Random Notes 7/29/16

Is it me or is this Summer just blowing by? It’s been hot in the SF Bay Area. Roberton from Los Van Van visited the SF Bay and joined locally based Cuban vocal legend Fito Reinoso on stage at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival’s monthly Thursday Salsa happenings at Jessie Square last week. Our good friend, Luisito Cuba was instrumental in hooking up a visit from Roberton who not only hooked up with Fito but visited SF’s Bissap Baobab after the show for a rumba featuring Roberton on congas and vocals joined by renowned congueros Sandy Perez and Jesus Diaz. Reinoso joined Roberton on vocals. Other visits included the Cigar Bar and Cana Oakland!…Salsa heartthrob Jerry Rivera also visited the SF Bay and headlined the Peruvian festival at Swiss Park….Speaking of Pop/Salsa heartthrobs…El Sonero De La Juventud Victor Manuelle is paying SF a visit on Saturday, July 30 at the Regency Ballroom. N’Rumba is opening up the show which is also featuring DJ Pablo. Coming up: John Santos Sextet at Yoshis Aug. 12. SF Jazz is featuring a Cuban piano summit with Gonzalo Rubalcaba 8/11, Fabian Almazan/Aruan Ortiz 8/12, Alfredo Rodriguez/Ivan “Melon” Lewis 8/13, Harold Nussa-Lopez/Aldo Lopez-Gavilian 8/14 and featuring percussion phenom Pedrito Martinez joining each of the headliners on these string of dates….San Jose Jazz Summerfest heats up the same weekend 8/12-8/14 with a kick-off Salsa block party featuring yours truly from 9 to 11 pm and my radio/dj colleague Jose Ruiz starting at 7 pm at the San Pedro Street Stage. We’ll be throwing down hot music for dancing in the streets so come on by!! Festival performers that weekend will feature the hot Puerto Rican band “Pirulu Y La Tribu” as well as La Maquina Insular, the Bay Area Salsa All Stars, Lizz Wright, Sergio Mendes, Miguel Zenon, Kermit Ruffins, Bobby Caldwell, Jose James and others. Info: www.sanjosejazz.org.