Straight Ahead, With Detours
Charles Owens at Charlie O's and other picks

- By Brick Wahl

There’s a wide array of Latin talent in town, including the soulful mornas of Cape Verdean diva Césaria Évora with opener (and fellow islander) Tcheka at the Orpheum Theatre on Fri., June 8. (Incidentally, the impressive acoustic guitar and percussion grooves on Tcheka’s Nu Monda will appeal to fans of Badi Assad, say, or Nawal.) Also on Friday Cartaya’s Enclave do their Latin jazz/funk/fusion thing at La Ve Lee; while jazzy/world/Brazilian Katia Moraes & Samabaguru are there on Saturday. Great congueroFrancisco Aguabella plays at Café Z at the Skirball Cultural Center on Sat., June 9, at 2:30 p.m. and then brings his exceptionally progressive septet (including Benn Clatworthy) into Charlie O’s for three burning sets on Thursday. Finally, Poncho Sanchez headlines Playboy Jazz in the Park, moved this year from the Rose Bowl to Warner Park in Woodland Hills. Also featured are veteran drummer Tootie Heath, vocalist Judy Chamberlain, Freddie Ravel and the “no bossa, no ballad” jazz romps of Miles Mosley. But Poncho’s high-energy Afro-Cuban and funky boogaloo jams in the cool of the evening are the main draw.