a nod to Star Wars on a Science Fiction and Fantasy domain, even in the middle of a Salsa Web site.
But my point is that many old time rock'n'rollers are having to make it on their own, rather than with the support of a full band. It's just too expensive to hire bands for an entire evening any more.
So, when you do start spending the big bucks, you want to hire the best bands you can. And Houston's venues bring in some of the best Latin groups you could hope to hear.
More importantly, we do have some great artists right here in Houston. And that is why I wanted to profile Mary Frometa, La Orquesta Salmerum, and Yelba.
The fact that Mary and Yelba's families come from Venezuela and Nicaragua respectively
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doesn't make their music any less a part of Houston's Latin scene. Houston's Latin roots stretch across the world, and many of us came here from other places. The fusion of cultures, languages, and traditions is rich and ever-evolving. So, artists like Mary and Yelba, who have lived here for many years, help to make Houston's music what its.
There are other artists whom I could not profile. Why? Time. Opportunity. Cowardly attacks by Jawas on the freeway -- well, mostly lack of time and opportunity.
Two very good groups you should make time to hear are Mi Rumba (they play at Elvia's every Wednesday) and Urbana. To be honest, I haven't heard Urbana in almost a year, but so far as I know they are still together and playing venues around Texas. Both groups have appeared at places like Ringside, Elvia's, and Tropicana.
When it came to variety, Ringside was king. They had a lot of great (and some not-so great) artists come through every week. Some of them were on international tours. One band I liked is Grupo Cache (I don't believe they are the same as Grupo Ka-Che, which was a local Houston band).
Another group, whose name I should know but don't, are the house band at Taco Milagro. The dance area is about the size of a suitcase and the 3-4 man group takes up half of it, but they play some fantastic Salsa and Merengue.
Grupo Niche, the "Una Aventura" guys (from Columbia, I think), have recently been playing at Metropolis. My friends are frightened of young people and Jawas, but I would still like to hear them live some day.
Until then, I'll just keep dancing.
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