Alma means Soul...and Seula means sole, and Al walks la charla...

Submitted by Al Kanovsky 3/27/13

Tuesday night is now Latin JAZZ night at BJB's. How would you define Latin JAZZ? Simply---Oriente!! Led by guitarist Eddie Balzola this talented group is a classic example of JAZZ musicians who have Latin souls. Alma. Last night the band was made up of Orlando Machado(drums),  Raymer Olalve(congas), Dony Felix(bass), and William Paredes playing trombone. The solos that each of them play all seem to be inspired by something deep inside them. Eddie played Nat Cole's "Lush Life" without accompaniment or lyrics. It didn't need it. The talent of the composer and now the player conveyed the feeling and thought of the song without a word. Just listening to the melody, as interpreted by Eddie, put me in "some small dive"---"with those who's lives are---------"

He transitioned from "Lush Life" to "Ordinary People" with the band joining in. Paredes plays trombone joyfully. He has fun creating melody bending lines and inserting song titles from every direction. At times he was having so much fun that he had me smiling and chuckling to myself. The band went from Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va" to the classic "Basin St. Blues" and had the audience (including me) up and dancing. Some one in the audience requested a "reggae" Okay---the rhythm section responded and Eddie paid homage to "ganji" singing "legalize it, don't criticize it, I will advertise it". A little later Eddie did a tribute to John Coltrane with a self-written poem, "Love, Music, Magic". Eddie calls Coltrane "the American Mozart". When you listen to Balzola you can't help notice his 'touch' and sensitivity. When asked the solo he wished he had played he responded with Pat Martino's on John Coltrane's "Africa".  He followed with, "There are a lot of them, but that's the one that pops up". I thanked the band and headed home with Miss Fields. I got there before she had a chance to say "goodnight." Sorry, Tracy. 
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