Pepe Marquez - The Latin Soul Review

Pepe Marquez & The Latin Soul Review is the Phoenix arising from the ashes of Shalonda & A Touch of Soul, two in a series of bands assembled by Eric Cuellar with the most recent being a collaboration with Pepe Marquez. I take photographs and maintain a website for the band in return for a couple of gigs a year. The first gig for me will be a benefit at the University of California at Santa Barbara Orfalea University Children's Center where both of my children have gone to daycare. The band is still coming together around the core group: Eric Cuellar (drums & vocals), Pepe Marquez (lead vocals & hand percussion) and De'Adre Marshall (lead vocals & hand percussion.) Other charter members include Billy Gonzalez (keyboards), Victor Gaza (bass & sound) and Ray Ybarra (Latin percussion).

My wife and I attended a small gig they did at the Creekside at 4444 Hollister in Goleta, California, last night and I shot a few images in a very dark dance room. There were two fill-in musicians due to vacancies (always the way with hobby bands!): Bill Avila (lead guitar) and Dave Tolegian (sax.) I shot images for a set and then my wife and I danced a few numbers ... We had a grand time.

I originally started working with Eric when he formed Shalonda & A Touch of Soul to do gigs at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California, where I am the "House Photographer" for the Entertainment Department. I like Eric. He is an upfront guy with a huge amount of energy and lots of contacts. But, as happens so often, there were issues within the band and some members just couldn't manage to commit ... I've seen this since I used to shoot bands under a single light at the Ghostriders Tavern in Los Alamos, California, about seven years ago. People simply have their lives to lead in addition to their musical careers.

But LSR has a solid core, several occasional musicians such as The Saxman, Jared Yee. They are still trying to replace Ruben Arroyo on lead guitar. Ruben is a stellar player and just needed time for his family. And they'd love to get a permanent sax player and maybe another horn. They are working on CDs and other projects and are starting to get their name around.

You can click on their name at the start of this entry to see their website that includes the images attached here and some others. I will make an occasional entry about them whenever there is a noteworthy event or change.

Be Safe!

Dwight