Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos-Jazz Evening Extraordinare at 222

Last night and Saturday night were sold out performances for a stand out jazz concert permeated with the joy of "sharing energy, love and the love of performing in California."  Omar Sosa received a warm reception from an appreciative audience; many of whom returned to hear the quartet again on Sunday.  "Whatever happens tonight is only for tonight and we thank you for that."  Mr. Sosa, we thank you and your talented fellow artists, Sheldon Brown on saxophone, Josh Jones on drums and Ernesto Kindelan on baby bass.  Sosa's piano playing was electric and the group played tightly flowing from one genre and timing to another surprisingly but seamlessly.  Dressed in a white satin caftan and loose pants, a white tiered hat, several chunky necklaces and oversized, Elvis style glasses, the jazz pianist, composer and arranger oozed cool and excitement.  Sosa's virtuoso playing kept him on his feet, clapping, dancing and then returning to the keys to struck just the right note or riff that filled in the tempo and richness from  blending winds, strings and percussive instruments.  Brown played euphorically on soprano, alto and tenor sax.  He leaned backwards, sax upwards and exuded deep resonance.  His swaying side to side on soprano and alto sax lended a cascading, visceral pulse.  Kindelan on baby bass, a thinner and shorter bass, was altogether hypnotic.  He's a Grammy nominated jazz bassist born and raised in Cuba.  His right hand deftly strummed while his left hand flew up and down the elongated neck.  Jones drumming was dazzling. His tempos underscored the mesmerizing music whose genres spanned fusion, nouveau and classical jazz.  The final two compositions showed the influence of Cuban and South-American sounds in a both a syncopated somba and a sexy Latin jazz sound.  Sosa was born in Cuba and toured internationally through Europe, Africa, S America and the US.  His prolific compositions and playing have produced more than 30 albums garnering numerous Grammy nominations.   The evenings' performance was a tribute to the euphoria and harmony that ensues with the melding of virtuosity, colossal artistry, enthused performers and entranced audience.  Omar Sosa Quarteto received a resounding ovation that was rewarded with an intoxicating Afro-Cuban composition that made sitting down obsolete.