Son Venezuela

Remember those Choose Your Own Adventure books? Yeah, neither do we. But we believe in the free-enterprise system, which is why we are giving you two options for your Son Venezuela Critic’s Choice reading pleasure. OK, so the chimpanzee running this section double-booked. It just means you get to double your pleasure, double your fun. Option 1: When faced with the chilling bluster of a Kansas City winter, it’s usually best to do one of three things: hibernate, vacate, or gyrate. As the winner of the 2003 Pitch Music Award for Best Latin Act, multinational nonetet Son Venezuela has already established itself as one of the best local acts around for that third option. With its sultry mix of salsa, merengue and Caribbean styles, this is the sort of group that can have a crowd working up a sweat in subzero temperatures in no time. Although the Blue Room is far from the anything-goes atmosphere of the band’s usual haunt at the Westport Beach Club, Son Venezuela can strike up an irresistible and infectious groove in any climate.

Option 2: The horns, the horns, those horns! Forget the fact that Son Venezuela was the Pitch’s Best Latin Act last year. Where’s the Best Trombone award for a guy like Michael Walker, who seemingly operates his soul with that instrument’s slide? How about a Best Dressed Singer accolade for Kelfel Aqui (who’s no slouch in the percussion department, either)? Whether they’re playing classics from Ruben Blades and Willie Colon or their own stuff, such as Aqui’ s “Don’t Stop Me,” the sheer spectacle of a nine-piece Latin orchestra tearing up the joint is cause for hope. At the very least, these gentlemen deserve a Best Way to Remember That Somewhere on Earth, It’s Summer award.