John Shand Posts

September 13, 2014 / Features - Archive

The trombone player of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Moises Nogueras, is still considered a new boy. He’s been a member for 23 years. Singer Charlie Aponte has now clocked up 41 years – nearly two-thirds of his life – in the Gran Combo. Yet he, too, was once…

September 11, 2014 / Album Reviews - Archive
September 4, 2014 / Theatre Reviews - Archive

State Theatre, August 29 This was balanced on a knife-edge. The show had to draw us into the lives of its characters instantly and make us care. Had it failed a score of rock, pop and soul songs from around 45 years ago would have been interrupted by people we…