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CON SABOR PLAYLIST 5/2/2026-KPFA 94.1 FM/KPFA.ORG-SATURDAYS 9 TO 11 PM PST

CD 1/CUT 1    CACHAO DESCARGA MEXICANA CUBAN MUSIC IN JAM SESSION-BONITA 4:58

CD 1/CUT 2.   JESUS ENRIQUEZ DE QUE MANERA TE OLVIDO MOTIVOS PARA SONAR-RMM 4:12

CD 1/CUT 3    THE LATIN JAZZ COALITION/DEMETRIOS KUSTURIS MULENZE Y YO EL GRIEGO RUMBERO-IJC RECORDS 5:18

CD 1/CUT 4.  RICO WALKER NI CAYUCO, NI CULEMBO SINGLE-SALSANEO 5:35

CD 1/CUT 5.  YURI BUENAVENTURA EL GUAJIRO DEL MONTE VAGABUNDO-MERCURY FR 5:01

CD 1/CUT 6.   DON PERIGNON Y LA PUERTORRIQUEÑA FEAT HERMAN OLIVERA RITMO BEMBE 45 ANIVERSARIO-AGRADECIDO Y AFORTUNADO-DON RECORDS 4:03

***HERMAN OLIVERA W/ORQ TAINO WILL BE APPEARING THIS SAT 5/9-2 PM-4:30 PM YERBA BUENA GARDENS-MISSION STREET BETWEEN 3RD & 4TH STS., SAN FRANCISCO FREE! BATEY TAMBO WILL BE OPENING THE SHOW. INFO: YBGFESTIVAL.ORG

CD 1/CUT 7    IRAKERE TRIBUTO A PERUCHIN (LIVE) FELICIDAD-RECORDED LIVE AT RONNIE SCOTT’S CLUB-RONNIE SCOTT’S JAZZ HOUSE RECORDS 11:34

CD 1/CUT 8.   ADALBERTO ALVAREZ Y SU SON FEAT MANDY CANTERO TAL VEZ VUELVAS A LLAMARME (LIVE) SON PARA UN SONERO-EL CONCIERTO-BIS 9:18

CD 1/CUT 9.    PALO A RUMBEAR EN LA HABANA SINGLE-PALO 3:29

CD 1/CUT 10   ORQUESTA FUEGO W/BETSY LOPEZ LEJOS DE TI MAMBO MANIA-ORQUESTA FUEGO 4:24

CD 1/CUT 11.  OMNY CARDONA DE SANTURCE A CALI, DE EL BARRIO A LA 15 SINGLE-OMNY CARDONA 4:18

CD 1/CUT 12.  JOSE FLORES MILLIONARIO SINGLE-JOSE FLORES 4:15

CD 1/CUT 13.  SONORA PONCEÑA COMO MANGO BACK TO THE ROAD-PIANISSIMO 6:10

CD 1/CUT 14.   ERNAN LOPEZ-NUSSA, KELVIS OCHOA, SEXTO SENTIDO, YAROLDY ABREU, GASTÓN JOYA TIN TIN DEO RUMBA CON SWING: RECREACIONES DE CHANO POZO-PRODUCIONES COLIBRI 4:27    

CD 1/CUT 15    BOBBY CARCASSES W/CUBAN JAZZ MASTERS JAZZ TIMBERO JAZZ TIMBERO-TUMI MUSIC 5:21

CD 1/CUT 16.   SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA DESCARGA DE JAZZ THE LATIN JAZZ PROJECT-ARTIST SHARE 5:04  

CD 1/CUT 17. TONY VEGA SI ME MIRES A LOS OJOS SI ME MIRES A LOS OJOS-RMM 5:01

CD 1/CUT 18  CHOCO ORTA HOMENAJE A LAS SONERAS CHOCO SWING-CHOCOLOCOTON MUSIC 4:01

CD 1/CUT 19  LALO RODRIGUEZ TU NO SABES QUERER SIMPLEMENTE..LALO-TIERRAZO 6:21

CON SABOR PLAYLIST 4/18/2026-KPFA 94.1 FM/KPFA.ORG- SATURDAYS 9 TO 11 PM PST

INTRO

CD 1/CUT 1    JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCH W/WYNTON MARSALIS FEAT RUBEN BLADES BAN BAN QUERE UNA NOCHE CON RUBEN BLADES-BLUE ENGINE 6:28 

CD 1/CUT 2.   EDDIE PALMIERI/CHEO FELICIANO/FANIA ALL STARS BUSCA LO TUYO FANIA ALL STARS LIVE PUERTO RICO JUNE 11, 1994-FANIA 6:30

CD 1/CUT 3   BOBBY VALENTIN LA ESPINITA BOBBY VALENTIN-BRONCO 5:55

CD 1/CUT 4.   CHRISTIAN ALICEA EL DOMINO SWINGKETE 2.0-MARATHON-TERAPIST 3:03

CD 1/CUT 5.   NORBERT FEAT TITO NIEVES Y SI MAÑANA SINGLE-NORBERT VELEZ 4:11

CD 1/CUT 6.   BULULU SAN BENITO CON SABOR LIVE SESSION/LUIS MEDINA 4:27

CD 1/CUT 7    JESUS ALEMANY’S CUBANISMO TUMBAO DE CACHAO ACUARELA CUBANA-SBK 6:36

CD 1/CUT 8.   LOS VAN VAN FEAT YENY VALDES DESPUES DE TODO CHAPEANDO-UNICORNIO 6:09

CD 1/CUT 9.   MANOLITO Y SU TRABUCO AMISTAD ES UN CALLE ME ESTOY ACOSTUMBRANDO-ENDIRECTO 5:44

CD 1/CUT 10.  MARIO Y SU TIMBEKO FEAT SUSEL “LA CHINA” GOMEZ DALE PA’FUERA SINGLE-TIMBEKO 4:29

CD 1/CUT 11    LUISITO Y SU SALSOMETRO SE FORMA LO QUE SE FORMA -LUISITO/SALSO 4:23

CD 1/CUT 12.   PIRULO Y LA TRIBU FEAT ÑEKO HOY TODO ME SALDRÁ BIEN SINGLE-LA VIDA RECORDS 3:53

CD 1/CUT 13    CORDOBA LOOKING FOR LOVE SINGLE-CORDOBA 4:48 

CD 1/CUT 14.   SUPERMAMBO FEAT FELIPE FOURNIER, RUBEN BLADES & JEREMY BOSCH SUPERMAMBO SINGLE-SUPERMAMBO 5:03

CD 1/CUT 15    PEDRO JOSE PASTRANA FIESTA EN EL PUEBLO LO QUE NOS LLEVAMOS-PJ PASTRANA MUSIC 3:55

CD 1/CUT 17    STEFON HARRIS/DAVID SANCHEZ/CHRISTIAN SCOTT E’CHA NINETY MILES-CONCORD PICANTE 4:11

CD 1/CUT 18.   HUMBERTO RAMIREZ MR. AFINQUE BETTER DAYS-NIPO MUSIC 4:39

CD 1/CUT 19.   CONJUNTO DE CLAVE Y GUAGUANCO YO SOY DE LA TIMBALAYE CANTAREMOS Y BAILAREMOS-AREITO 2:49 

CD 1/CUT 20    MARKOLINO DIMOND FEAT ANGEL CANALES BRUJERIA BRUJERIA-VAYA 4:48

CD 1/CUT 21.   MARIO ORTIZ ALL STAR BAND FEAT ISMAEL MIRANDA, ANDY MONTAÑEZ, TONY VEGA, GILBERTO SANTA ROSA, RAY DE LA PAZ, TITO ROJAS & VICTOR MANUELLE LOS SONEROS 50TH ANNIVERSARY-ALL STAR MUSIC 3:57

CD 1/CUT 22   TIT0 RODRIGUEZ JR/GILBERTO SANTA ROSA LA LEY DEL GUAGUANCO SINGLE-TITO RODRIGUEZ JR 4:24 

CD 1/CUT 23 PARIS ALL STARS/JOSE BARRIOS SON PA LOS SONEROS SINGLE 4:58

CON SABOR PLAYLIST 4/11/2026KPFA 94.1 FM/KPFA.ORG- SATURDAYS 9 TO 11 PM PST

CD 1/CUT 1   GRUPO FOLKLORICO Y EXPERIMENTAL NUEVOYORQUINO ANABACOA CONCEPTS IN UNITY-SALSOUL 6:25

CD 1/CUT 2.  NESTOR TORRES NO ME PROVOQUES NO ME PROVOQUES-SUAVE 4:55

CD 1/CUT 3   DANY MARTINEZ Y CUBANO-RICAN PARA TI-BESITO PA TI VOLUME 2-PARA TI-DANY MARTINEZ 4:41

CD 1/CUT 4.  FELIPE FOURNIER FEAT RUBEN BLADES & JEREMY BOSCH SUPERMAMBO SINGLE-SUPERMAMBO 5:03

CD 1/CUT 5.  DON PERIGNON Y LA PUERTORRIQUENA ELLA SIGUE BAILANDO CLASICO Y SABROSO-DON RECORDS 4:24

CD 1/CUT 6.  LA MAXIMA 79/DJ FABRIZIO ZORO ESCUCHE ESTE SON MONTUNO SINGLE-SMARYA 4:24 

CD 1/CUT 7   LOS VAN VAN W/MANDY CANTERO TIM-POP VIRUS-BIS 7:56

CD 1/CUT 8.  MAYITO RIVERA & THE SONS OF CUBA BAILALO COMO TU QUERIAS TIEMPOS DE GOZADERA? TIMBA RECORDS 4:48

CD 1/CUT 9.  TANIA PANTOJA NUNCA TE DI EL MANDO ASI SOY-MB RECORD 4:19

CD 1/CUT 10  DAYME AROCENA/ARTURO O’FARRILL AFRO-LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA MAMBO NA MA(LIVE) THE ORIGINAL INFLUENCERS: DIZZY, CHANO AND CHICO LIVE AT TOWN HALL-TIGER TURN 4:04.   

CD 1/CUT 11   LOUIE RAMIREZ BAMBOLEATE KING OF THE LATIN VIBES-SUGAR 5:25

CD 1/CUT 12.  WILLIE ROSARIO EL CALLEJERO A MAN OF MUSIC-BRONCO 4:22

CD 1/CUT 13.  GILBERTO PULPO COLON TIRANDOTE FLORES PULPO’S HOT BREAD-THE MAMBO PROJECT 6:15

CD 1/CUT 14   YILLIAN CANIZARES MAPUTO VITAMINA Y-CANIZARES 3:29

CD 1/CUT 15.  ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ FEAT PEDRITO MARTINEZ HOTEL CALIFORNIA TAKE COVER-TAKE COVER RECORDS 3:20

CD 1/CUT 16.  JULITO ALVARADO PONCE’S RUMBA MY MUSICAL JOURNEY: 40 YEARS CELEBRATION-JULITO ALVARADO 5:57

CD 1/CUT 17   EDDIE PALMIERI DA LOWDOWN HIGHEST 2 LOWEST ORIGINAL FILM SOUNDTRACK-A24 MUSIC 4:57

CD 1/CUT 18    LOS HACHEROS FEAT JEREMY BOSCH JUANITO LA BATALLA-CHULO 5:00

CD 1/CUT 19.   CORTIJO Y SU NUEVO COMBO FEAT FE CORTIJO PICA PICA CHAMPIONS-COCO 4:34 

CD 1/CUT 20    GRUPO GALE VEN A MEDELLIN LIVE ANNIVERSARY-CODISCOS 5:58

CD 1/CUT 21     PETE BONET TUMBANDO CAÑA THE ODDS ARE ON PETE BONET-SWINGER 5:05

Top Picks 2013 – Salsa/Latin Jazz/Afro Cuban/Musica Cubana

Posted by on Jan 8, 2014 in 2013 | Comments Off on Top Picks 2013 – Salsa/Latin Jazz/Afro Cuban/Musica Cubana

I just finished airing my programs featuring the best music of 2013.  Here is my list in no particular order because they are all fine recordings!! Puerto Rico All Stars – Echando Candela Cubana All Stars – A Dream Come True Mauricio Silva – Legado De La Salsa Venezolana Volume 1 Chucho Valdes/Afro Cuban Messengers – Border-Free Orquesta SCC-Salsa Con Conciencia – Renacimiento Africando – Viva Africando Conjunto Sabrosura – Mona Pa Mi Bongo Sonora Poncena – 10 Para Los 100 Yolanda Rivera – La Hija Del Guaguanco New Swing Sextet – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Various Artists – Sabe Venezuela Volume 2 Ray Viera Y Trombao – Sambumbia Radioactiva La Maxima 79 – Regresando Al Guaguanco Maikel Blanco Y Su Salsa Mayor – A Toda Maquina Trombonranga – Al Mal Tiempo Buena Salsa Mamborama – Baila Que Baila Omar Sosa – Eggun John Santos Sextet – Filosofia Caribena Vol. 2 Pedrito Martinez Group – The Pedrito Martinez Group Buika – La Noche Mas Larga Mitch Frohman Latin Jazz Quartet – From Daddy With Love DJ El Chino/Various – Salsa World Series Vol. 5 Tipica Novel – Mirando Pa’l Cielo Manuel Valera/New Cuban Express – Expectativas Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet – Latin Jazz Jazz Latin Mayito Rivera – Alma De Sonero Pacific Mambo Orchestra – PMO Timbalive – Con La Musica Cubana…NO! Late 2013 releases that can be considered for 2014 El Gran Combo – 50 Anniversario Pete Rodriguez – Caminando Con Papi Eddie Palmieri – Doin It In The Park EP Hector Aponte/Orquesta Harlem Riverside – Tres Generaciones De Nuestra Musica David Calzado Y Charanga Habanera – Se Sufre Pero Se...

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Farewell Chata

Posted by on Dec 28, 2013 in 2013 | Comments Off on Farewell Chata

Chata Gutierrez, a mainstay in the San Francisco Bay Area radio scene for four decades, passed away on December 17 after a long battle with liver cancer.  She was 60.  Blessed with a great voice, smooth delivery and impeccable musical taste, Chata was a natural for radio.  She started back in KPFA under the guiding hand of radio producer Emiliano Echeverria back in 1972.   She hosted programs at KPFA and KPOO from 1972 to 1979.   I have known Chata since we were classmates in high school and actually worked together for a brief stint at KPFA back in 1976.   We were friends, colleagues and rivals but always had mutual respect for each other and the music.  She produced her long running Saturday salsa music program later known as “Con Clave” for 33 years at community radio station KPOO.  Her program was essential listening for Latin music fanatics and Salsa lovers.  She was a staunch advocate for Salsa who was awarded the Tom Donahue award in the late 1980’s.  She was loved by her radio public and the Mission community in SF that supported her but was also a fierce competitor and brutally frank in her opinions about music and people.  She kept hosting her popular program despite her up and down days almost up to the time of her death with the help of radio dj Jose Ruiz.  She will sorely be missed.  There will be a  wake at Driscoll’s Mortuary from 2 to 6 pm and a memorial concert immediately following at Roccapulco to honor her memory this Sunday, December 29th in San...

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Renacimiento

Posted by on Dec 27, 2013 in 2013 | Comments Off on Renacimiento

I have taken most of the last third of this year off from posting on this blog.  I’m not making any excuses for my absence.  There has been a lot going on with my life both positive and negative that I have not shared with you.  It has been an introspective period of time for me.  However, I am experiencing a rebirth/renacimiento…I now feel that I am willing to share my perspectives that I am passionate about with you again.  So let’s proceed as we head into 2014.

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Yoshi’s JazzFest – Free – Sunday 8/25/13 – Jack London Square Waterfront-Oakland

Posted by on Aug 22, 2013 in 2013 | Comments Off on Yoshi’s JazzFest – Free – Sunday 8/25/13 – Jack London Square Waterfront-Oakland

Salvador Santana will be headlining a free concert this Sunday, Aug. 25 from Noon to 5 pm at Oakland’s Jack London Square Waterfront brought to you by Yoshi’s Jazz Club.  KPFA is one of the media co-sponsors of the Yoshi’s JazzFest which also features the Julian Coryell Trio, Cuban reggaeton mix-master Dos Four and the Oaktown Jazz Workshop Performance Ensemble.  It promises to be a great musical afternoon.  For more information, visit www.yoshis.com

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What I Did On My Summer Vacation 2013

Posted by on Aug 17, 2013 in 2013 | Comments Off on What I Did On My Summer Vacation 2013

I have been on Summer vacation from this blog.  But I’m baaaccckkkk!!  During the last few months, I had a birthday, took a real family vacation to Spain (which included Barcelona, Catalunya and La Costa Brava..had a blast & visited my in-laws and friends), came back and saw Spanish Harlem Orchestra (so good!!), checked out Outside Lands Festival (saw great acts: Paul McCartney, Phoenix, Nine Inch Nails, Chic, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Rhye, Bombino, Bauer etc) , the San Jose Jazz Festival (Javon Jackson w/Les McCann & Dr. Lonnie Smith , Wil Campa & powerhouse vocalist Paula Harris with The Beasts Of Blues were awesome!), moving forward with plans for a new personal web site, have hosted and produced a lot of radio, raised money to keep KPFA alive, interviewed Puerto Rican salsa stalwart Don Perignon, contemporary Salsa sonero/matinee idol Michael Stuart and emerging Cuban music star Wil Campa (they were ALL great performing live in person by the way!!!).  I haven’t stopped yet..I am hosting Con Sabor tonight – Saturday, August 17 from 9 to 11 pm on KPFA 94.1 FM/www.kpfa.org.  I am starting a new nightclub scene…I will be resident dj for a new weekly Salsa night “Sabroso Mondays” this Monday 8/19 from 8 to Midnight at Lukas, West Grand at Broadway, Downtown Oakland, just a couple of blocks from the Paramount Theater.  I will also return to my regular monthly spot at Cafe Cocomo this coming Saturday, August 24th with the popular Julio Bravo & Salsabor on stage!!  Que...

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tidbits late June 2013

Posted by on Jun 26, 2013 in 2013 | Comments Off on tidbits late June 2013

memories of spring and the beginning of Summer 2013:  Don Perignon and his great trio of singers including Rico Walker, Gonzalez and Josue Rosado performing a smoking set in semi darkness due to a blackout at El Vacilon, Treasure Island…Peruvian Cuban Timba sensations Barbaro Fines and Mayimbe packed Cafe Cocomo to the rafters.   The band with it’s frontline reminiscent of Charanga Habanera wowed the timberos at the club….Carnaval SF was rescued at the last minute by a Mission District community coalition led by Roberto Hernandez that pulled off the 2 day festival and parade with a volunteer staff and bands that played for free.  SFCAT, the non-profit producing entity that ran the event for the past 3 years (and that hired me as Carnaval’s entertainment consultant from 2011 to 2012) went kaput this year and punted to Hernandez and the Mission coalition…..The indestructible salsa great Oscar D’Leon was joined by two violins and a full band mesmerizing the crowd at Cocomo.  Tragic news about D’Leon just weeks later.   He lost his eyesight after he was struck in the eye by a chest in a domestic accident.  Wishing Oscar a speedy recovery!  He is truly one of the great Salsa singer and performers of all...

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SF International Film Festival

Posted by on Jun 3, 2013 in 2013 | Comments Off on SF International Film Festival

The 56th annual edition of the San Francisco International Film Festival which took place in late April showcased a series of Latin films dealing with youth and the coming of age.  Be sure to look for the Brazilian film “They’ll Come Back” dives into that scenario focusing on the story of a privileged 12 year old girl Cass who is abandoned on a desolated road along with her brother by her parents.  Her brother goes off by himself to get help.  She discovers a Brazil that is foreign to her defined by class, poverty and...

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Memories of Jelly’s…What A Scene!

Posted by on Jun 3, 2013 in 2013 | Comments Off on Memories of Jelly’s…What A Scene!

I was one of the resident dj’s that help carry the throne at the late San Francisco club Jelly’s from 1998 to 2010.  There were many memorable evenings that I experienced from behind the dj booth.  The bands and the dj were always pushing each other to take the music higher in those days.  There was a tremendous communication between the band, dj, dancer, party goer, a regular and an aficionado.  But the real connection was the music.  The music soared on most Sunday evenings where the band and the dj was jamming, the dancers packed the wooden floor and outside concrete patio.  I wasn’t there when it started when Linda Wosskow (who now runs the Seahorse) and KPOO DJ Chata Gutierrez started the Sundays in the mid 90’s.  I was asked to do a late Sunday night following a typical Sunday tardeada at Jelly’s around 1998.  It was a short run disaster but I did get hired by Jelly’s owner Clarice Lacau to rotate Sundays with PR salsa maniac DJ Ivette “La Coqui” Fuentes.  It was a great period of time for me personally in terms of dj’ing my particular mix of new and classic salsa brava, timba, cha cha, merengue y mas to a mixed, packed and enthusiastic crowd.  The crowd didn’t care about taking proper dance lessons or having bottle service at their table, they were there to dance and listen.  Those were good times.  I always looked forward to eating “el maestro” Jesus’s cooking!  I was addicted to my combination of ribs and pollo…rico!!!  Ivette was later replaced with rotating DJ’s Walt Digz and DJ Antonio who were first known primarily as Timba DJ’s.  During the last 10 months of the club’s existence, I was reduced to a monthly residency as a cost cutting measure at the club…lo bonito y lo feo.   Jelly’s finally went kaput in October 2010 after a fatal shooting incident during an off night hip hop event which eventually sunk the club.  They were forced to close by the Port Commission and the club closed.  We closed the club in typical Jelly’s fashion with Julio Bravo and Salsabor, DJ Walt Digz and myself doing the spinning honors that evening.  It was a packed crowd from start to finish.  Ever since the club closed, promoters have been trying to capture the Jelly’s magic but they haven’t been able to do it.  However, they have developed their own distinctive scenes such as the Seahorse in Sausalito and Cana.  I have been hearing about new clubs opening up on Sunday.  The advance hype is that they are “the new Jelly’s” hoping to appeal to sentimental ex-patrons who perhaps are frustrated with the current Sunday salsa scenes.  Those folks who have this notion have completely missed the point of what was happening at Jelly’s during those days…it was a special time and place.  There was an unpretentious vibe.  It didn’t matter if the place was a dump, it was your Sunday meeting place where you could hear and dance to great music.  It was the real thing not hype.  R.I.P. Jelly’s con...

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Clefs and Notes – Tito Puente’s 90th Birthday

Posted by on Apr 21, 2013 in 2013 | Comments Off on Clefs and Notes – Tito Puente’s 90th Birthday

Yesterday would have been Tito Puente’s 90th birthday!  So I played a short but sweet tribute to El Rey Del Timbal on my radio program “Con Sabor” last night.  Playing just one set of TP is a challenge because of the volumes of material that this late prolific master produced during his lifetime.  So I played a special set of (in order) “Tito On Timbales”, “Barbarabatiri”, “Cuando Te Vea”, “Happy Cha Cha Cha”, “Nina Y Senora”, “Picadillo Jam” (with Eddie Palmieri!) and ended with “Celia Y Tito” featuring Celia Cruz.  I probably would have done the whole set differently in another program.  But that was the beauty of Tito’s music.  The range, scope and depth of the recorded music that he came out with was astonishing.  You also have to mention the powerful live performances that I will remember and...

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Carnaval

Posted by on Apr 18, 2013 in 2013 | Comments Off on Carnaval

During the last couple of years, I had the great pleasure of working in Carnaval San Francisco as Entertainment Coordinator by the late SFCAT organization.  I had previously worked in that capacity in 1983 and from 1986 to 1998 for the late MECA organization.   I go back to Carnaval to when I marched in the first Carnaval parade in Precita Park back in 1979.  I was asked by SFCAT to coordinate one of the stages in 2011.  Last year was particularly sweet since I oversaw and ran the entire outdoor Entertainment operation (like the old days) assisted by a great crew of emcees, backstage help, stage veterans and sound pros.  I felt that we did San Francisco proud with a varied, exciting and eclectic show that featured the best in Salsa, Brazilian, Caribbean, Cumbia, African, World, Funk, Hip Hop and Rock in traditional and contemporary forms.  In other words, we presented great music that complimented the other parts of this unique massive event!   The operation ran well despite the obvious challenges, trials and tribulations that come with the territory.  I was looking forward to possibly repeating my role this year but a funny thing happened on the way to the repeat.  SFCAT went kaput!  Apparently the organization was in substantial debt and wasn’t able to fundraise and maintain their infrastructure.  There was talk that the two day festival that framed the spectacular Sunday Carnaval parade was in danger of being cancelled.  SFCAT’s management negotiated with a community based coalition led by my former MECA boss Roberto Hernandez, a master of reinvention and charismatic media manipulator, to take over the festival.  Because of SFCAT’s financial woes, Roberto and the community coalition have taken over the entire Carnaval operation.  Hernandez even came up with a catchy sound bite that I will paraphrase “You don’t cancel Christmas, You don’t cancel Carnaval”.  An emergency community meeting took place where the call was sounded for 500 volunteers to help with the event and to solicit possible sponsors and for money to be donated.  I wasn’t able to make the Brava Theater meeting because I had a DJ gig with Bajofondo at Bimbo’s that evening.  Roberto already had installed his own team of players to run the event.  Due to these developments, I wasn’t asked to be involved in this year’s event.  However, I’m not bitter, I have fond memories of my Carnaval years.  After all, life runs in cycles.  I wish the Mission community a tremendous amount of luck in their noble quest.  It looks like it may be downscaled due to the economics and tight time schedule.  Hopefully they’ll succeed in pulling it off because Carnaval has to survive.  There is no other event that comes close to creating that...

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