Up to 10 piece Latin band featuring congas, coro, piano, drum, bongos, campana, bass, saxophone, flute, trombone, trumpet and vocals and playing a hot mix of funk, soul, salsa and jazz. Smaller line-ups also available and the band has a Latin funk offshoot - Bugalu.

Let's get straight to the point - Casa Latina Allstars are one of the UK's best and most adventurous salsa/Latino bands. Formed in 1996, they have played almost every Latin and jazz venue in Britain, including all the major festivals. Whether it's a saturday night sell-out at London's premier venue, The Jazz Cafe, or performing to 30,000 revellers at the 1997 Hogmany Festival in Edinburgh, they rock the house.

The band evolved from the extremely fertile Latino scene based around Casa Latina, the UK's "numero uno" live Latin club in Leeds (200 miles north of London). The Casa Latina Allstars were formed from Orquestra Pa'lante, firstly as a monthly resident 'descarga' band, and then as the house band for backing visiting musicians. One minute they'd be with Pucho and Eddie Pazant of Latin Soul Brothers fame, the next they'd be backing Cuban Pichi Valdes, former Dan Den / Orquesta Reve vocalist.

In late 1996, the original five (Sam Bell, Susana Montero, David Munoz, Geoff Winkless and Brian Hagreaves) were joined by jazz/reggae trombonist Simon Pugsley, trumpeter Bryan Davis ('bad bwoy' from the NYJO) and 'Wildman' Tony Burkhill on tenor saxophone. The line-up was completed with the arrival of the permanent bassist, Neil Fairclough, whose first love was soul and funk. No longer just a backing band/jam session vehicle - they were now a fully rehearsed and regular unit. The gigs began rolling in.

Final icing on a very tasty cake arrived in April 1997 in the form of Cuban violinist Omar Puente. Although still only in his mid 30s, he was a veteran of the National Symphony Orchestra de Cuba, as well as having played with Cuban greats such as Gonzalo Rubacalba, Ruben Gonzalez, Charanga Habanera and Orquesta Reve. For the rest of that year, the band moved onwards and upwards, supporting such salsa legends as Tito Puente and Cuba's top vocalist Issac Delgado, as well as opening for Brasilian jazz diva Tania Maria. As the year ended, they released two tracks on the Avid Records CD 'Everybody Salsa' and completed a very successful UK tour.

NEW FOR 2009! Conjunto Salsanito - Details coming soon.

LINE-UP:

Susana Montero - lead vocals

Sam Bell - congas, coro, leader

David Munoz - piano, coro, musical director

Brian 'El Indio' Hargreaves - drum kit

Geoff Winkless - bongos, campana

Neil Fairclough - bass

Omar Puente - electric violin

Simon Pugsley - trombone

Bryan Davis - trumpet

Tony Birkhill - tenor saxophone