Rafael Vasquez and the San Rafael Band return to Wine Down Main Street to perform on stage at Franklin Public Square after a years-long hiatus.
San Rafael will perform their “mellow style of Latin jazz music,” called a unique combination of the jazz, blues and rock sounds of Santana, Andrea Segovia and Sting blended with Latin jazz, salsa and contemporary Latin music, creating an eclectic new genre called Latin pop/jazz for wine lovers who roam the streets of downtown Franklin.
In a previous interview, Vasquez said that the San Rafael Band performs in venues all over Tennessee, but they “only play for the best people” and that the best people who show up for Wine Down Main Street are certainly counted among the best people.
In their more than 25 years together, the band has performed at venues including the grand reopening of the Schermerhorn, the Franklin Jazz Festival, the Blair School of Music and Vanderbilt University. Lately, they’ve been playing regularly at Arrington Winery.
Vasquez developed his style from “local masters” in canteens and clubs during his travels through the desert southwest where he grew up. He watched and listened, then learned to play the guitar, developing his own technique and style.
Vasquez is also working on a musical project called El Cine del Corazon (Heart Theater). It is a collection of songs based on a lifetime of experiences from his youth to the present day.
