Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra At The Brooklyn Bowl Williamsburg, Brooklyn has become synonymous with hipster culture, so it’s no surprise that a covers album featuring a lineup of tracks with serious indie cred would originate in the neighborhood. Somewhat more surprising? That those covers would come from an 11-piece salsa band. The self-titled debut album from the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra adds some Latin flair to tracks from indie staples including Peter Bjorn and John, TV on the Radio, and LCD Soundsystem. It’s apparent from the get-go that the WSO is a talented group of salsa musicians. Bandleader Gianni Mano leads the ensemble through the album’s ten peppy tracks with precision and energy. However, the combination of salsa and indie is rather hit or miss, with the up-tempo excitement of the orchestra sometimes overshadowing the content of the song being covered. Blaring horns, timbales, and bongos make for a fun cover of an upbeat track like Peter Bjorn and John‘s “Young Folks,” but can feel overwhelming in quieter moments. Similarly, Solange Prat’s vocals have a very polished, almost Broadway quality that meshes well with the salsa backing but lacks the emotional subtlety needed to get the most out of softer tracks or lyrics originally voiced by less traditional singers. Photos by Mr Salsa TV Correspondent ANGELA MARIE RIJOS (Lady Ang) The Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra is an 11-piece band playing dynamic, dura arrangements of our favorite indie tunes, by Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, Spoon, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Japanther, TV On The Radio, and many more taking salsa in new directions with love and respect for the tradition. Find us on Facebook and Twitter @theWSO, and join our email list for updates about all of our shows and recordings. Already garnering international press and attention based on a few demos, the WSO will release our first album in June, 2011. Come to a show to hear what's up as we reset the boundaries of the art form and bring this great music to a whole new audience. Currently in an open-ended residency at The Brooklyn Bowl: Salsa Sundays with the WSO. www.brooklynbowl.com for info and directions. About Us: The Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra is led by percussionist Gianni Mano of Latin-funk legends Radio Mundial, and fronted by Argentinian superstar Solange Prat. Based in Brooklyn NY, the 11-piece WSO features some of the finest local musicians. Influenced by the New York greats like Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri and the 70s Fania/Salsa Dura scene as well as the beautiful variety of music from Cuba and the Afro-Carribean countries, we also love the creativity and innovation of modern independent music. Contact Gianni Mano directly for inquiries and questions: wso@giannimano.com www.wsoband.com Less