Music Is Where You Find It-Carlitos Franco All Stars at Mission District Celebration for muralists Michael Rios and Carlos “Kookie” Gonzalez.

I was invited a few weeks ago to the evening celebration of the restoration of the BART mural at the 24th and Mission Street station.  This two part event, which started at Noon with an earlier formal event with dignitaries of San Francisco, celebrated the work of two great artists and muralists Michael Rios (also known as creator of designs, t-shirts, stage sets and cover art for Carlos Santana) and renowned muralist Carlos Kookie Gonzalez. The murals of both Rios and Gonzalez span more than three decades.  These two gentlemen are also musicians: Michael on the cuatro (former cuatro player for Alma Del Barrio in the eighties and the original Cienfuegos in the 70’s) and Kookie on Congas who has been playing with a lot of Mission district based bands. 

They both were special guests with the featured band led by vocalist/bassist Carlitos Franco of Franco Brothers fame and featuring his musical partner-in-crime, pianist/background vocalist Gary Flores, leader of the long running Salsa Caliente band  These two Latin music warriors were the lifeline that kept live Salsa alive in smaller formats including in a duo, trio and quartet setting to audiences during the dark times of COVID.  The band was called the Carlitos Franco Latin Jazz All Stars and had a vast repertoire of Salsa hits, Latin Jazz, Cumbia, Bolero and more. Franco is an amazing vocalist and a fine bassist with a vast repertoire of songs that Flores compliments with tasty piano solos and on-the-money coros.

The band was augmented that day by percussionist Ricky Aguilar, trombonist Rolf Johnson, hand percussionist Inez Vargas and vocalist Maria Medina who sat in on the last song of the performance. We were treated to explosive versions of “El Cantante”, “Ahora si (Venga Rumbero)” and a brilliant arrangement on a cumbia/salsa version of Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe classic “El Dia De Mi Suerte”. The band played close to two hours long and their money jar for the band got full thanks fo enthusiastic music aficionados and dancers in the audience at the 24th St. BART station. Kudos to Calle 24, the organizers of the event for the free tacos and beverages that they provided the audience. (Photo: Carlitos Franco – 2nd from right, Gary Flores, far right, Michael Rios, Center Right, Ines Vargas Center Left, Oscar Soltero 2nd from left, Kookie Gonzalez Far Left- Photo by Luis Medina)