JAZZ REVIEW : Otwell Quintet Wears Its ‘Poncho’ Influence Proudly : * The keyboardist-composer, who worked with Poncho Sanchez’s band for 10 years, is at his best with dance rhythms, and it’s little wonder why.

If there were moments Tuesday at El Matador when keyboardist Charlie Otwell’s quintet sounded remarkably similar to Poncho Sanchez’s band, it wasn’t just coincidence. Otwell, who makes his home in Orange, spent 10 years working for Sanchez as composer, arranger and musical director.

Since leaving the band, the keyboardist-composer has been spending his time teaching at Orange Coast College, writing a novel and playing with his own groups. But he’s unabashed about his debt to Sanchez.

“Poncho’s the cat in town,” Otwell said between sets Tuesday. “He’s the guy who taught me how to play Latin music.”

The band’s other link to the Sanchez sound was the inclusion of trumpeter Sal Cracchiolo, who worked with Otwell on Sanchez’s 1990 release, “Chile Con Soul,” and is still in the conga-playing bandleader’s outfit. Cracchiolo’s driving style--he stuck exclusively to fluegelhorn during Tuesday’s first set, while his trumpet sat in its case--provided a stimulating contrast to the insistent rhythmic track pounded out by percussionist Kurt Rassmusen and a late addition to the combo, drummer Victor Barrientos. The ever-ready Luther Hughes, proving his utility once again, rounded out the fivesome on bass.

The band opened with two Otwell originals, both of which are title-tunes from Sanchez albums. The first, “Papa Gato,” was a moderately paced dance figure that sparked a warm response from Cracchiolo. The fluegelhornist got a firm, porcelain-shiny tone on sustained notes that he oftened followed with flurries of quick, rolling lines. “Fuerte” had Otwell turning pipe-organ sounds from his Yamaha DX7 into bubbling right-hand chords that burst into spiraling runs as Barrientos mixed timbale shots with swirls across his tom-toms. Cracchiolo, perched on a stool in front of the drums, added energetic chatter and the occasional soaring leap. The tune came to a roiling close after a tight, dramatic moment of silence.

The keyboardist’s best moments came on tunes he didn’t write, a pair of standards that he had, nonetheless, arranged for Sanchez. “It Might as Well Be Spring” gave Otwell a chance to establish harmonic depth, while Rassmusen kept things stirred with a variety of percussive noisemakers. The pianist got intimate with the theme to “What Is This Thing Called Love?” and subtly manipulated its familiar lines into something warm and affirmative.

The group switched gears for Otwell’s ballad “Siempre Te Amare,” an affectionate statement that found Cracchiolo’s tone softening to fit the mood while Otwell took a pensive approach during his solo. As composer, Otwell seems to succeed with a variety of dance rhythms, slow as well as up-tempo. Guess we can thank Poncho Sanchez for that.