Opening Night At Tempo Latino 2010!
The lingering rain loomed over the Tempo Latino site cleared up by the time that the opening night festivities started. The World Music night kicked off the festival featuring the acclaimed Ojos De Brujo and pop singer/songwriter Sebastian Avispa. Avispa showed that he had a strong voice but his bland fusion of pop, middle eastern melodies and flamenco was tepid, banal and boring. He was clearly out of place at this festival. Ojos De Brujo had a dynamic opening number featuring their talented flamenco dancer Susana Medina providing the fireworks that framed Marina Abad’s vocals. However, Ojos seemed musically sparse due to the absence of two of their key members: DJ Panki and percussionist Xavier Turull. Ojos lacked the spark that have made them such a sensation in past shows that I have seen. However, the action was hot and heavy at La Conga night spot with the all-female French salsa band Yemaya La Banda who turned the crowd on their heads with their smokin’ repertoire, campy costumes, dance routines and top notch musicianship. The crowd begged for more at the end of their two hour set. I opened and closed the evening at La Conga with my brand of explosive dance music that kept the crowd dancing and sweating until the wee hours of the morning! The mix was dead-on for both the dancers and the hard-to-please salseros. My first gig at Tempo Latino went...
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Although Thursday, July 22nd was a rainy day in the small French town of Vic-Fezensac, the Tempo Latino festival office was a buzz of excitement. Executive producer Eric Duffau was busy coordinating his crew of paid and unpaid staff for the opening night festivities that featured the Ojos De Brujo concert in the small town’s Plaza De Toros (bullfight stadium). Duffau, a gray haired dynamo with great wit and a sincere passion for Latin music greeted my friend, colleague and fellow dj Enrique Romero “El Molestoso” and myself as the technical crew mounted the huge state of the art lighting and sound system on the massive stage that was built inside of the stadium. His dedicated crew of staff and volunteers ran around tending to last minute details before the press conference that officially opened the 17th annual edition of Tempo Latino which ran from the 22nd through Sunday July 25th . Duffau and his crew are part of an non profit association that produces the festival which has featured the creme de la creme of salsa performers from all over the world. Vic-Fezensac was taken over during these four days by thousands of salsa music lovers. The dj duties at the after hours parties at La Conga were handled by Enrique “El Molestoso” on Friday and fellow Barcelonian DJ Jacoviche on Sunday. I handled the dj duties on opening night and on Saturday night following the Choco Orta/Grupo Fantasma...
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My time visiting Europe came and disappeared in a flash! But what a flash it was experiencing the Tempo Latino Festival in the picturesque small French town of Vic-Fezensac. This festival now in its 17th year was full of rumba, soul and most of all…Salsa! The biggest outdoor Salsa festival in all of Europe featured 4 days of music that satisfied the most die-hard fans of Salsa and Latin music. The big outdoor concerts at the Plaza De Toros (bullfight arena) featured 2 prominent acts per night starting at 9:30 pm and going until 1 am. The “La Conga” nightspot was free to the public and featured a band and a dj starting around 12:30 am until closing time at 4:30 am. It was a large space that featured a stage, huge dance floor and a meadow with a sandy floor that could fit 4,000 folks. The festival also had smaller stages with free music that were outside of the Plaza De Toros. A large crafts fair leading from the entrance of the festival to the town featured everything from hats, jewelry to percussion instruments. Vic-Fezensac was alive with music, dancing and rumba! Most cafes and restaurants had their own dj’s, small groups and dance instructors…what a scene! The colorful decorations in the festival area were made by the large crew of volunteers who help make Tempo Latino a unique...
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Europe’s largest salsa festival Tempo Latino takes place in the town of Vic-Fezensac in the south of France near Toulouse next week from Thursday, July 22 through Sunday, July 25th. I will be traveling to dj two evenings at the annual festival that features an international lineup with a world music flavor this year. Past Tempo Latino festivals have featured the who’s whos of Latin Music. Headlining will be Trombonist extraordinare Jimmy Bosch’s all star band featuring top sonero Herman Olivera, PR salsa diva/percussionist Choco Orta, World music sensation Ojos De Brujo, Salsa Celtica from Ireland, Barcelona salsa dura from La Sucursal, Austin’s favorite party band Grupo Fantasma, solid salsa from Colombia’s Calambuco and Italo-Andoleuse vocalist Sebastian Avispa with his tasty fusion. Joining me in the after hour sessions at Le Conga which start at 1 am will be the French all female salsa band Yemaya La Banda on the 22nd and Barcelona fusionists Zulu 9.3. I’m am excited about playing music for the European salsa scene. Para el bailador y los exigentes con sabor! For more information, go to tempolatino.org. I will be reporting on the festival in the near future…check this...
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