Two SF Bay Area Mainstays Tito Garcia & Conceição Demasceno RIP

Two important and remarkable San Francisco Bay Area cultural mainstays passed away this weekend, Tito Garcia, the renowned bandleader and timbalero of Tito Garcia y Orquesta Internacional and Concieção Damasceno (pictured left- photo provided by Anne Marie Praetzel), the dynamic force of nature: brilliant dancer and leader of famed Carnaval dance troupe Ginga Brasil and who created the Brazilian cultural organization BrasArte. Tito Garcia passed away this past Saturday after a long battle with Cancer and Conceição Damasceno this past Sunday after a long illness.

Tito Garcia was a dynamic timbalero who played swinging big band mambo and salsa with his large ensemble La Internacional at salsa dance palaces such as the legendary Cafe Cocomo where I worked with Tito as his DJ for his Mambo Saturdays. Garcia started in the SF Salsa scene in 1974 with Ritmo 74, the hot SF Salsa band in town at the time, later he joined the Charanga Rene Del Mar. In the late 1980’s he spearheaded Orquesta Salsa Dulce that introduced vocalists Eduardo Herrera and Julio Bravo before starting his band in the 1990’s. La Internacional were remembered for their explosive performances by dancers and aficionados. Tito stood out dressed in white from hat to toe in honor of his beliefs in Santeria. We will miss this top notch timbalero who surrounded himself with great vocalists and musicians! RIP Tito

Conceição Damasceno was a charismatic, vivacious Brazilian samba dancer who burst out in the SF scene with Batucaje in the 1980s. She radiated beauty, grace and was an exceptional dancer. She later created the renowned electrifying dance troupe Ginga Brasil whose contingent became one of the mainstays of the Carnaval SF parade. She created BrasArte an important cultural organization to preserve, teach and perform Brazilian Dance, Music and.Culture and co-founded the Casa Del Cultura Cultural Center in Berkeley with Capoiera master, Bira Almeida aka Mestre Accordion. Conceição was able to present big names at the center such as Meredith Menezes, Guinga, Spok and many others.

The Lavagem free event was one of the main events that truly embodied the spirit of the Brazilian Carnaval every September. I have such great memories of all the phenomenal headliners, musicians and dancers from Brazil and the Bay Area playing for free. It was one of my favorite events of the year…at times the vibe was much better than the Carnaval San Francisco that I was involved with for many years. Conceição, her husband Nick and the Casa De Cultura team were responsible for that incredible energy! She put her heart into maintaining the center, the dance classes, the Carnaval contingent and coming through with her vision even when she was ill. She will be sorely missed.

The San Francisco Bay Area has suffered big losses to the Music and Dance community with the passing of these two dynamos. Rest In Peace and Power, Tito and Conceição! Your spirit and legacies will live on!!