Pop Music Review

You could say that San Francisco’s Avance is two bands in one: In the background, there’s a four-trombone conjunto exploring the roots of Afro-Cuban music; in the foreground, a youthful trio of male singers who practice the trendy hybrid of Latin-tinged R&B.;

The combination made for a delightful show Saturday at the Conga Room. And if the pop elements of the mix at times overshadowed the spirit of salsa, the group’s unabashed enthusiasm more than made up for it.

Led by Karl Perazzo, the technically seamless timbalero from Santana, the group was obviously hungry for a chance to strut its stuff, and during its two lengthy sets the musicians--marking the release of their second album--appeared to be electrified by the sheer joy of playing live.

This contagious feeling made it easier to forget Avance’s occasionally iffy choices of material, such as a con clave version of “Si Tu Supieras,” Luis Miguel’s bolero mega-hit. And at the end of the evening, Santana vocalist Tony Lindsay climbed on stage for a couple of tunes from Avance’s first album, making for a party-friendly finale.