Salaz Adds Spice to All-Star Group
By Chris Manson November 6, 2003 Issue

A photograph hangs on the wall in Sal Salaz’ home office depicting a solitary figure sitting on the beach. Underneath is the caption: TIME TO THINK. Right now the percussionist has plenty to think about, alternating steady engagements with Stephanie Pettis’ band Rio and adding flavor to the all-star group Tjader.

Salaz returned to Destin in April and was immediately invited to lend his talents to Tjader. The group—named for the great vibraphone player Cal Tjader—gave its first performance in June at the Pensacola Jazz Festival. “Drummer and vibraphone player Steve Ferry, Jones and Company’s Brent Purcell and Salaz wanted to honor Cal Tjader. They were collecting the best of the best area musicians,” Salaz said.

Tjader also recorded a CD containing many songs made famous by Cal Tjader. Rounding out the all-star line-up are Donnie Sundal on keyboards and vocals; Chuck Schwartz, woodwinds; Diki Ross, trombone; and Dave Golflies, bass.

“It’s difficult to get everyone assembled at one time. Some live in Pensacola, Navarre, Panama City. Many have their own engagements. With an all-star band, they often give up their regular engagements to do this,” Salaz said. “It takes a lot of coordination to put together. Timing, preparation, rehearsals, getting everything right before you go on stage.”

The Latin jazz supergroup is preparing for its next big concert, scheduled for Nov. 29 at Baytowne Wharf beginning at 5 p.m. “They’re doing the Christmas tree lighting at 5:30, and they’ve asked us to play a couple of Christmas tunes, which we’ll do with a Latin flavor. Donnie will do vocals. That should be interesting.”

Salaz first set foot in Destin in November 1996, but soon departed for a computer science job in Dayton, Ohio. In Dayton, he taught Latin percussion at a music store and played in keyboardist Pat Kelly’s 11-piece band Latin Exposure. Salaz’ journey also took him to Montgomery, Ala., where he led the jazz group Counterpoint and opened for Kenny G and Hiroshima. In the late ‘80s, Salaz lived in Hawaii and played with Mistura while working for the Department of Defense in information technology.

“I enjoy music so much. Without music, there is no life,” he said. “As a kid, I started banging on tin cans, playing maracas at home, anything rhythm. I got creative and started doing my own thing. Eventually, I started listening to Latin, jazz, hip-hop, and it evolved. When I was in Bermuda serving in the Air Force, I learned all the Caribbean rhythms, and got my first paying gig. I learned from a gentleman named King Trot. He had an entourage of conga drums he played so melodically. He had an island revue of dancers and musicians that played at the resorts. He asked me to join his group, and that’s how I got started. My roots came from there.”

Playing with all of these outfits allowed Salaz to master different rhythms and adapt them to his jazz style. Returning to the U.S., Salaz found himself immersed in the music. While stationed in Washington, D.C., Salaz had the opportunity to work with the Air Force Band, Airmen of Note.

Salaz’ speaks passionately of his influences. “From a Latin perspective, Tito Puente was the godfather of timbales. He not only played Latin, he played with different types of jazz groups. I caught him in Ohio playing with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. He set the groundwork for Latin jazz,” he said. Salaz also holds guitarist Chuck Loeb, saxophonist Boney James and percussionist Andy Narell in high regard. A favorite book is Frank Tirro’s Jazz: A History.

Among local musicians, Salaz enjoys Cheryl Jones. “She reaches out beyond a song. She’ll hit different notes to make it interesting. People say, ‘Wow! How does she reach that range?’” He recently caught Carlos Oregon’s band Tropisound at the Blues Music City Road House. “They love the music. They’ve been playing there on Wednesday nights. They’re pretty good.”

Salaz demonstrated many of the percussion instruments he uses. There is the udu drum, a gourd-shaped African instrument, the cabasa (or shekere), also gourd-shaped and the rainmaker, which—true to its name—produces the sound of rain falling. His congas and bongos have different skins for different occasions. Salaz explained that most musicians prefer the mellow calfskin for recording, while the water buffalo skin is favored for concerts due to its ability to sustain tones.

“I play a lot of instruments. They all have to do with different kinds of music that you can adapt them to. The cabasa I use for Brazilian sounds. The rainmaker can be adapted to any kind of music, even a rock or hip-hop tune.” When Salaz plays, he sets up a table with bells and shekeres to use at particular intervals in songs.

“A particular rhythm I play is guagaco. That is ‘the calling of the instruments.’ It’s a very basic beat, calling for the drums to come in…it’s a rumba beat, used widely in the Latin arena.” Salaz’ instrument of choice is a combination of conga drums and bongos. “I use all these instruments to add that extra ‘spicing’ on the cake. You can really tell the difference. It adds more body to the music, and that energy level inspires the other musicians to go beyond their usual capabilities.”

Salaz currently teaches private music lessons and intends to hold a seminar at Leitz Music on hand drumming. “It will introduce people to the art, as well as some history of drums and how to tune them up, the different rhythms.”

The master percussionist is a photography enthusiast, too. Salaz didn’t take the TIME TO THINK photo, but it has provided him with a philosophy he hopes others will take to heart. “I often go to the beach and gaze at the ocean. That’s where I get my serenity and peace. I can sit out there, and it will come to me. I think it’s important for anyone, regardless of what kind of work you do, to have time to think and embrace your thoughts. I’ve done that for most of my career. Today, everything is a hustle and bustle. Everyone’s in a hurry to get there. Nobody’s worried about getting there safely,” he said.

“When I teach music, one of the first things I instruct my students to do is start at a slow pace and work up from that. You’re able to pick up all the different tones. I’ve seen many a person just bang away with no tone, no technique, trying to follow the beat.”

Sal Salaz’ Five Desert Island CDs:

Spiro Gyra, Incognito
Jaco Pastorius, Jaco Pastorius
Kirk Whalum, Cache
Poncho Sanchez, A Night with Poncho Sanchez Live
Denny Jiosa, Among Friends

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