In a time when funding for school music programs is scarce, the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts has picked up some of the slack by putting together a totally smokin' salsa band of musicians ages 8 to 16. Futuro Picante isn't some typical kid band that honks out-of-tune trombones. Shredding through standards from salsa's golden age as well as original shout-outs to its barrio in "La Mission," the band has played at Carnaval and the mayor's award ceremony for Carlos Santana. About a year ago, they all but stole the stage at a benefit at the Brava Theater playing alongside such (adult) heavyweights as Rupa and the April Fishes. Watching them, you get to thinking that maybe the generation of the futuro will be okay after all.