Random Notes 10/3/19
Congratulations to Pacific Mambo Orchestra who just finished playing a triumphant set at the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival on Sunday, September 29, 2019. They are currently in the studio working on their 3rd recording to come out in 2020!…
read moreBeautiful Summer – SF Bay/Northern California
Hi Everyone, I just got back from a much needed vacation in Europe. However, the San Francisco Bay Area has been enjoying a slew of fine events to kick off the Summer. The Los Van Van free concert at Stern Grove was a complete blast! Los Van Van led by el maestro Samuel Formell on the hybrid drum/timbal set played everyone’s favorites led by the fearsome front line of vocalists Mandy Cantero, Roberton, Lali and Vanessa.
read moreRandom Notes 5/8/19
Lots of great acts have been visiting our area lately including The Uprising All Stars featuring music director/trombonist Jimmy Bosch, vocalist Frankie Vasquez, conguero Little Johnny Rivero, trombonist/Grammy nominee Doug Beavers and master tresero Nelson Gonzalez.
read moreInternational Women’s Day – Celebrating Women’s Voices
International Women’s Day is being celebrated this month of March. I’ve seen some powerful performances from some of our esteemed hermanas/sisters these last few weeks: Buika, Tribalistas with Marisa Monte, Susana Baca and Christelle Durandy…
read moreNew SF Bay Recordings to start off 2019.
The Latin Rhythm Boys are celebrating their 60th anniversary on their new release “Celebrando”. The band leaders are the brother duo of Earl and Henry Miranda who are carrying on the tradition of their father “El Cuatrista’ Junior Miranda who founded the band in 1959.
read moreFavorite Recordings of 2018
Here are my favorite recordings of 2018 in Salsa, Musica Cubana and Latin Jazz:
Spanish Harlem Orchestra “Anniversary”
Eddie Palmieri “Mi Luz Mayor” and “Full Circle”
Pedro Bermundez “Arrasando”
read moreCiao 2 2018! Welcome 2019!
As we end 2018, I want to let you know that Pacific Mambo Orchestra will be welcoming the new year with a January date at Yoshi’s with special guest, trumpet icon Jon Faddis…. Look out for the new Salsa Google App featuring an updated calendar of your town’s nightly Salsa based entertainment no matter where you are worldwide!!!
read moreRandom Notes 11/5/18
Today is the 2 year anniversary of the passing of my good friend Enrique Romero “El Molestoso”, one of the most important advocates of Latin Music in Spain and in Europe. He was known as an influential writer, publisher, broadcaster, record producer, graphics artist, avid record collector, catalyst and so much more. In his honor…
read moreRuben Blades 10/18
Ruben Blades has been in the public eye lately. A new great documentary on his life “Ruben Blades Is Not My Name” was featured at the 10th Annual SF Latino Film Festival this past September. The documentary gives us an up close and personal view of….
read moreSalsa Salsa Salsa
Veteran Salseros Ricky Rangel and Luis Acosta are facing major medical challenges: Parkinson’s disease and ALS respectively. Gil and Oli Medina (no relation to this author) of El Vacilon took the task of organizing a tribute and benefit for both of these vocalists at El Valenciano on Labor Day weekend. It was a heartfelt tribute that featured Tito Garcia y Su Orchestra International and Eric Rangel y Su Orquesta America (taking the place of Salsa Caliente). The cozy venue was full of old school salseros, musicians and scene makers. I joined DJ Carlitos Way in the DJ crew that spun music in-between sets that evening. The emotional high points of the evening came when Rangel joined both Tito Garcia and his brother Eric Rangel on stage. The effects of the disease such as shaking arms were obvious but were minimized when Rangel began tearing through pregones and coros on a few tunes. The crowd loved every minute of it and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the...
read moreLive Appearances
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