A force to be reckoned with is the best way to describe Juan de Marcos and Afro-Cuban All Stars when they took the stage at Strathmore Music Center in Rockville, Maryland on Friday, January 31.  They owned the audience from the first notes.

Supreme band leader and showman, de Marcos, led the band in Latin rhythms that blended with the African and European heritage of Cuba. Sitting still in my chair was  hard. His engaging performance left the audience wanting more. He obliged with several encores full of energy and zest.

De Marcos shared that music is his passion. He comes from a musical family.  His father insisted that he have an education and a “real” career. Being the good son, he earned his doctorate in science and engineering. However, his heart was in music. After his father passed away, Juan “attacked” his passion  and never looked back.

In his youth, de Marcos was a fan of American and British rock and roll which was largely forbidden in Cuba. Later, he rediscovered his musical roots and made it his goal to preserve and keep traditional Cuban folk music alive for future generations.

I first discovered de Marcos’ music through my interest in the Buena Vista Social Club, a predecessor band to today’s Afro-Cuban All Stars. I love the smooth, classy, tones and rhythms as well as pianist, Ruben Gozalez (1919 – 2003). When I noticed the Strathmore announcement  of the arrival of de Marcos, I knew where I would be on the 31^st.

De Marcos’ said that for him, it all about family. The beautiful ladies on stage in the gorgeous evening gowns were his wife and their two daughters – Laura Lydia Gonzalez, plays clarinets and Gliceria Gonzalez, plays  vibes, keyboards and sings. His wife and business partner, Gliceria Abreu, plays percussion and dances. Laura Lydia’s clarinet performance of 1920’s Cuban tunes made me think, “Benny Goodman, move over!”

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The show was great fun, very elegant, and very respectful. The band members, in well-tailored suits and flowing evening gowns engaged the audience for an uninterrupted show of nearly two hours. Their energy was contagious! Because words cannot capture the spirit, click here to hear their sound. If one can burn calories watching a concert while seated, many calories were burned that night. As the show neared the end, de Marcos invited us to dance! Dance we did – in the aisles. The trick was not to slide down the inclined floor.

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Cliff Collins and Andi Cullins, and Drs. Defoe and Jimenz study the steps and movements of the dance.

Before the show, Arian Valdivia with D.C. Casineros Dance Company taught and demonstrated classic Cuban dances including So. The lobby at Strathmore filled with guests learning the danzion and Cuban Rhumba. Company members demonstrated a showcase of dances. By the close of the session,  the lobby filled with swaying bodies and the staircase was packed with spectators.

A huge thank you to Strathmore Music Center for bringing this band to us. The acoustics and environment are the perfect venue to enjoy music of all kinds.