A NOISY, standing only audience of Salsa fans, Cuba well wishers and Latin America dance aficionados idolised this remarkable, solid seventy seven year old pianist on his first visit to Europe.
Night club style, fabulous sound and easy camaraderie complemented the nine piece uniform band's dance compelling, 1950's Cuban dance music and Jazz improvisation. This is music promoted by Castro, racially democratised by radio, influencing everywhere touched by the Caribbean island's slaveplanted history, and, too, the world.
Gonzalez is a veteran of Arsenio Rodriguez's 1940's ensemble which revolutionised Cuban music and of ChaCha creator Enrique Jorrin's Orchestra.
Here the All Stars metered their son base with cencerro (cowbell), congas, bongos, the Cuban Indian guiro scraper and palitos snareshell clave pattern.
Suave voices, trombone and upright bass led the beautifully complex, layered melody and rhythm in turns, underlying it all and breaking through in moments of spectacular, motive glory the maestro's grand piano.