A CUBAN SANDWICH: Eliades Ochoa at Music Haven, Sunday, Aug. 11

“Cuban” denotes a savory sandwich; meaty, spicy, cheesy, bread on both sides. Sunday at Music Haven, a sunny afternoon and crescent-moon evening sandwiched Cuban music spiced by spirited dancing, and unpredicted rain.

Some left, but more stayed, soaked but happy, some clustering under trees, umbrellas and service tents, as singer-guitarist Eliades Ochoa, graduate of Ry Cooder’s Buena Vista Social Club, celebrated island music of party/dance intent and jazzy effect.

The place was packed with Spanish-speaking Caribbean music fans; many greeted Ochoa’s songs by applauding or singing along. Every tune earned a happy welcome and not just “Chan Chan,” maybe most recognizable of all Buena Vista Social Club tunes, which popped up mid-set. Although he spoke gratefully of how the BVSC album, film and tours revived his career, Ochoa freely surveyed his music beyond it. He spoke only Spanish, introducing tunes and bantering with the crowd, which he christened “a big family.” His show felt like that, connection built on rumbas, merengues, a bolero or two.

Mary Farquharson wrote in Songlines that Ochoa’s “style is a very personal version of the original trova, as it was played by the founders of this style, like Sindo Garay or Miguel Matamoros in the 1920s.” There was nothing antique about it on Sunday. Ochoa played eight-string guitar with fast fingers evidently forged of steel, by turns emphatic and powerful or soothingly sweet. Around and behind him swirled agile beats by keyboard, double bass, trumpet and alto sax – both played lots of percussion, too – and a master of congas and bongos; upstage and relentless he seemed to lead the band.

Early on, the bolero “Creo En La Naturalize” and the relaxed rumba “Arazo De Luz” slowed the pace, before “Aniata Tun Tun” revved things up again, vocal chant and trumpet echoing each other in beat and melody and Ochoa smiling as he sang. He handed the lead over to his young keyboardist; but his own guitar and trumpet soloed most often and usually introduced the tunes. While the melodies and beats varied, the performing dynamic had a compelling consistency: Launch-pad intro, verses and choruses of vocal leads and group chants, some solos, then coda. The show had pace and punch as Ochoa seemed to grow more relaxed from song to song.

Ochoa’s voice, most recognizable sonic signature of the Buena Vista Social Club, was rich in character, and he seemed to be improvising at times, as on guitar. The sound balanced very well, especially with the diversity of sources: the bass through a small amp, the keyboard via direct input, the guitar on a wireless rig and horns, vocals and percussion on microphones.

The crowd was fully in it, dancing a lot and clapping a loud three-beat in “El Cuarto De Tula” at the of the set, when trumpet and saxophone guys converged, riffing hard behind Ochoa. Fans chanted for an encore that Music Haven chief Mona Golub encouraged and Ochoa and band happily supplied. She proudly noted Sunday’s concert was one of only two Ochoa and band played in the U.S. on the international tour celebrating his new “Guajiro” album.

Bolero Blues opened, an ad hoc crew of local Latin musicians who also sandwiched things: Caribbean-ized mutations of “The Way You Look Tonight” around “Blue Moon,” for example, with rumbas, merengues and salsa surrounding that Sinatra-ish interlude.

Singer-trumpeter (actually a plastic synthesizer construct, like an EWI for brass effects) led an ensemble so unified in its Latin-party mission that bandleader Alex Torres, whose Latin Orchestra seems to play every night this summer, took his place in the groove rather than up front. Torres played bongos and cow-bell in a swirl of acoustic guitars, electric bass and percussion.

The evening began with Music Haven’s Summer Social – full disclosure: I was a paying customer – in the Tom Isabella picnic pavilion. After dinner, the pavilion’s name-patron took his customary volunteer spot, selling raffle tickets. In both the pavilion and on the main stage, Schenectady City Engineer Christopher Wallin was honored as 2024 Music Haven Maven for his leadership in upgrading the Music Haven venue and other Central Park facilities. Full disclosure #2 – Music Haven impresario Mona Golub conferred that same honor on me in 2017.

Music continues at Music Haven Friday with its annual blues barbecue featuring Blood Brothers, Misty Blues and Piedmont Blues; then Banda Magda Sunday.

Final full disclosure: Meat & Company in Niskayuna makes a good Cuban.