Fort Apache Mixes Its Idioms and Rhythms to Great Effect

There was a transcendental moment Sunday at the Conga Room during a lengthy two-set show by Jerry Gonzalez and his Fort Apache Band.

The leader’s brother Andy was finishing up a dizzyingly complex acoustic bass solo when the quintet shifted gears into a quintessential Cuban beat, creating a musical explosion that brought to mind the fiery intensity of the African-tinged rumba.

This memorable instrumental passage illustrated the raucous combustion that can result when you mix Latin rhythms with American musical idioms. The New York group performed a variety of traditional Latin dances, but its quirky rendition of the bolero “Estoy Siempre Junto a Ti” (made famous by Tito Puente on his 1957 album “Dancemania”) and a juicy, Latinized version of Thelonious Monk’s “Evidence” were not exactly your average salsa fare.

So it’s a shame that Gonzalez, who alternated between congas, trumpet and fluegelhorn, drew such a small audience on Sunday. Open-minded listeners would have found a lot to enjoy, especially in the dance-friendly beats of Puerto Rican drummer Steve Berrios, who complements his kit with five cowbells, performing on them an intriguing combination of comparsa, bata and songo beats.