<![CDATA[<BODY BGCOLOR="#000099" TEXT="#996600" LINK="#660000" VLINK="#660000" ALINK="#990000">
<MAP NAME="rcnav">
<area shape="rect" coords="28,9 93,49" href="revmai.htm">
<area shape="rect" coords="71,10 137,30" href="revmai.htm">
<area shape="rect" coords="97,35 186,54" href="Fbios.htm">
<area shape="poly" coords="65,53 150,53 142,87 131,92 127,105 97,105 83,74 67,65 65,52 67,55 59,102 68,54" href="Fbios.htm">
<area shape="rect" coords="146,67 199,107" href="audio.htm">
<area shape="rect" coords="130,90 151,111" href="audio.htm">
<area shape="poly" coords="0,65 68,69 79,75 94,108 94,113 0,114 1,64" href="index.htm">
</MAP>
<A NAME= "top"></A><IMG SRC="revtit.gif" WIDTH="251" HEIGHT="58" BORDER="0">
<TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="86%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="43%"><FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" COLOR="#660000"><B>
<A HREF="#manila">The
Manila Times</A></B></FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="57%"><FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" COLOR="#660000">
<A HREF="#vanpro"><B>The
Vancouver Province</B></A></FONT></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="43%"><FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" COLOR="#660000"><A HREF="#philstar"><B>The
Phillipine Star</B></A></FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="57%"><FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" COLOR="#660000"><A HREF="#vansun"><B>The
Vancouver Sun</B></A></FONT></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="43%"><FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" COLOR="#660000"><A HREF="#timeou"><B>Time
Out</B></A></FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="57%"><FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" COLOR="#660000"><A HREF="#vancou"><B>The
Vancouver Courier</B></A></FONT></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="43%"><FONT FACE="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" COLOR="#660000"><A HREF="#richne"><B>The
Richmond News</B></A></FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="57%"> </TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<P><A HREF="nav.map"><IMG SRC="navrevT.gif" WIDTH="200" HEIGHT="115" ISMAP ALT="navigation" USEMAP="#rcnav" BORDER="0" ALIGN="TOP"></A></P>
<TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="75%">
<TR>
<TD><A NAME="manila"></A>
<IMG SRC="revmt.gif" WIDTH="416" HEIGHT="74" ALIGN="TOP" ALT="The Manila Times"></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<P> Their music has none of the earsplitting noise characteristics of what
youngsters call jamming, but they do use the same technique of improvisation
in building on the mold of a standard material. Like chartering a course
that leads to many destinations, they play covers with ad-libs intermittently
thrown in for spice. Not only that, the eight gifted musicians of the
Canadian-based Rumba Calzada sing with the right amount of swing, what
with a lively interpretation of popular songs to the infectious Latin
bear. Rene "Boying" Geronimo, Rapheal Geronimo and Kary Taylor on percussion,
Rene Oliver Molina Santamaria on lead vocals, Nick Apivor on vibraphone,
Ariel Lopez on bass, Vic Bongat on trombone, sax and flute and Mike Simpson
on keyboards, lurch into some marvelous interplay of Latin music. We listened
to their rendition of the immortal classic "Dahil Sa 'Yo" while engaging
then in casual talk at Shangri-La Hotel Manila Zu where They have been
booked to perform until the end of month. accent Boying Filipino leader band asks. Well there
is no foreign
twangs It even as Castillian Oliver claims studied lyrics Tagalog song just one hour. fact interpreted customary way segues into a swinging Latin cha-cha groove. was so taken by
that He plans make
music video out it. which not all alien members who
continually opening up harmonic possibilities. repertoire runs
from traditional jazz. We play covers legendary Latino
artists like Tito Puente Gypsy Kings Eddie Palmieri El Gran Combo and course our original compositions says whose very own piece Calzada after named has climbed number eight on charts Miami Florida Top Ten. Spanish pays deepest
respects community for sharing with them their passionate
music. Rumba incidentally ballroom dance Cuban Negro origin also means party Cubans. other hand name street. literal translation could
be more fitting easily enjoin people streets form conga lines. included playlise are such songs Taylor Dane Always love You arranged English Van Morrison I="I" Told Lately Spyrogyra Stylistics Golly Wow quickly
transforms fast beat salsa samba or lambada. made Canada were
beforehand doing alone if some group brought together an enthusiastic Vancouver. picked best
musicians town came pretty exciting lot. Geronimo takes lead His Bata bongs congas timbales
advanced percussion methods Folclorico Nacional de Cuba Havana under master drummer Changuito. cultivated drum techniques Boy Harbour Center New York worked renowned percussionists
Luis Conte Madonna Steve Winwood Path Metheney
Poncho Sanchez jazz Los Angeles Yomo Toro
Rican used same back show Chito. Raphael father enthusiasm bongos set timbales. graphic artist plays regularly
BC dad visited extensive
lessons Molina Santamaria known singer showcases riveting
performance least five bands. Nick Apivor graduate University Victoria played wide variety music-rhythm blues
Magazine R="R" N.O.W="N.O.W" Orchestra orchestral Symphone. had work Theater
notably Tahmanous production Faust concert Phantom Opera Les Miserables. children Fireside Tales features compositions. Ariel Lopez Escuela Superacion Ignacio Cervantes Cuba. performed young called Fiebre Latina now four bands Vic Bongat fluid playing fine sense humour endeared him groups freelances bans performs great years includes stints Carding Cruz
performances Japan cruise ships music- reggae calypso disco Dixieland Broadway. Kary
grew Oakland California before moving Vancouver graduating dental school San Francisco ago. rekindled recent does
backup vocals. Mike Simpson only native born Canadian Boston Berkeley Harvard schools British Columbia. respected
studio musician often big
eight-way marriage each member contributing
company near-perfect harmony. Joining wild ride upcoming Annabelle Bosch sing band.
>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT"> - by Cora Lucas, June 14, 1995</P>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT"><A HREF="#top"><FONT><B>TOP</B></FONT></A></P>
</TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="75%">
<TR>
<TD><A NAME="philstar"></A>
<IMG SRC="revps.gif" WIDTH="416" HEIGHT="74"></TR>
<TR>
<TD><P> There's a popular saying "Like father, like son, " but that's often
untrue because most offspring never live up to anything but a faint shadow
or imitation of their parents or father. In other cases, they amount to
nothing. In the musical family of the late Boying Geronimo (critically
acclaimed Latin music artist and accomplished dancer) who died in Manila
June 1995 after a hectic performance, his son Raphael (Robbie) Geronimo
not only shares his father's passion for music but is also determined
to make a name for himself. Raphael recently released his first CD entitled
Generations, which re-united members of the Rumba Calzada Latin group.
While the album carries the spirit and tradition of Boying,it also serves
as tribute to a musician who died at the height of his career. The first
Rumba Calzada album was released in 1994, produced by Boying, which featured
his performances on congas, bongos, timbal, okonkolo, kulintang, coro
and cajita. Young Geronimo occasionally jams with another popular Latin
group in Vancouver named Alma Libre. His determination to revive Rumba
Calzada was a wise move and was successful in bringing back some of the
original members like Rene Oliver Santamaria (lead vocals). While you
c can hear traces of Boying's style, Raphael's musicianship as percussionist
is distinctive enough for his talent to stand out on its own. Raphael
has complete mastery of the congas, timbal, campana, guiro and coro. Latin
aficionados will not be disappointed. There are 10 excellent tracks, eight
originals, not just pap cover versions with a Latin bear. Raphael composed
three for the new CD, namely the title song, Filipinas, and the heart-warming
Rumba para Boying, with lyrics by Oliver Santamaria. The entire album
excels because the Latin orchestrations assimilated different cultures,
old and new, and created something that is uniquely Rumba Calzada. Raphael
as bandleader is obviously a musician with a clear disdain for musical
cliches and is full of surprises by doing original stuff. The songs are
in perfect balance, meaning that they have the ingredients of melody,
harmony, and rhythm. It is perfect for dancing...it is great for listening.
The over-all performance has spunk with a lot of heart. The recording
quality is crisp, fresh, and excellently engineered. The rationale of
the album's existence can be read on the liner notes. As Raphael said
at the launch of the CD at the legendary Georgia Hotel "Being Boying's
son and sharing his love for music, we continue to play, carrying the
spirit of my father to this generation." </P>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT">-By Mel Tobias, May 19, 1997</P>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT"><A HREF="#top"><FONT><B>TOP</B></FONT></A></P>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="75%">
<TR>
<TD>
<A NAME="timeou"></A>
<IMG SRC="revto.gif" WIDTH="416" HEIGHT="74"></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD><P>...Salsa music is hot-hot-hot, and a local band is heating up the circuit.
Rumba Calzada is launching it's new CD Generations, at the Chameleon Lounge,
801 West Georgia, in Vancouver this coming Monday night from 9:30 p.m.
- 12:30 a.m., with free admission until 10:00p.m., then a small covercharge
after that. They'll de three sets from their new CD, and if form follows
form, the dance floor will be packed with people dancing to their popular
Latin jazz salsa beat. Raphael Geronimo became leader of the band after
his father, the legendary Boying Geronimo, died of a heart attack while
playing the Zu disco at the Shangri La Hotel in Manila. The new CD is
partly a tribute to his memory, and also a continuance of the tradition
of fusing contemporary and traditional Latin music. Raphael has lived
in Richmond since 1975 and went through Steveston high, London and McKinney
schools, playing the drums since he was 18. After he graduated he was
in a rock band, the playing local blues clubs, and jazz concerts until
he took over the band about 18 months ago. The band members are a mini-United
Nations, with Raphael as percussionist and band leader; Nick Apivor, from
South Africa, on vibes and keyboard; Nicaraguan lead singer Oliver Santamaria;
Kary Taylor, a conga player from Oakland, California; Ariel Lopez, bass
guitarist from Cuba; Victor Bongat, on trombone, tenor sax, saxophone
and flute, from the Philippines; Mike Simpson, keyboards, the only Canadian-born
player; and Rollo Presa, bongo player from El Salvador. CBC, CO-op Radio,
97 Kiss FM, 103.5 and AM 1470 have all given Rumba Calzada's CD a spin.
Having played at the Chameleon on Monday nights for more that a year,
the band is getting a bit of a following. Raphael says he's sorry the
release party couldn't happen in Richmond, but he's still hoping for a
good turnout, saying that they do Mambo King's style music, though with
an eight-piece rather that a 16-piece band. So check them out, next Monday
starting at 9:30 - and you'd better have those dancing shoes on. * * *
</P>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT">- by Linda Moore, April 26, 1997</P>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT"><A HREF="#top"><FONT><B>TOP</B></FONT></A></P>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="75%">
<TR>
<TD><A NAME="richne"></A><IMG SRC="revrn.gif" WIDTH="416" HEIGHT="74"></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD><P> It's a muggy mid-June afternoon on Dylan Place in Steveston. Just the
kind of weather salsa music was made for. The street is empty and all
you can hear are salsa rhythms as Raphael Geronimo plays bongos, congas
and timbales in a room at his mother's house. Geronimo is leader of the
local Latin jazz octet Rumba Calzada, a Spanish term meaning "dance in
the street." All that's missing on this day are palm trees and people
dancing tin the street. There will be plenty of people dancing in the
streets and nightclubs of downtown Vancouver when Rumba Calzada and dozens
of other acts play the du Maurier International Jazz Festival through
June 29. Though Dylan Place isn't named for Bob Dylan, it is somewhat
appropriate. Just as the recently ill folk-rock legend's son Jakob is
making waves with his band the Wallflowers, so too is the your Geronimo
in the salsa world. Raphael became leader of Rumba Calzada two years ago
when his 49-year-old father Rene "Boying" Geronimo died of a heart attack
during the group's month long engagement at a Mania nightclub. The senior
Geronimo's legacy is celebrated by his 27 year-old son on Rumba Calzada's
Generations, an album released earlier this year by Festival Records.
When the tragedy happened in 1995, Raphael and his bandmates briefly took
time to regroup but they fulfilled their commitments to perform in the
Philippines and BC "The guys, they wanted to play," Geronimo said. "The
band felt like it wanted to move on. It made it stronger, it put the band
more together.: Raphael was the logical replacement as the lingering memory
of Rene provided inspiration to carry on: Rumba Calzada eventually scored
weekly gigs at Gastown's Purple Onion and at the Chameleon Urban Lounge.
Geronimo and co. pack those venues on a regular basis and even jammed
with members of the Gipsy Kings and Harry Connick Jr. The Geronimos came
to Canada from the Philippines in 1974. Though the music of salsa greats
like family friends Tito Puente and Poncho Sanchez was always in the air
at home, Raphael preferred playing guitar and drums in a classic rock
cover band while at London and Steveston secondaries. It didn't take long
to develop a love for salsa when his father began teaching him at age
18. He was further immersed in the music when he studied percussion at
the epicentres of salsa: Havana, Cuba, and New York City. "The (Cuban)
people are very friendly, but the country seems a little bit sad, a little
more poverty, it's communist. I feel very fortunate living in Canada after
going to Cuba. But the music keeps people together, keeps them going."
Rumba Calzada is riding the wave of Latin jazz new-found popularity
here driven By under-35 hipsters. not just for Latino people
everybody likes it. It very happy I="I" think that what like. sunny music explains Geronimo. watch
crowd as we start our set. first couple tunes moving to flow song. really nice see getting caught
up into ></P>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT">- By Bob Mackin, June 22, 1997</P>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT"><A HREF="#top"><FONT><B>TOP</B></FONT></A></P>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="75%">
<TR>
<TD>
<A NAME="vanpro"></A>
<IMG SRC="revvp.gif" WIDTH="416" HEIGHT="74></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD> <P> Celebs and notables: What they're talking about, reading, watching and
listening to. This week, Raphael Geronimo, band leader of Rumba Calzada,
local Latin jazz act that releases its second full-length CD, Generations,
(available at HMV, Virgin and A&B), at the Chameleon Urban Lounge (801
W. Georgia) Monday at 9. Tix at the door. Continuing with tradition My
dad (Rene "Boying" Geronimo) had been playing music since he was seven.
He was 49 when he passed away in Manila. There was lots of work for the
band in BC I felt like I should continue with tradition. Philippines scene
We're from the Philippines, where the older generation really appreciates
classic mambos, cha-chas and boleros. We played at The Zu in Manila and
the dance floor was filled with older people. Boy, they know how to dance.
Nestor, the dance guy There is a guy named Nestor who comes to all our
shows who can really dance. He teaches people the steps and dances with
all the beautiful girls. He really gets the crowd going. Vancouver crowds
I like Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente and Pancho Sanchez. A lot of good movies
like The Mambo Kings are using Latin music now. The Latin scene is so
new here. Vancouver crowds are just coming around to it. The big band
It's quite competitive here, not too many places to play. All the time,
club owners ask for four pieces but the big band is how you get the Latin
jazz sound. We're really lucky, since we have house gigs at the Chameleon
and the Purple Onion.</P>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT"> -- Stuart Derdeyn</P>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT"><A HREF="#top"><FONT><B>TOP</B></FONT></A></P>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="75%">
<TR>
<TD><A NAME="vansun"></A><IMG SRC="revvs.gif" WIDTH="416" HEIGHT="74"></TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD><P>RUMBA CALZADA </P>
<P>Generations Festival * * * </P>
<P>The Vancouver band Rumba Calzada dedicates Generations, its second CD,
to longtime leader Rene Boying Geronimo, who died while touring with the
band two years ago. Boying's son Raphael now assumes leadership of this
hard-driving octet. Generations throbs with the energy created by percussionists
Geronimo, Kary Taylor and Edgar Romero and bassist Ariel Lopez, with keyboard
work by Mike Simpson and Nick Apivor (who also plays, in addition to organ,
vibraphone), the multiple-horn playing of Victor Bongat (saxophone, flute,
trombone) and vocals by Rene Oliver Santamaria. Several guest artists
add to the sound. Apivor's Tu Nombre provides a break from the up-tempo
program, a lovely medium-tempo number in which Apivor's vibes, Simpson's
piano and Santamaria's vocals create a bittersweet mood, enhanced by guest
Paul Baron's trumpet solo. It's a fitting tribute to Geronimo Sr. </P>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT"><A HREF="#top"><FONT><B>TOP</B></FONT></A></P>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="75%">
<TR>
<TD>
<A NAME="vancou"></A><IMG SRC="revvc.gif" WIDTH="416" HEIGHT="74"></TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD> <P>* * * Rumba Calzada's recently released Generations CD is a vigorous
collection of songs written mainly by band members, and it stands up well
against tunes coming out of Latin music hotbeds like New York City and
Miami. While the whole band sounds finely tuned, Oliver Santamaria's assured
vocals and multi-instrumentalist Victor Bongat's adroit solos stand out.
The 27-year-old Geronimo, who studied percussion in Havana and New York,
also impresses with his fiery drumming on the timbales. It's clear that
Geronimo has adapted well to the bandleader role, although he acknowledges
that all the legwork involved in organizing an active eight-member band
hasn't make it easy. "It's been really stressful but at the same time
really fulfilling, : says Geronimo, who has his father's effervescent
smile. In fact Generations is appropriately titled. "I think my father's
spirit is very much in the music, " says Geronimo who also plays with Vancouver bands such as Soul Crib and the Mo Collective. Catch Rumba
Calzada at jazz festival June >
<P ALIGN="RIGHT">- Chris Wong, May 25, 1997</P>
<P ALIGN="RIGHT"><A HREF="#top"><FONT><B>TOP</B></FONT></A></P>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
</BODY>]]>