Salsa Na Ma In San Francisco
It was an exciting weekend in San Francisco with el Caballero de La Salsa, Gilberto Santa Rosa and the dynamic major star in the making Michael Stuart in town last weekend on Feb. 20th. Santa Rosa is at the height of his popularity. Roccapulco was a packed sold out house of delighted fans who were treated to a 2 hour set of his big commercial hits and crowd favorites. Backed by a stellar 14 piece orchestra, Santa Rosa was in fine voice and delivered a slick, tight performance. He was very charismatic as well as confident as the veteran salsero whose done very well and has found his place in the commercial marketplace. Across the other end of the Mission at the trendy Verdi Club, Michael Stuart headlined a potent bill which also featured two vocalists who were based here and made good in Puerto Rico, Paquito Acosta and Mel Martinez. Stuart is a youthful, charismatic, energetic and commanding vocalist who poured his heart on stage while Avance led by Santana timbalero Karl Perazo provided the instrumental firepower. The result was an explosive set that was impressive to the listener and a delight to the dancer. Stuart performed his fine repertoire to a smaller enthusiastic crowd who were happy to cheer on these great performers. Acosta and Martinez were both powerhouse vocalists who got the crowd pumped up. Orquesta Taino did the honors of backing these two fine talents. It’s a shame that more people didn’t have the opportunity to check these guys out. ...
read moreTimba In The City-SF Salsa Rueda Festival 2016
I checked out the SF Salsa Rueda Festival over the weekend at the Hotel Whitcomb. Producers Serena Wong and Nicholas Van Eyck (of the dance troupe Salsa Vale Todo) curated a great event that celebrates Cuban dance and music featuring dance performances, dance workshops for beginners to advanced dancers, lectures from dance experts such as Roberto Borrell and plenty of Timba throughout the weekend. The headliner was the dynamic showman Tirso Duarte, who has played with Cuban timba music royalty such as David Calzado’s Charanga Habanera, Manolito Y Su Trabuco and Pupy Y Los Que Son Son, rocked the crowd with his swinging vocal improvisations. His charisma and colorful hip hop fashion style connected with the festival crowd as they danced, put their arms up in the air and responded loudly to his calls during his irresistible tunes. Duarte lived up to his reputation as one of Cuba’s finest modern dance music vocalists. Miami’s Timbalive was impressive all weekend with their tight sound as they headlined on Friday night and backed up Duarte on Saturday night (augmented by a trumpet that added to their trombone sound). Fronted by singers Boris Monterecy, Eylen Remon and Michel Marcos who provided vocal power as well as eye candy, the band led by timbalero Leo Garcia were explosive! Their latest recording “Gasolina De Avion” is a fine recording featuring great all star guests but Timbalive on stage proved to be a force of nature. SF based DJ’s Walt Digz and Dark Rum of Anejo Productions who produce the longest running monthly Timba party La Tropi-cal expertly spun the hottest timba in-between sets. The dance floor was constantly packed with sweaty and smiling dancers! The official after parties ran until 5 am with guest DJ’s from other parts of the U.S.. The Salsa Rueda Festival celebrated their 8th year in San Francisco this past weekend. The energy and joy that was displayed by the dancers, bands, dj’s and the public was magnetic. Timba and Cuban music has been a mainstay of the SF Latin scene for many years. Thanks to Serena and Nick who elevates the love for the music and culture of Cuba to a grand scale with this fine...
read moreFito Reinoso on Con Sabor Live Sessions-Sat. March 5th
Legendary Cuban Vocalist Fito Reinoso will be the featured artist on the next Con Sabor Live Sessions to be aired Saturday, March 5th in the first hour of the program from 9 to 10 pm on KPFA 94.1 FM. The Con Sabor Live Sessions features live Salsa, Musica Cubana and Latin Jazz. Produced by Luis Medina.
read moreFito Reinoso-Featured artist on Con Sabor Live Sessions
Renowned Cuban sonero Fito Reinoso will be featured on the next Con Sabor Live Sessions to be taped this weekend for future broadcast on Con Sabor with Luis Medina on KPFA 94.1 FM. The critically acclaimed locally based Cuban son group Pellejo Seco will be accompanying Reinoso. Reinoso and Pellejo Seco are collaborating on a new project featuring material that ranges from Boleros to Son. Pellejo Seco’s leader and tres player Ivan Cambor was recently featured with the Septeto Nacional De Cuba Ignacio Pineiro at the group’s recent performance at the Brava Theater. Reinoso who has led his own Ritmo Y Armonia band for years is also leading a more traditional dance band called Los Clasicos De Cuba. He is currently recording a new Bolero and Son oriented project with Pellejo Seco to be released later this year. The program will be broadcast later in the month on Con Sabor which airs every Saturday from 9 to 11 pm on KPFA 94.1...
read moreChoco, Bowie & Natalie
During the first 10 days of this new year, we lost 3 extraordinary musicians who were one of a kind. The flamboyant David Bowie who was always a forward thinking musical visionary and lifestyle maverick whose career exploded in the early 1970’s and who just released his new recording “Lazarus” on his 69th birthday a couple of days before he passed this past Sunday. Soulful vocalist Natalie Cole, daughter of the late Nat King Cole who rose to prominence with her own beautiful voice and scored great hits such as “This Will Be” during her career. She managed to reunite vocally with her father on the exceptional recording “Unforgettable” through modern technology. And last but not least, Cuban trumpet legend Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros. Chocolate was a virtuoso whose fluid playing style with jazzy tipico phrasing first graced the groups of Rene Alvarez and Arsenio Rodriguez. He was also a member of the famed Beny More big band and a charter member of La Sonora Matancera. After he moved to the United States, Armenteros performed and recorded with Machito, Cachao and Eddie Palmieri. Chocolate put out his solo recordings on the Salsoul and SAR labels but was also featured on some of the important recordings of the 1970’s including “Grupo Folklorico Y Experimental Nuevoyorquino” and Cachao’s New York based descarga recordings (as well as Cachao’s 1990’s descargas with actor Andy Garcia). Chocolate enjoyed an illustrious career that spanned some 6 decades. I had the pleasure of interviewing Chocolate for my radio program and working with him at the old Mi Pueblo club at 330 Ritch. He was a classy gentleman, a character with a great sense of humor and a great laugh and a fantastic trumpeter. These great artists will all be missed! ...
read moreChristian Pepin & Orquesta Bembe-Sat 1/2-9 pm PST – KPFA 94.1 FM
The mighty locally based heavyweights Orquesta Bembe led by timbalero/percussionist Christian Pepin and pianist Erick Peralta will be featured on Con Sabor’s 19th Anniversary program this coming Saturday, January 2nd, 9 to 11 pm on KPFA 94.1 FM and worldwide on www.kpfa.org. Nineteen years flies when you are having fun and I will celebrate with the sounds of Bembe along with my mix of scintillating Salsa, Latin Jazz, Musica Cubana from son to timba and more!! Expect musical fireworks from your radio or computer this Saturday! This live recorded session will be inaugurating live music into the Con Sabor mix on a bi-monthly basis! So…check it out!!...
read moreRandom Notes 12/7/15
Christian Pepin and his Orquesta Bembe will be inaugurating the new Con Sabor sessions on my program Con Sabor soon. I will be recording the band and interviewing Christian Pepin this month to be broadcast in the very near future. More details to come later in the month!!…..Jose Alberto “El Canario” will be celebrating his birthday and Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 19th at SF’s Roccapulco. Opening up the show will be local favorites N’Rumba and Pacho y Su Orquesta Evolucion. El Canario has just won a Latin Grammy for his collaboration with Cuba’s Septeto Santiaguero “Tributo A Los Compadres – No Quiero Llanto” on his Los Canarios label. Expect him to play his greatest hits, dazzle us with his great showmanship and use his “voice flute” to solo with the band. Not to be...
read moreSF Salsa Congress 2015
SF Salsa Congress featured two world class legends during their four days at the Oakland Marriott Hotel the weekend of Nov. 19-22. The incomparable Charlie Aponte, formerly of El Gran Combo electrified the stage with his signature voice, hot dance moves and overflowing charisma in front of an adoring crowd on Saturday evening. Aponte delivered the goods as he was backed up by a crack band of SF based musicians which included Karl Perazo of Santana, Christian Tumalan of PMO, Christian Pepin of Bembe, Braulio Barrera of Somos El Son and Mike Rinta of Avance. His repertoire included his great hits from El Gran Combo and songs from his latest solo recording “Una Nueva Historia”. On Friday evening, the famed Colombian bandleader Fruko y Sus Tesos impressed the congress crowd with their dynamic musicianship and classic hits such as “El Preso”. Despite a few gliches with the sound system, Fruko delivered powerful no-holes barred Salsa, Latin Jazz and descarga that had the dancers sweating on the dance floor. His band of seasoned veterans were tight and swinging! The Salsa Congress also featured what is the norm of Salsa/Tropical scenes these days: rooms devoted to Bachata and Kizomba music that were packed with happy dancers. This year’s congress also featured an evening entirely devoted to Bachata (a sign of the times) with a live band Invasion Latina from L.A.. El unico Pepe Gonzalez and his TV program “El Show De Pepe” locally on Channel 50 hosted the opening night party featuring his orchestra and a DJ showdown featuring 10 local DJ’s. The main emphasis of the congress was the dancers who taught workshops, performed during the Dance showcases each evening, offered their services and products and partied each night until 4 am. What a fieston for the dancer, aficionado and...
read moreRandom Notes 11/11/15
Salsa mainstay Julio Bravo will be celebrating the 21st Anniversary of performing with his band Salsabor on Saturday, November 28 at Roccapulco. There will be special guests that include Alexis Guillen and more. I will be there as guest MC/DJ for the evening. It should be one explosive party…..For those who want to pay their respects, there will be a celebration of life honoring the late, great Raul Rekow, the long time percussionist for Santana as well as former conguero with Malo and Sapo who died on November 2nd. The event will take place on Sunday, November 15th, 4 pm at SF’s Great American Music Hall…Quite a Halloween weekend at SF Jazz Center featuring powerful appearances by Chucho Valdes and his updated version of Irakere. This phenomenal band of young lions more than helped Valdes pay tribute on their 40th Anniversary. John Santos also celebrated his 60th Birthday with a great bash featuring his sextet, timbales legend Orestes Vilato, violinist Anthony Blea, renowned Cuban conguero Raul “Lali” Gonzalez, powerhouse vocalist Destini Wolf, hip hop artist Rico Pabon and singer/guitarist Jose Roberto Hernandez. Both were incredible shows!…And if that wasn’t enough, the SF International Salsa Congress goes from Thursday, Nov. 19 through Sunday, Nov.22 at the Oakland Marriott Hotel. Appearing will be Charlie Aponte, lead vocalist formerly of El Gran Combo, the Columbian legend Fruko Y Sus Tesos, Bachata sensations Invasion Latina and Orquesta Bembe, the hot local band led by renowned percussionist Christian Pepin. There will also be a Bachata and Kizomba Room, Dance Performances and Workshops, DJ’s and more. Check out...
read moreRIP Raul Rekow
Former Santana percussionist and all-star conga player Raul Rekow lost his bout with cancer early last week on November 2nd. He was 61. Rekow was known as a show-stopping conguero with power, chops and taste. He was a long time member of Santana from 1976 to 2013. In his early professional career, he was a member of Malo and a member of Sapo with singer/percussionist Richard Bean who wrote the international hit “Suavecito” for Malo. He was invited to record 2 songs with Santana in 1976 and so impressed Santana that he was asked to join the band. Santana would boast an all-star percussion section which featured Armando Peraza and Orestes Vilato along with Rekow. Raul’s powerful attack on the congas both complimented and pushed the percussion section into greatness on Santana’s live shows. He also had a series of Latin Percussion instruments named after him. Known for his radiant smile and outgoing personality, Rekow was always accessible and friendly. After his stint with Santana, Rekow was a frequent collaborator with different groups and all-star ensembles in the SF Bay Area. He was last seen making a public appearance at the dedication of the late radio DJ Chata Gutierrez mural on 24th Street in early October. He will be sorely...
read moreLive Appearances
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