Latin band Salvador, one of Christian music's best live bands, spices up Night of Joy … and looks ahead to releasing a live album.

With its vibrant, joyful Latin rhythms, Salvador was a perfect fit for Disney's Night of Joy 2003. The eclectic group from Austin, Texas, even has a song "Alegría" (a term synonymous with "joy") on its new Spanish-language CD Con Poder, further emphasizing members' desire to put smiles on listeners' faces. Prior to taking the stage on Saturday night, the band members shared their thoughts on the event … and more.

What first pops into your mind when it comes to Night of Joy?

Robert Acuna (drums): Being a part of this is an awesome blessing. Our hope is to be able to reach people from everywhere who come here and since Disney World is so well-known, this experience gives us a pretty powerful platform.

How does your audience differ at a major event like this versus a typical concert?

Eliot Torres (percussion): This audience is here strictly to have fun. Not that our regular concerts aren't fun, but sometimes our own shows have more of an altar call. A show like tonight doesn't include time for that, though we'll still preach and have fun in the process. The goal is for people who may not be familiar with the band or the Lord to enjoy what we're doing, dance all night, and hopefully take away something positive.

How does performing in a neutral venue like Disney help you reach out to music lovers outside the church?

Joel Cavazos (guitar): This is a great opportunity to reach the lost, since people come here from all sorts of different backgrounds and places. Hopefully the music will move and minister to them, and the Holy Spirit will work on their hearts.

Let's talk about your upcoming gig on Jaci Velasquez's Unspoken Tour.

Chris Bevins (keyboards): Jaci has been a premier act in the Spanish Christian market for quite some time, and we're fortunate to be involved with her this fall. She's had a lot of success and has done a lot of good things to spread the gospel, so we're honored to be opening up her shows. Stylistically, we both have a Spanish background, and there are also some healthy contrasts as well. I think we'll be able to reach out to some wider audiences than your typical Christian tour.

How has your new record, Con Poder, allowed the band to return to its cultural and spiritual roots?

Pablo Gabaldon (trumpet): It gives us a chance to let people know what we grew up playing and hearing, as far as our praise and worship goes. It lets our audience see a different type of praise and worship they might not have heard before.

How are fans perceiving the switch from your English-language material to this approach?

Pablo: Great, so far. We thought we were gonna scare a lot of people with the style and the sound because it's pretty loud and lively, but both the Hispanic and non-Hispanic sides of our fan base have received it equally. We've seen people stand up and start dancing, feeling the music to the point of falling in love with the style.

So, you're releasing a Live Worship CD and DVD project next?

Nic Gonzales (vocals, guitar): We've been building a foundation of trying to bring an excellent show to the places we play. Our record label president came up to us and said "Hey, how about a live record?" And it just seemed like the right moment when everybody got excited at the same time. I hear people say, "Man, this is the fifth time I've seen you." I say, "You don't have to keep coming back," but they'll say, "Oh, no, we're going to always come see you live." So that's a great compliment. I think the live album is a good chance to capture who we are and what it is that we do.

What about the DVD part of the project?

Nic: I've seen a lot of live DVDs and I like most of them. I think they're great because so many people like live music. I could listen to live music from just about everybody. One of our favorite DVDs is Santana's live DVD. That's excellence. We strive for excellence in what we do for the body of Christ, and I believe the live DVD further captures the live record's sound, plus the heart, ministry, and performance dynamic of Salvador.

Learn more about Salvador at our artist page for the band, which includes a review of Cond Poder. You can listen to song clips and pick up your own copy of their album at Musicforce.com.

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