Tiempo Libre's Latin party

Tiempo Libre made their Celebrity Series debut Saturday night at Berklee Performance Center. The music was fiery, the band was tight and professional in the best sense, in short, the band lived up to its billing (IMHO).

I can't pretend to understand the ins, outs and complexities of timba or son, the groups primary tributaries, (but I pledge to study . . . loudly . . . in the car . . . with the windows down) but the music was sprinkled with references that spoke to a very broad spectrum of influences - and a very wide-ranging music collection. Saxophonist Eduardo Quintana in particular illustrated my point with solos convincingly referencing bebop, modal and Latin jazz - this was not simply wailing away with feeling, though there was plenty of feeling.

Not that we needed any proof, but Tiempo Libre proves that people in Miami Beach have more fun (more of the time) than people in Boston. You wouldn't argue the point if you were there.