Quintero rocks the Five Spot with Venezuelan guitars

It was June 11 and it felt like summer already. Bank Street is soaking wet after days of isolated thunder storms. The humidity and the heat don't help much when trying to look neat, especially when going to The Five Spot to listen to one of Venezuela's most popular contemporary singers, Frank Quintero. Five Spot hadn't opened yet. It was almost 7:30 p.m., the time scheduled for an interview with Quintero, but he wasn't there. Emilio Buitrago, vice president of Casa de Venezuela - a cultural organization that sponsored Quintero's concert - was worried. Quintero and his crew said that they had left New York City around 5 p.m. The concert was schedule to start at 9 p.m.

The only thing to do was to wait. Quintero arrived a few minutes before 9:00 p.m. Hugo Fuget, a guitar player working with Quintero, was the first one to arrived. Fuget, a native of Caracas, immediately grabbed his guitar and started checking the sound, stereos and microphones. A few minutes later, Quintero came in and, with the same rush as Fuget, checked that everything was working. Then, he sat down and grabbed his guitar to start practicing. Five Spot's second floor looked murky and mysterious. The metallic pearl curtains wrapped side by side at the edges of every diner-looking seat resemble a cabaret. When looking at the back, where the bar is located, there is a blur colorful glass wall accompanying the art deco furniture of the multifaceted nightclub.

Around 9:30 p.m. Five Spot crew and members of Casa de Venezuela let the people in. Along with the background night-clubbing music, complaints about the delay were easily heard and the audience's desperation was felt in the air. Both Buitrago and Maria Porras, former news anchor of the Spanish-speaking TV network Univision/Telefutura, introduced the concert, apologized for the delay, and thanked Quintero and all the people that made possible to have Quintero's tour, Intimo (Intimate), in Philadelphia.

Quintero and Fuget appeared on stage almost at 10:30 p.m. Like a baby's amazing silence after being fed, the audience also calmed down as soon as Quintero and Fuget started to play. They forgot and forgave the almost hour-and-a-half wait. It took only two guitars and Quintero's voice for everybody to spend a sweet, romantic evening full of memories and nostalgia. Quintero's first song was the so popular "Sin Querer Evitarlo." (Letting it happen.) Then more of his popular 80s songs came along. The audience remembered and sang along with songs such as Quimica (Chemistry), Baila Conmigo (Dance with Me), La Dama de la Cuidad (The City's Lady) and Brasilera (Brazilian girl). Quintero ended his repertory with Cancion Para Ti, (A song for you). His intention with this small tour was to have a more personal relationship with his audience. "It has a different kind of energy, it's like more informal," Quintero said. Despite a sudden political comment unleashed from a member of the audience, he reminded everybody that we were there to enjoy the evening and forget about the political problems back home in Venezuela. At the end of the concert, Quintero came out from backstage to greet his fans and to give out autographs. Quintero, also a native of Caracas, had his peak time during the 1980s. He now remains as a music icon in Venezuela for many reasons. Quintero combines jazz, pop, Venezuelan folk and Latino music, which has became a personal style. Unlike other artists, Quintero not only has a passion for music and the skills to be a singer/songwriter, but has also formally studied music. In 1980, he went to Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has sung with other Venezuelan singers and music bands such as Yordano, Ilan Chester, Guaco and Guillermo Carrasco. Quintero has recorded 19 albums with six different record companies including Sonorodven (Venezuela), CBS-Columbia, Sony Music and Latin World. Quintero is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, but he was actually introduced to the world of music when he was 10 years old, when he was learned how to play the drums and other percussion instruments.

---

© Copyright 2007 The Triangle