Oakland's Art & Soul Festival featured an eclectic lineup as diverse as the city itself. Saturday, the first day of the festival the Plaza stage presented Jazz and Latin Jazz acts. Ray Obiedo Jazz guitarist and his Urban Latin Jazz project delivered their unique Latin Jazz which is richly infused with funk sounds, particularly original tunes like slow hot wind. Their tune child dance featured Brazilian percussion rhythms to Ray's funky licks on guitar. Ray has performed and recorded with the likes of Herbie Hancock, and Sheila E. His pianist is also the pianist for Etta James. Ray explained that his brand of Latin jazz is: "Definitely a west coast Latin jazz it does not adhere strictly to Afro-Cuban styles, my music is a diverse hybrid of music I grew up with here in the East Bay, and I was influenced by various styles native to my hometown in Richmond. R&B and Funk were definitely among these." To listen to some of Ray's funky and celebrated compositions see: http://www.myspace.com/rayobiedourbanlatinjazzproject

Ray and The Urban Latin Jazz Project jamming away.

The audience at the Plaza Jazz stage

Zion-I (2 far left) and Deuce Eclipse (far right). Zion-I and Deuce Eclipse performed at the Culture Jam stage.

Manicato - A Latin Reggae Fusion band at the Latin stage. www.manicato.com

Los Rakas - Cuba & Panama hip hop duo and DJ Leydis www.myspace.com/losrakas1

The charming DJ Leydis representing Cuban hip hop. See: www.myspace.com/djleydis

The Latin stage crowd

Pasa of Las Krudas Hip Hop Mujerista See:www.myspace.com/3krudas

Agualibre - center: Rico Pabon

A visibly pregnant and talented Destani Wolf singing.

Agualibre

Latin Stage audience

Agualibre, the closing act for the Latin stage is hands down the best Latin groove band in the Bay Area. The band front pe ople are rapper Rico Pabon and the talented Destani Wolf. They serve up Latin fusion tinged with R&B and Reggaeton providing quality all the way. They feature bilingual songs, which are all dancaeble even if they're songs with serious topics, among these: Freedom now, and Justicia with lyrics such as: "Justicia para que descanzes"("Justice now, so that you can rest") to the fun and sexy tune Bon Bon. The high energy Pabon delivers immaculate fast rapping while Destani provides not only quality vocals but emotinal depth as well. The musicians are all among the best young musicians in town, which makes for a musically charged combination. To listen to Agualibre see: http://www.myspace.com/agualibre