Orquesta Salsa Dura Biographies


Orquesta Salsa Dura is a Salsa band like no other! A San Francisco Bay Area based
band, we strive to keep the tradition of hard pounding montunos and Barrio-conscious
urban lyrics from the Fania days in New York, with our own original songs that can be
just as experimental and open to new ideas while respecting the old school traditions.  
Featuring Cuatro instead of piano and with an inclination to jazz-like improvisations
during the Mambo sections, Salsa Dura can provide a night club a whole evening of
dancing as well as providing a listening audience improvised solos and lyrics to think
about.

Founding members include Orlando Morales on Timbale, Scott Brown on Cuatro,
David Barrios on Trombone and Mike Parykaza on Trumpet, soon to be joined by
Pedro Rosales on Vocals, Andy Woodhouse on Bass.

Notable performances have included: Creekside Fridays (Mill Valley), The Vanessa
Carias Show, the Latin American Music Festival (Jack London Square, Oakland), Yoshi’
s (San Francisco), The Summer Arts Festival (Garberville).

Scott Brown’s Biography

Born and raised in San Francisco’s Mission District, Scott Brown began his music studies
on piano at the Community Music Center, where he attended from age 7 through age 11.  
This was the extent of his formal training.  After developing interest in the San Francisco
Punk Scene and switching instruments from piano to electric guitar in his teens, he played
with Mission District punk band ‘Zona Roja’ from 1985 through 1989.  Also during that
time, (1988-1991) he experimented with the ‘Improvisational Rock’ genre with a group
called ‘Rula’, on electric guitar and percussion.  The group was a trio (with drumset and
bass) and would play songs totally improvised, as well as a few arranged songs.  At the
beginning of the session, the only guidelines would be key signature and tempo.  
However, even these things may have changed throughout the tune.

Around this time, after exploring diversity in music, he developed an interest in Latin Jazz
and Salsa.  Attending various workshops and classes by such professionals as Carlos
Frederico continued to spark an interest.  However, after seeing Yomo Toro play live at a
Mission District Street Fair, he knew that the Cuatro was the instrument for him.  With the
Cuatro came interest in Puerto Rico’s Musica Jibara, and its numerous masters, such as
Ramito, Chuito and Nieves Quintero.  This led to the desire to start a Salsa Orquesta, and
Orquesta Surco Nuevo was born, formed along with master timbalero Orlando Morales
and other key musicians.  Scott Brown bucked the San Francisco Salsa Scene trends of
the time (mid-90’s Salsa Romantica) by performing Salsa Classica or Salsa Dura at many
of the scene’s clubs at the time. As the musical director/leader, he composed numerous
original compositions and contributed new arrangements to old school Salsa standards.  
As the Booking Manager, he booked the band in various venues such as San Francisco’s
Club Cocomo, San Jose’s Jazz Festival and Pittsburg’s Seafood Festival.  Orquesta Surco
Nuevo enjoyed a run from 1993-2005, released their self-titled CD in 1999 (with Scott
Brown producing, composing, arranging all original material, providing CD Artistic Design
and overseeing all recording sessions), and then was disbanded when he relocated to
Hayward.  

Working with various other groups for a couple of years, Scott Brown finally decided to
begin another Orquesta de Salsa. So, along with long time collaborator Orlando Morales,
Orquesta Salsa Dura was born in May of 2007.  This group, emphasizing hard-driving
Salsa Dura with strong improvisation/soloing from all members is always an exciting show
to listen to as well as dance.  

Various other projects include smaller Latin Jazz combos (Trio, Quartet, Quintet) and a
Latin/Punk fusion band.  The Latin Jazz Combo has performed as La Quinta Con Cuatro,
The Scott Brown Trio and/or The Cuatro Quintet early 2009 in Oakland, CA.  The
Latin/Punk fusion band is still in its planning stages but figures to have Electric Guitar,
Cuatro, Bass, Conga, Drums/Timbale.  
Orlando Morales' Biography

coming soon!
Mike Parykaza's Biography

coming soon!
David Barrios' Biography

coming soon!
Pedro Rosales' Biography

coming soon!