Friday March 23rd, I left New York City for Houston Texas to perform with the Diaz music School's senior jazz band called Caliente. As I traveled I was thinking that, since I have never performed with young teenage musicians, "How would they play?" I started thing of all the bad things such as intonation, lack of experience, nerves, etc, etc. I really did not know what to expect. I was greeted at the airport by Susana Robles, the executive director of the music school and was driven to the hotel, a short 15 minute ride from the airport after spending a half hour trying to find our car in the huge garage. A beautiful hotel suite was reserved for me and after unpacking and getting my cafe con leche at Starbucks, I went to meet and rehearse with the orchestra from the Diaz music school.

Jose Diaz has been director of the school for the past 23 years and has produced a fine program for children between the ages of 8-18. There is a junior band, Intermediate and advanced Caliente dance band. As I walked into the room they were practicing Azuquita Mami, one of the Fania All-Star arrangements that I had sent a month earlier. WOW, what a sound. What a surprise to hear 5 saxes, 4 trombones, 4 trumpets, drums, Bass, Guitar, 2 keyboard players, timbales, congas and bongos playing in tune with a high degree of precision. I was floored and even humbled as they went through all 7 arrangements I had sent of Orchestra Harlow arrangements. I made only a few comments about the arrangements and performance but rather tried to let the children know that I was there to have fun and play good music with them. That playing Latin music has to be fun in order to give the listener and dancers the real feeling of good SALSA. All the kids played great and once they felt comfortable with me we all had a great rehearsal.

The next day was a sound check at the Miller outdoor theater, in the middle of downtown Houston. It's a beautiful outdoor amphitheater with a very good sound system and wonderfully helpful staff. As Showtime approached Fausto Cuevas, another invited musician/percussionist from Los Angeles and I watched as the kids all changed into their beautiful sparkling gold shirts. and the girls in all black dresses. They were all so beautiful. the Theater was packed to the rim with 4000 people waiting to see me perform with the Diaz Caliente band in a show called NOCHE CALIENTE.There were even Caliente dancers and guest piano players Cleo Sample and Jose Miguel Yamal.

The show started with what Jose calls the Baby Caliente, then the intermediate Caliente in Training, 12-14 yr olds and then the big band Caliente. Fausto and I were enjopying the performance. Then it was our turn to perform. I played Sr Sereno, Azuquita Mami, Mayari, Abran Paso,La Cartera, Manuela and Descarga Fania. People were dancing and screaming over the 2 hr show. All had a great time. After the show they had a very big Birthday cake for me and all the kids sang happy birthday to me. It was just a wonderful experience and a big thanks go out to Jose Antonio Diaz and Susana Robles and all the people who made it possible for me to perform in Houston with these talented children. There should be more programs across the country for children like this . Thanks to all the sponsors such as ConKir, Zildjain,Remo, Vic Firth,Countrywide Mortgage, La Mexicana, Direct Underground Cable, Tumbao Music, Pearl Percussion, HAA, Houston endowment and the National Endowment for the Arts for all of their help.