Gorbea Delivers Salsa Fit for a Connoisseur

A moment before pianist Wayne Gorbea and his eight-piece combo Salsa Picante unleashed their old-school salsa Friday at the Sportsmen’s Lodge, Los Angeles bandleader Johnny Polanco climbed onstage and gave his New York colleague a heartfelt hug.

Polanco’s show of affection was understandable, considering that both men are fighters in the same crusade. Disregarding the various commercial trends that have plagued Latin music for the last 20 years, they continue to honor the raw, unadulterated swing of authentic Afro-Cuban dance idioms. The prospects of stardom are virtually nonexistent for these bandleaders. The money is scarce. Recognition is limited to a niche audience of salsa connoisseurs.

There were plenty of those on hand Friday, and they were clearly excited at the prospect of witnessing the real thing: a no-nonsense combo influenced by the Fania sound of the ‘70s, boasting rock-solid percussion, a smoking brass section, a crafty sonero in singer Frank Otero and, best of all, Gorbea’s poetic musings on the piano. At his best, Gorbea brings to mind the tasteful artistry of Papo Lucca, leader of the legendary Sonora Poncen~a group.

Years of working the Bronx club circuit have given Salsa Picante a remarkable level of relaxation. When Gorbea continued singing the chorus of the Cortijo y su Combo classic “El Yo-Yo” long after Otero was done with it, the pianist exchanged some laughter with his personnel and carried on, unperturbed by his faux pas. The crowd didn’t notice a thing and continued dancing the night away.