Last night may have been a cold and blustery Sunday evening, but the Music Center at Strathmore played host to a band whose smokin’ hot grooves made everyone present forget the frigid temperatures outside. Master conguero Poncho Sanchez (pictured), whose recording and touring experience stretches back over 30 years, took to the stage along with his stellar band and delivered a spicey two hour mix of traditional and contemporary Afro-Cuban music.

Aside from the quality of the performance, what stood out about last night’s concert was the band’s refusal to acknowledge that they were playing in a concert hall setting. Sporting his trademark cap and formidable beard, Sanchez, despite being sick, engaged the audience with jokes, stories, and a jovial stage presence. A gold star also goes to the equally bewhiskered Tony Banda, the bassist who also went to great lengths to bring a club atmosphere to the room. The initially staid near-capacity audience seemed all too eager to play along and was on its feet by show’s end with many dancing in the aisles. A bold gesture by some, given that this music all too easily measures the square-ness of a person by how well one can dance to it.