Random Notes 4/7/2020

Hope that you are staying safe at home during this coronavirus pandemic. We will get out of this one together, folks! I would like to recommend some new excellent Salsa releases to keep your spirits up during this difficult time: All star conguero Eddie Montalvo’s “Señor Tambo” featuring great tunes executed by Montalvo and his star studded band that includes a calvacade of great singers such as Luisito Carrion. The great New York based band La Excelencia are back with their latest recording “Machete” that is musically powerful. Their socially conscious lyrics are right on point! These two releases are guaranteed to have you dancing in every room of your home.

Facebook, YouTube and Instagram are the social media of choice by musicians of all genres from Chucho Valdes to The Roots showcasing their work to fans and curiosity seekers. There is no shortage of Latin Music on our social platforms streaming to our cell phones, laptops and tablets. It’s great to see special performance postings from excellent SF based musicians Anthony Blea, Jesus Diaz, Braulio Barrera, Edgardo Cambon and others. Posts of classic Salsa, Afro-Cuban and Latin Jazz performances by the heroes and sheroes of our music are also circulating thanks to the efforts of musicians, dj’s and aficionados. There are also daily Latin music DJ postings featuring DJ’s spinning classic Salsa and Mambo vinyl on CoBeatParty as well as countless other fine DJ’s spinning sets on Facebook, Instagram and You Tube.

I want to remind all of you to keep positive, exercise, keep connected to your friends and family, take an on-line course, catch up on things that you have been putting off and…. be sure to listen to my program “Con Sabor” Saturday evenings from 9 to 11 pm on KPFA 94.1 FM and worldwide on www.kpfa.org. You can expect explosive Salsa, Latin Jazz, Cuban music from Son to Timba and more. So please take care of yourselves, wash your hands, practice social distancing and be kind to one another. Ciao 4 now.