San Rafael Band opens Nightfall

Nightfall opens its 30th season of free concerts in downtown Chattanooga’s Miller Plaza on Friday, May 5.

Each concert features a nationally touring headliner at 8 p.m., with a local band opening at 7 o’clock. Bring lawn chairs, buy dinner from a nearby restaurant and enjoy the outdoor concert.

San Rafael Band will kick off this season of Nightfall on Friday night.

Rafael Vasquez blends Latin jazz into a bluesrock sound. He is originally from San Antonio, where he says he remembers “sneaking into small cantinas and clubs, places where beer mixed with the smells of simmering rice and beans, just to hear music.”

He taught himself gui- tar by listening and learning from the local masters of Latin music. His fusion of jazz, blues and rock has garnered him a reputation as a leader in the emerging Latin pop/jazz genre.

Over the years, Rafael has been a member of several renowned Tejano bands, including Sunny and the SunLiners, Little Joe y la Familia and Augustin Ramirez. He eventually signed with a major label and won a Grammy with Little Joe y la Familia. He has opened for acts such as Michael McDonald and Kevin Eubanks.

Nightfall visitors can expect to hear music from his newest musical project, “El Cine del Corazon,” (The Theater of the Heart). A joint project between Acklen Entertainment and Belmont University, the collection ranges from flamenco guitar to classic Latin rock.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO San Rafael Band opens the 2017 Nightfall series on May 5.