Renegade Queens emphasizes the women of the Latin jazz scene of the San Francisco Bay Area

Various artists – Salsa de la Bahia Vol. 3: Renegade Queens (Patois Records, 2025)

Led by tromboneist-Aranger Wayne Wallace and filmmaker Rita Hargrave, Salsa de la Bahía Vol. 3: Renegade Queens is a mouth-two-disc anthology that documents the often overlooked role of women in the Latin jazz scene of the San Francisco Bay Area. Structure based on the first two Salsa de la Bahía In volumes, this latest installment image is moving from regional history to gender capital. It offers a rare and overdue headlight for female artists who form the sound of Latin jazz in Northern California.

The origins of the project follow back to Hargrave's documentary from 2014 The last mambowhich recorded the salsa of the Bay Area. Encouraged by Radio DJ and journalist Jesse “Chuy” Varela, who also wrote the liner Notes of the album, Hargrave set off to deal with the lack of documentation about women in the genre. She found that women guided by women were scarce before the 2000s. Renegade Queens Not only recognized this gap, but also offers an urgent and solemn correction.

The album is published by Wallaces Patois Records and contains archive material and newly recorded tracks. Both discs begin with original compositions that highlight Wallaces as producer and mentor.

“We Wured to Drum” opens the first disc with an elegant, joyful big band Mambo under the direction of singer Christelle Durandy and with texts by Poet Avotcja. Actors such as saxophonist Mary Fettig, percussionist Michaelle Goerlitz and singer trombonist Natalie Cressman, who appears together with her mother, Sandy Cressman, the ensemble, the singer Sandy Cressman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qamonwuev6w

The second disc begins with “La Mensajera”, a salsa number arranged by Wallace, which stages the violinist Sandi Poindexter, tenor saxophonist Jean Fineberg and the trumpeter Marina Garza. Garza previously headed the purely female ensemble of the 1990s Orquesta d'Eul. These new works illustrate today's effects of women on the Bay Area scene in San Francisco and at the same time honor those who pave the way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqiinnp6imim

Several highlights from the compilation increase this delicious cocktail of the past and the present. The Afro-Columbian singer Xiomara Torres appears with “Me Quedo Contigo”, a publication in 2022 from her debut album La Voz del MarArranged by vibraphonist Dan Neville. In the meantime, the Venezuelan singer María Márquez contributes a 2004 recording of the traditional ballad “La Lagrima”, accompanied by percussionist Gustavo Ovalles and Cuatro player Jackeline Rago.

Furthermore, the Blazing Redheads, a septet active in the late 1980s, represented with “Cosmo”, a melody of their album from 1991, which is floated by Samba. Crazy womencomposed by Goerlitz and flutist Donna Viscuso.

The conclusion of the arch of the generation influence is Cecilia Cassandra Peña-Góvea, known as La Doña. The album contains the title track from its 2023 album Can't eat a clipperA assertive feminist hymn that merges Latin styles with Reguetón (reggaeton). La Doña is an emerging star whose work was presented in President Obama's summer playlist.

As Wallace notes, “Women in Jazz Latin, they are a community in a community, a genre within a genre. “” Through Renegade QueensThis community finally steps into the center of the stage.

Artist presented:

Renegade Queens:
Patricia Thumas (keyboards), Murray Low (keyboards), Michaelle Goerlitz (Timbales, Bongo, Güiro, Clave), Sue “Suki” Kaye (Congas), Joyce Baker (Trap Drums), Sylvia Sherman (Bass), Natalie Cressman (Trombone), Mara Fox) (Trombone), Sara Julian (Trombone), Sarah Cline (Trombone), Mary Fettig (1st Alto Saxophone, Flute), Kasey Knudsen (2nd Alto Saxophone), Jean Fineberg (1st Tenor Saxophone), Robin Nzinga Smith (2nd Tenor Saxophone, Flute), Carolyn Walter (Baritone Saxophone), Tiffany Carrico (1st Trumpet), Marina Garza (2nd trumpet), John Worley (3rd trumpet), Sandy Poindexter (violin), Christelle Durandy (lead -vocals), Sandy Cressman and Natalie Cressman (backing vocals).

Key elements:
Patricia Thumas (piano), Robin Nzingah Smith (flute), Susan “Suki” Kaye (Congas, Percussion), Colin O'Leary (bass), Michaelle Goerlitz (Falle draft, percussion).

Montclair Women's Big Band:
Sonja Jason (1st Alto Saxophone, Solo), Mad Duran (2nd Alto Saxophone), Jean Fineberg (1st tenor Saxophone), Annelise Zamula (2nd tenor Saxophone), Amelia Catalano (Baritone Saxophone), Ellen Seeling (Trumpet, Solo), Tami Ellis (Trumpet), Christy Dana (Trumpet), Marina Garza (trumpet), Sarah Cline (trombone, solo), Mara Fox (trombone), Becca Burrington (trombone), Tammy Hall (piano), Jan Martinelli (bass), Allison Miller (Trap Drums, Solo).

Grupo Fellso Baiano:
Ami Molinelli (Pandeiro), Brian Moran (7-Sace guitar), Zack Pitt Smith (soprano-saxophone), Jesse Appelman (mandolin), Jeff Cressman (Trombone), Henry Huns (trumpet), Kasey Knudsen (Alto Saxophone), Lorca Hart (Sugary Knudsen).

The Electric Squeezebox Orchestra (with Avotcja):
Sheldon Brown (Alto Saxophone, Solo), Larry de la Cruz (Alto Saxophone), Mike Zilber (Tenor Saxophone), Marcus Stephens (tenor Saxophone), Charlie Gurke (Baritone Saxophone), Rob Ewing (Trombone), Jeff Cressman (Trombone), Patrick Malabuyo (Trombone), Rich) Lee (Bass Trombone), Erik Andrews (trumpet), Darren Johnston (trumpet), Erik Jekabson (trumpet), Doug Morton (trumpet), Steven Blum (piano), Jordan Samuels (guitar), Tommy Folen (bass), Dillon Vado (drums).

Cocomama (with Christelle Durandy):
Christelle Durandy (lead vocals), Nicki Denner (keyboards, background vocals), Mayra Casales (percussion, background vocals), Jennifer Vincent (bass, cello, background singing), Ariacne Trujillo (Piano, background vocals), Karina Colis (drums).

The blazing redhead:
Klaudia Promessi (tenor saxophone), Donna Viscuso (flute), Danielle Dowers (Trap -Drums), Patricia Thumas (Elektro -Klavier), Michaelle Goerlitz (Timbales, Congas, Hand Percussion), Joy Julks (bass).

Kristen stream:
Kristen Strom (tenor saxophone), Scott Sorkin (guitar), Ken Okada (bass), Jason Lewis (drums).

Bobi Céspedes with Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet:
Bobi Céspedes (Vocals), David Belove (bass), Murray Low (piano), Michael Spiro (Congas, Percussion), Paul van Wagingen (Trap draft), Jeff Cressman (Trombone), Natalie Cressman (Trombone), Dave Martell (Trombone), Wayne Wallace (Trombone, Solo).

Xiomara Torres:
Xiomara Torres (Lead Vocals), Dan Neville (Vibraphone), John Benitez (Bass), Santiago Melo (Piano), Julián Trujillo (Trumpet), Harlinson Lozano (Saxophone), Carlos LaToche (Trombone), Maria Del Mar Goyes Rojas (Violin), Alejandro Escobar (cello), Adrian areas (quinto), Cununo (conga), MIVERR Andrés Mina Greso (Timbales), Paola Ponce, Jhon Edinson Garcia Sánchez and Ciro Silva (Coros).

Mary fatty:
Mary fatty (flute), Marcos Silva (keyboards, hand-percussion), Chico Pinheiro (acoustic and electrical guitars), Scott Thompson (6-string electobass), Celso Alberti (drums), Michael Spiro (congas).

Kat Parra:
Kat Parra (vocals), Murray Low (piano), Peter Barshay (bass), Paul van Wagingen (trap drums), Katja Cooper (Darbuka, Riq, Glocken), Masaru Koga (flute), Anthony Blea (Griemis).

Maria Marquez:
Maria Marquez (Vocals), Sheldon Brown (soprano -saxophone), Bob Crawford (keyboards, Synth Saits), Michaelle Goerlitz (Percussion), Gustavo Ovalles (Venezuelan Percussion), Jackeline Rago (Venezolan Cuatro), Saulan (Baby Bassa).

Carolyn Brandy:
Carolyn Brandy (Batá Drums, Percussion), Paul van Wagingen (Trap Drums), Marc van Wagingen (bass), Molly Holm (vocals), Melanie Rath (vocals), Susan Muscarella (piano), Melecio Magdaluyo (sopran -saxophone).

Jackie Ryan with Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet:
Jackie Ryan (Vocal), David Belove (bass), Murray Low (piano), Michael Spiro (Congas, Percussion), Paul van Wagingen (Trap drums), Wayne Wallace (trombone).

La Doña (Cecilia Cassandra Peña-Góvea):
La Doña (singing and composer).

Sandy Cressman:
Sandy Cressman (vocals), Ian Faquini (acoustic guitar), Scott Thompson (bass), Phil Thompson (drums), Jeff Cressman (Trombone), Natalie Cressman (Trombone), Harvey Wainapel (tenorsaxophone), Michael Spiro (percussion).

Buy Salsa de la Bahía Vol. 3: Renegade Queens.