PMO comes to SFJAZZ June 15, 2013 8 pm

Founded three years ago by Mexican-born pianist Christian Tumalan and German-born trumpeter Steffen Kuehn, the Pacific Mambo Orchestra quickly established itself as the West Coast’s premiere Latin dance big band. Boasting a glittering array of veteran masters and stellar arrangements inspired by golden age Latin dance innovators Machito, Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez, the 19-piece orchestra proved itself as a dance floor shaking force of nature during a long-running Monday night gig at Café Cocomo. Powered by a sensational percussion session featuring Venezuelan conguero Omar Ledezma Jr., and Peruvian bongo expert Braulio Barrera, the band also showcases savvy improvisers forged in the region’s most celebrated Latin bands. The surging brass section includes trumpeter Louis Fasman (Pete Escovedo Latin Jazz Orchestra and Wayne Wallace’s Rhythm and Rhyme), reed expert Pete Cornell (music director of Mazacote), and trombonist Jeff Cressman (Santana since 2000, and Peter Apfelbaum’s Hieroglyphics Ensemble), while Alexa Weber Morales brings sensually soaring vocals to the mix. The band’s critically acclaimed 2012 eponymous debut album spread its reputation around the world, ushering the PMO into the exclusive club of top-shelf Latin dance orchestras. For this special performance, the PMO will be joined by guitar icon Ray Obiedo (Herbie Hancock) and drumming powerhouse Tommy Igoe (Blood, Sweat and Tears, Dave Grusin). The dance floor will be open!