Raise Your Hand
Raise Your Hand, from Poncho Sanchez, is an album from an artist who was reared on snappy salsa and zesty Latin jazz. Each song has a fire that will scorch listeners with its tangy tempos, practiced instrumentation and soulful vocals.
The title track features vocals by Eddie Floyd who announces to listeners that they need to stand up and be counted, with lyrics like, "Hey come on. If there's somethin' you need that you never had. Then don't just sit there feelin' bad. You better get up cuz I'll understand, just raise your hand. Baby here I am. You know standin' by. I wanna give you my love. Please let me try. I wanna be good can't you understand? Just raise your hand." Floyd's salubrious vocals are accompanied by alto saxophone play from Maceo Parker, Hammond organ work from Booker T. Jones and David Torres, Jr., drumming from Joe Heredia and Timbales play from George Ortiz. The timbales are shallow single-handed drums and Ortiz as the timbalero uses a variety of stick and hand strokes and rim shots to manufacture a broad spectrum of percussion sounds.
On "Tropi Blue," there is tenor saxophone play from Javier Vergara, blustering trumpet work from Ron Blake, and delicate piano playing from Torres, Jr. Another unique instrument is put to use in this song in the form of the Guiro. The Guiro is an open-ended hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. Sanchez plays this percussion instrument by rubbing a wooden stick along the notches which initiates a ratchet-like sound. It isn't surprising that Sanchez would utilize the Guiro since it is often found in Latin-American music. The combination of all of these instruments makes for a provocative song that will enable listeners to samba to their heart's content.
On "Shotgun," the intro consists of entertaining tenor sax from Vergara, more timbales work from Ortiz and drum play from Heredia. Floyd returns with his expressive vocals as he shouts out lyrics like, "Shotgun. Shoot him 'fore he run now. Do the jerk baby. Do the jerk now. Put on your red dress and then we go downtown. Now buy yourself a shotgun now. We gonna break it down baby now. We gonna load it up baby now. And can you shoot him before he run now. Shotgun. Shoot him before he run now." The lyrics are disturbing since they talk about firing a weapon at someone, but the catchy rhythm might cloud listeners to that fact.
In the end, Poncho Sanchez's Raise Your Hand has songs that listeners will want to blast at incredibly high volumes so they can feel the impassioned vibe that Sanchez is attempting to convey. The sizzling tempos of each song will singe listeners so that they are burning for more.