THE HISTORY OF TOLU, LOS ANGELES" MOST POWERFUL LATIN BAND, BEGAN IN THE EARLY 1980"S, WHEN REEDMAN JUSTO ALMARIO CONGREGATED SOME OF THE BEST LOCAL MUSICIANS. THE NAME OF THE BAND MADE REFERENCE TO THE CARIBBEAN COASTAL TOWN NEXT TO SINECELEJO, COLOMBIA, BIRTHPLACE OF ALMARIO, WHO RECALLS THAT, "TOLU WAS FORMED BECAUSE THOSE MUSICIANS WANTED A SPACE TO IMPROVISE WITHIN THE REALM OF LATIN MUSIC, AND WERE NOT ALLOWED TO DO SO IN THE LATIN CLUBS." WITH THIS OBJECTIVE IN MIND, ALMARIO ASSUMED THE POSITION OF MUSICAL DIRECTOR AND WROTE TOLU"S CREATIVE ARRANGEMENTS. TOLU BECAME AN INFLUENTIAL INSTITUTION WHEN THE ALL-STAR BAND"S LIVE PERFORMANCES LED TO CRITICAL ACLAIM AND THE PUBLIC BROADCASTING SYSTEM (PBS) FILMED A CONCERT OF ITS MUSIC, WHICH WAS AIRED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THE STELLAR CAST OF TOLU INCLUDES LA"S MOST INNOVATIVE RHYTHM SECTION. WORLD CLASS DRUMMER ALEX ACUNA, ON TRAP SET, LEADS THE PACE-SETTERS ALONG WITH THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER SESSION AND TOURING PERCUSSIONISTS, LUIS CONTE ON CONGAS, MICHITO SANCHEZ ON BONGOS AND SMALL PERCUSSION, AND TIKI PASILLAS ON TIMBALES. PIANIST JOE ROTONDI JR. AND BASSIST JOHN PENA EXQUISITELY ACCENTUATE THE PULSE OF THE BAND. COLTRANE-INFLUENCED JUSTO ALMARIO IGNITES HARMONIC FLUIDITY ACCOMPANIED BY HARRY KIM ON TRUMPET AND ARTURO VELASCO ON TROMBONE, BOTH MEMBERS OF PHIL COLLINS" HORN SECTION. TOLU"S REPERTOIRE IS CROSS-CULTURAL. DOMINICAN MERENGUE, COLOMBIAN CUMBIA, AFRO-CUBAN IDIOMS AND JAZZ STANDARDS ARE TREATED WITH A PROGRESSIVE APPROACH AND PROVIDED WITH NEW FORM AND COLOR TO PRODUCE UNIQUE COMPOSITIONS OF EXCEPTIONAL MUSICAL SPIRIT. THE FUNKY VERSION OF BESAME MUCHO IS BLESSED WITH THE EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMANCE OF LATIN IDOL LUIS ENRIQUE. MOVING AHEAD OF NEW YORK AND MIAMI, THE CITY OF ANGELS HAS BECOME A SOURCE OF UNINHIBITED AND SPONTANEOUS LATIN MUSIC, "RUMBERO"S POETRY" PROVIDES SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE OF SUCH GEOGRAPHIC AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.