Artist description The Latin Kings are a 13 piece band that plays Salsa, Merengue, Latin Jazz and a variety of other styles.

Music Style Latin Jazz, Salsa, Merengue

Artist History The Band has been performing for over 15 years, has 5 CD's released and has won many awards. Recently the band has appeared in the "Hit Parade" of Latin Beat magazine in New York and Miami for several months.

Group Members Alex Torres(Bass, Vocals), Nick Lue (Asst.Dir., Piano, Vocals), Angel Dueno(Maracas, Guiro, Vocals), Jimmy Fontanez (Bongo, Tambora, Drums, Vocals), Todd Fabozzi (Conga), Roberto Dueno (Timbales), Jon Bronk (Lead Trumpet), Terry Gordon (Trumpet), Chuck Yurgans (Trumpet), Ken Olsen (Trombone), Brian Patneaude (Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Baritone Saxophones)

Instruments Bass, Piano, Percussion, Horns and Vocals

Albums Elementos, Entre Amigos, Somethin' Diferente, On Track, Noche Habenera

Press Reviews "TUNES FROM THE DARK SIDE" - Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, Alex Torres Y Los Reyes Latinos, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Nov. 30 by Paul Rapp for Metroland ... Alex Torres and company fired up the crowd with a set that was the polar opposite of Gonzalez’: extroverted, boisterous and up. There were extended periods where pianist Nick Lue’s butt didn’t touch his seat, and percussionist-singer Jimmy Fontenez repeatedly slayed the crowd with his overflowing talent, humor and personality. Torres continues to lead this wild band on their ascent, climbing from the last peak to the next, all while having more fun than people should have a right to. Particularly killer this time were Brian Patenaude’s fiery sax solos and the late-set timbale solo from Roberto Dueno, which just floated over the proceedings like a cloud, then suddenly locked horns with the band without any warning at all. ---------- "LATIN KINGS' LIVELY SHOW OUTSHINES HEADLINERS" by Michael Hochanadel for The Daily Gazette SCHENECTADY - Two big Latin bands blasted down the curtain on Second Wind's 12th Central Park concert series Sunday in a flurry of dancing so unanimous and frenzied it raised dust in sweeping zephyrs. As often as Alex Torres and his Latin Kings Orchestra ("Los Reyes Latinos") play here, they still amaze, every time. Despite changing players periodically - I doubt I've seen the same lineup twice - and the restless way Alex Torres, the band's founder, bassist and leader, creates new tunes, the band is always powerful and tight. Making their record fourth Second Wind appearance, Torres and his 11 fellow Kings did their usual dazzling act Sunday: 45 too-brief minutes of jazzy, infectiously upbeat salsa, cha-cha and merengue. They wore matching printed shirts in black and flame orange, apart from the three singers up front, who included Alex Torres and Vincent (no relation) Torres. And they were absolutley full of life, punching out fast Latin riffs with the formidable horn power of three trumpets and a trombone and a versitile guy playing soprano, alto, tenor and baritone sax. Three percussionists and Torres' bass kept the beat in full force. Apart from many Latino cognoscenti in Sunday's sizable crowd, few could distinguish a well-rehearsed local gang of musicians based in Amsterdam - Torres' Latin Kings - from a New Jersey outfit with national credentials - headliners Los Hermanos Moreno. ... ---------- AMSTERDAM RECORDER - Alex Torres was jubilant in August when one of his songs, "Para Poncho", landed in the Top 20 of Latin Beat Magazines' Hit Parade chart for the New York region. Torres was beyond jubilant Tuesday as he discussed learning he and his group, Alex Torres y Los Reyes Latinos [the Latin Kings], had made it through a second screening of performers to be nominated for the 42nd Grammy Awards. They are one of 51 performers that made it through the second screening process for nominees for Best Salsa Performance, a new Grammy Awards category. - Review of "Entre Amigos"(WEPA)-Metroland, June 1999. On their excellent first three records, Amsterdam's Alex Torres y Los Reyes Latinos (a.k.a. Alex Torres and the Latin Kings Orchestra) stuck to a blueprint, playing dance music around the salsa/merengue/cha-cha axis and singing everything in Spanish. With the astonishing "Entre Amigos", they boldly go where no Latin Kings have gone before: the Kings play with genres, ignore boundaries, feature a pile of guest musicians and, for the first time, include songs sung in English. The result is a career-making and utterly original record, easily in the same league as anything the major labels are putting out and quite probably the finest record ever by a local group. Thanks to quantum jumps over previous efforts in terms of the melodicism of the songwriting, the sophistication of the arrangements, the swing of the grooves and the quality of the production, the Kings have never sounded tighter or crisper. More than anything else, the band simply sound relaxed and confident, suggesting that they're having a very good time. Tamborist-bongo player Jimmy Fontanez, who wrote or co-wrote six of the album's eight songs, singlehandedly adds several new dimensions to the group; his wickedly soulful vocal on the desperately catchy "Tus Mentiras" (which features the profound lyric, "I don't want to be just a side dish of mofongo") and his full-drum-kit- solo on "Pan con Queso" are the highlights of the record. The last word on "Entre Amigos" is "Senorita Swing," a good-natured poke at all the swing bands in history who've stumbled over their gringo-ness by sticking a mambo into their set. Sung with a perfect Bobby Darin swagger by Jay Traynor, this blazing little burst demonstrates just how fabulously versatile, smart and joyfully subversive this brilliant band can be.

Location Amsterdam, NY - USA

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