Hola, Señor Loco!: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

López writes Latin charts that actually teach the salsa clave and son clave feels in a way students can internalize through playing, not just hear in recordings. The flexibility to scale the percussion section up or down means you can use this whether you have one conga player or a full Latin section, and the sheer infectious energy makes it ideal for both festival competition and community concert programming.

Bright, propulsive, and genuinely celebratory. The piece bounces with the kind of joy that comes from a well-crafted salsa arrangement, full of energy without ever feeling frantic. There's a playfulness in the title and writing that invites performers to have fun while still respecting the musical tradition.

Jazz ensemble directors at the high school level or advanced middle school programs who want to introduce Latin feel and authentic salsa grooves into their curriculum. This works equally well for groups with strong rhythm sections and groups still building that foundation, since López writes the parts to be idiomatic without being technically overwhelming.

• Establish the clave pattern early with your rhythm section before adding the melody; the entire groove hinges on that foundation locking in place.
• Let the percussionists find their groove separately in sectional rehearsals, then bring them together with the horns once both groups feel secure in the pulse.
• Keep the tempo steady and relaxed; rushing will bury the pocket that makes the salsa feel shine through.
• Emphasize the call-and-response sections between brass and rhythm section as opportunities for each group to listen and respond, not just play their parts.

This pairs beautifully on a concert featuring other Latin or Caribbean-influenced jazz repertoire, or as a closing number on a jazz festival program where you want the audience leaving with a smile. It's substantial enough for a full jazz concert set but short enough (2:08) to program alongside other selections without stealing the show.

• Reading and performing the Latin clave and son clave rhythmic patterns
• Playing the salsa 'two' feel with proper clave-centric phrasing
• Improvising over straightforward Latin jazz chord changes
• Ensemble balance between brass, woodwinds, and percussion in a Latin context
• Syncopation and groove-based rhythmic accuracy