Latin Jazz Brunch Live with Roberto Pla Big Band (Live)

ROBERTO PLA BIG BAND (LIVE) UP ON THE ROOF!!!! Sat May 11 & 18 + Sat Jun 01 (1pm-6pm) - Summer is finally here, time to bring the heat, drop salsa and conquer as we proudly welcome the return of the Godfather of Latin Music in The UK, the absolutely legendary ROBERTO PLA and his stunning 20 piece LATIN JAZZ BIG BAND (LIVE) up on the roof at The CLF Art Lounge & Roof Garden. 🔥🌴💃🏽.

ROBERTA PLA BIG BAND (LIVE) - 20 Piece Ensemble (Band on stage around 2pm, performing 2 live sets)

Roberto Pla is the Colombian percussionist best known as the 'God-Father of Latin Music in the UK, for his contribution to live music particularly in Afro- influenced rhythms. His Latin Ensemble is a regular presence on the European Festival and TV scene.

In 1979 Roberto left Colombia for New York, where he became a busy salsa session percussionist. A year later the attractions of the European pop scene drew him to London, where he joined a jazz fusion band Cayenne and by 1982 he was touring the world with pop megastars Boney M. In 1984, he was one of the earliest members of the London School of Samba, the first samba school to be set up in the UK.

In 2017 the band celebrated their 30th anniversary, winning their first LUKAS award for 'Lifetime Achievement and contribution to the Latino Community in the UK'. They have headlined the 'Glasto Latino Stage at Glastonbury Festival and subsequently won their second LUKAS for 'Concert of the year' .

Recent major live highlights for Roberto Pla and the Latin Ensemble have been Brecon Jazz Festival, Expo Festival Lisbon, The Edinburgh Fringe, Canada Square Festival, Under the Stars Festival, Jazz at Boisdale & Ronnie Scotts Club.

DJ JOHN ARMSTRONG

An entertainment and copyright litigation lawyer by profession (now retired!), and an across-the-board music lover by passion, John started playing records in and around London in the late 70s, after a Eureka moment at one of the first New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festivals in the mid-70s, from which he returned with interviews from everyone from Allen Toussaint to Betty Carter (many of which were published in the now-defunct Jazz & Blues Review). His first dj residency was at the Belsize Park Town & Country Club (60st & northern), followed by Greek Street’s Beat Route club (jump blues and 40s r&b), and the Whisky-A-Gogo (before it became the Wag).

He was probably the first UK selector to present fully-focussed tropical dance music events, with 10-year weekly residencies (1984-1994) at the legendary Bass Clef Jazz Club in Hoxton Square, playing a mix of Afro, zouk, Brazilian beats, Konpas, reggae, dancehall, soul, soca, salsa, afro-cuban, hip hop and jazz – even Punjabi bhangra for a while.

Over the last 30 years, he’s put together approximately 200 compilations of latin, afro, zouk, Brazilian music, soul, flamenco, Irish traditional music, and even rockabilly, Cajun, zydeco and rock & roll – making him one of the three or four most prolific compilers in the UK.

Gonna be red hot and well cool!

See you up on the roof and deep inside

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