Welcome To My Mambo
The 19 piece Pacific Mambo Orchestra has been making quite a splash in the SF Bay Area since starting their Monday night residency at Cafe Cocomo, one of SF’s major salsa palaces last November. Led by pianist Christian Tumalan and trumpeter Stefan Kuehn, this mighty band has been making Monday night a scene. Not that Tumalan and Kuehn are not busy…Tumalan leads Montuno Swing, a smaller band that’s been making quite a buzz and Kuehn, part of Mazacote, an explosive band led by former Willie Colon timbalero Louie Romero. Pacific Mambo has been boasting all star players in their ranks such as timbalero Karl Perrazo of Santana, vocalist-percussionist Omar Ledesma, saxophonist Pete Cornell and trombonist Mike Rinta. Not only are they playing classic mambo and latin jazz from the Tito Puente and Machito songbook but they are performing original material as well. The idea of maintaining a big band of that size in this day and age of tough economic times is amazing but also inspiring. The band was recently part of a live broadcast on my Saturday night program Con Sabor on KPFA 94.1 FM. They were swinging, exciting and powerful. However, Pacific Mambo Orchestra is not the only mambo in town. Bandleader Tito Garcia has been leading his smaller Orquesta Internacional for many years playing classic mambos and salsa. But the sight of seeing 13 horns wailing on stage has been driving a new and devoted audience to spend their Monday nights at...
read moreBack From Vacation to Grammy Reality
I’m back everyone from my blog vacation. A lot has happened since we last checked in. Latin Jazz and 30 other categories have been dropped from the Grammys. A big blow to the Latin Jazz genre that ranges from established giants as 9 time Grammy Award winner Eddie Palmieri to young upstarts such as Alfredo Rodriguez who have been making important recordings that has contributed to a current world wide Latin Jazz renaissance. Palmieri and percussionist-educator Bobby Sanabria in New York and locally, John Santos are leading the fight to have the category restored. The category was established in 1996 when Palmieri was governor of the N.Y. chapter. N.A.R.A.S., the academy that oversees the Grammys claims that there weren’t enough music submissions from the categories to justify their existence. But the Academy’s motives are being questioned due to lack of notice and transparency in dropping the categories without first informing its members according to Santos. It’s suspicious that this major decision comes on the heels of the Best New Artist category being awarded to jazz wunderkind Esperanza Spalding instead of massive teen idol Justin Beiber. The Grammys were full of surprises this year much to the apparent chagrin of the pop music establishment. Beiber’s manager took out a full page ad in the N.Y. Times criticizing the Grammys stating that they were out of touch. The Academy then reacted weeks later with the announcement of the category changes. The Academy’s decision sets up a policy that supposably now only the best of the jazz genre (including Latin Jazz artists) will have the opportunity to win the “real” jazz category. However that argument doesn’t take into account that the streamlining of categories will make it harder for deserving artists to get the recognition and honor of a Grammy nomination for their work. Santos and members of the Bay Area’s Latin Jazz community vow to fight until the category is restored. For more information on this issue…go to...
read moreMars Volta’s Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Live in SF
Mars Volta figurehead, musical director and guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez turned the Great American Music Hall upside down with his blazing, cerebral brand of prog hard rock. Joined by his Mars Volta counterpart vocalist/lyricist Cedric Baxter-Zavala, Rodriguez-Lopez spearheaded a group of tight musical virtuosos. The bespectacled Rodriguez-Lopez sporting an english style cap, who looks no older than 22 years old, impressed the crowd with his stunning forward thinking guitar solos, astonishing technique and musical vision. Baxter-Zavala, now sporting a clean cut look with short straight hair and his beard shaved off, dramatically acted out the songs, sang his heart out boasting with a voice reminiscent of Led Zepellin era Robert Plant and pulled his front man rock star moves with sheer intensity. They would take the audience on a melodic prog space ride and then pull the crowd into a left turn with a foray into avant funk. The in-sync instrumental ensemble who complimented Rodriguez-Lopez consisted of a mix of musicians, some from Mars Volta who played the two keyboards/electronics, bass and drums. The group mostly played new fresh material in preparation of their upcoming date at the Coachella...
read moreLos Muñequitos de Matanzas
On Monday, April 4th, the San Francisco Bay Area was treated to an extraordinary spectacle of Afro-Cuban rumba by the renowned Cuban drum and dance troupe Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. The first stop of their U.S. tour, San Francisco’s Mission High School Auditorium was packed with a sold out crowd of 1500 people who were treated to two hours of authentic afro-cuban folklore. Los Muñequitos de Matanzas under the direction of dancer Diosdado Ramos dazzled the crowd with their dynamic presentation. Their 6 dancers dressed in bright red and yellow costumes took the crowd on a journey which showcased the rhythms and dance of various styles of rumba: the yambu, columbia and guaguanco. The male dancers showed off innovations of the modern day rumba such as tap dancing while the females added their fierce sensuous flavor to the show. The music provided by the five talented percussionists and five vocalists was soul stirring. Their dynamic performance transported me to the solares (courtyards) of Cuba where the rumba is played traditionally. Los Muñequitos also brought out a young boy that joined the troupe near the end of the performance. He danced at the encouragement of the dancers. He is part of the new generation of rumberos who will ensure that the rumba will be preserved for future generations. Big thanks to the SF International Arts Festival and all the Mission community folks who presented the show. KPFA co-sponsored this historic...
read morePaulo FG keeps the Timba light burning!
The famed Yoshi’s Jazz club in Oakland was taken over by timba fever this past weekend. The occasion was the presentation of Timba/Cuban salsa idol Paulo FG and his orchestra La Elite. Paulo FG made the Yoshi’s audience wait for 40 minutes until he finally stepped on the stage. However, the wait was worth it. Paulo lived up to his reputation as a consummate showman who led his tight band with an abundance of energy, style and power. Starting with one of his signature songs “De La Havana”, he immediately seduced the crowd with his strong vocals and coordinated dance moves with his stylish co-ed coro section. The dynamic energy from Paulo and his singers was contagious as the audience enthusiastically responded with hands in the air, call and responses and dancing to all of his repertoire. His mighty orchestra responded by slamming down their sophisticated timba and cuban salsa wall of sound. By the time that his set ended past Midnight, the crowd left Yoshi’s sweaty, smiling and satisfied into the...
read moreFilosofia Caribena
The Bay Area’s renaissance man John Santos presents his sextet and special guests in the debut of their commissioned work “Filosofia Caribena” that promises to be a highlight of the current SF Jazz Spring Season on Saturday, April 2, 8 pm at the Herbst Theater, Van Ness & MacAllister Sts, SF. Over a year and a half in the making, this work inspired by Caribbean culture, history and reality, will combine a combination of various elements such as Afro-Cuban and Puerto-Rican folklore, Caribbean rhythms, Latin Jazz, Dance and Spoken word. Special invited guests include trumpeter-vocalist Jerry Medina of Batacumbele fame, renowned Cuban dancer Ramon Ramos Alayo and spoken word artist Rico Pabon. Santos just completed a community based fund raising campaign that was successful in raising the money required to secure a $10,000 matching grant. The first volume of the project will be released on cd in May, the second volume will be released sometime next year. Santos was a recent guest on my program “Con Sabor” and sneak previewed one of the tracks from Filosofia Caribena, the explosive “La Rumba Me Lleva”. Keep your plans open for this world premiere on April...
read moreQuick Tips/New Latin DJ Music
As music director of a major market radio station, I receive a tremendous amount of new cds, mp3 and demos every week. Latin music has always had its share of hybrids and sub genres due to inventive DJ’s and producers who have experimented and help create the new buzz in music. Check out the new music being created by DJ/Producers such as Dub Sonata, DJ Afro (of Los Amigos Invisibles) and Tremor of the ZZK Collective. These DJ’s are expanding the boundaries and reinventing dubstep, electronica and latin alternative in the...
read moreOld Salseros Don’t Die
On the advice of a colleague in the business, I visited the web site of veteran salsero/artist Henry Fiol. Henry who gained prominence in the 70’s as part of Saoco and later with his series of highly regarded albums on the SAR label, has made available two of his recent recordings on his web site. His newest effort “Salsa Subterreanea” (Underground Salsa) showcases all new material which is split into his classic sound of Cuban based son montuno, salsa dura and contemporary songs designed to update his sound and appeal to a wider audience. The good news is that Henry Fiol still is in fine voice and sounds like he was having fun making this recording. The music is expertly played with passion and guts. I liked the son montunos and salsa dura material more than the contemporary material but I did like the song “Dias Mejores Vendran”. Check it out on his web site: www.henryfiol.com. Old salseros don’t die but you do have to make an effort to find them these...
read morePrince Hangover
I’ve had a hangover for over a week. A musical hangover from attending the Prince concert last Thursday at the Oakland Oracle Arena. Performing from a huge stage shaped as his symbol that took the temporary place of his name in the 90’s, Prince loudly exploded on the colored fogged out stage with his sheer guitar virtuosity. He generously performed close to 3 hours of his greatest hits and crowd favorites. A master of his craft, Prince flanked by a stunning band and 3 dynamic female vocalists turned the arena into party central which also included a spectacle of anthems and slow jams. Guest star Sheila E. was elevated from underneath the stage with her timbale set and led the crowd with a rousing rendition of her 1984 hit “The Glamourous Life”. She later joined Prince on “Erotic City” and “A Love Bizarre” and performed with Prince for the rest of the concert. Funk Bass legend Larry Graham was featured on a segment which included tasty versions of Sly & The Family Stone hits along with his furious bass slapping. Prince went deep into his repertoire and played such gems such as “Delirious”, “I Wanna Be Your Lover”, “Purple Rain”, “Little Red Corvette” among others. Prince that was the wizard of this great show singing unforgettable songs, playing impeccably and taking all who attended to a higher plane through his...
read moreThe Art Of Dancing, Cuban Style
The 3rd Annual Salsa Rueda Festival took place this past weekend at San Francisco’s Hotel Whitcomb. Produced by the SF based Cuban dance instructor team of Nick Van Eyck and Serena Wong, the festival offered workshops with internationally renowned instructors teaching subjects ranging from rumba to danzon to rueda de casino from beginners to advanced dancers. The festival featured cocktail parties, live dance performances, the Bay Area’s best timba dj’s: Walt Digz, Antonio and Dark Rum and live music from the likes of Miami’s Timbalive, SF’s own timba superband Team Bahia and Rumbache. Even though it was pouring rain outside on Friday night, it was steamy inside of the Whitcomb’s ballroom whose dance floor was packed with wall to wall dancers groovin’ to the sounds of Team Bahia, DJ Antonio and Samba dancers celebrating Carnaval! What a scene. Vendors were selling their wares from music/dance videos from Cuba to unisex clothing. A few feet away, oblivious dancers were busy gracefully grinding their bodies to a steamy Los Van Van timba mix. San Francisco has become a mecca for Cuban music in the United States. The Salsa Rueda Festival exemplifies this movement with...
read moreLive Appearances
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