Emceeing: The Thrill Of It All
I have been asked to MC for tonight’s show featuring Grammy Award Winners Pacific Mambo Orchestra featuring renowned sonero Herman Olivera at Yoshi’s in Oakland. It’s always an honor to emcee a prestigious show featuring musicians that you admire, support and actually play their music. Emceeing is an acquired skill honed by years of experience, stage time and learning from watching the best doing their thing. Speaking for myself, it’s not just knowing what to say about the artists that you are presenting but having the knowledge of their music, history and accomplishments. It’s also the art of presentation, knowing what to wear for the occasion and preparing your introduction. Hopefully you’ll do it with class and a taste of show biz. The years of experience will help you develop your own style. When you’re backstage, you’ll also have to deal with your thoughts, last minute script changes and nerves (we all get them) at the moments before you’re on stage. That all disappears once you are focused and when you get on stage. You take the microphone in your hand, gaze out into the bright lights and start..”Ladies and Gentlemen, Damas y...
Read MoreCon Sabor Top Picks 2017/Salsa-Latin Jazz-Musica Cubana
I am sharing with you my top picks in Salsa/Latin Jazz/Musica Cubana for 2017. Here are the the picks: Doug Beavers “Art Of The Arrangement” Ruben Blades w/Roberto Delgado & Orchestra “Salsa Big Band” Javier Fernandez “The Eternal Classic 2” Eddie Palmieri “Sabiduria” Isidro Infante “Cuba y Puerto Rico: Un Abrazo Musical Salsero” Arturo Ortiz y 7 Con Calle “Cuentos De La Calle” Yumuri “Changanero” Dayme Arocena “Cubafonia” Septeto Santiaguero “Raiz” Arturo O’Farrill/Chucho Valdes “Familia” Oscar Hernandez/Alma Libre “The Art of Latin Jazz” Hilario Duran “Contumbao” Pacific Mambo Orchestra “Live At Stern Grove” Orquesta Borinquen “Pa Que Tu Lo Sepas” Los Rumberos De La Bahia...
Read MoreBenefit for Puerto Rico This Friday 12/1-Roccapulco
Puerto Rico continues to be in bad shape after Hurricane Maria. There are thousands of residents still without electricity, clean water, medical supplies and food. El Vacilon (formerly of Treasure Island) Productions is throwing a bash with great vocalists from Puerto Rico and New York this Friday evening, Dec. 1 at Roccapulco, 3140 Mission Street in San Francisco starting at 9 pm. The show will feature internationally acclaimed recording artists Frankie Vasquez, Michael Stuart and Mel Martinez. They will be backed up by great bands such as Karabali, Avance and Taino respectively. Karl Perazo, timbalero and percussionist extraordinare of Santana fame will be featured with both Karabali and Avance. DJ’s Carlitos Way and La Niche will be spinning all night in-between sets. The suggested donation at the door is $25. Bring your dancing shoes and get ready to sweat to support Puerto...
Read MoreSF Bay Represents with New Recorded Music!
We are so lucky in the San Francisco Bay Area that so many talented musicians make this area their home. As a result, we are enjoying a welcome surge of new recorded music from these fine talents. One of the hot, new bands that have emerged in this area is Grammy award winning vocalist/percussionist Braulio Barrera and Somos El Son. Their new recording “Somos El Son” is a delicious sampling of their explosive brand of Salsa and more. Barrera, a member of Pacific Mambo Orchestra, is a fine vocalist and exceptional percussionist who leads a top notch band of Bay Area based heavies who packed a tremendous swing. The veteran group of bad boys Orquesta Borinquen have returned with their new recording “Pa Que Tu Lo Sepas”, their follow up to their 2007 cd “El Trombonista”. Their new recording is full of great arrangements, a collaboration with special guest Willie Torres of Spanish Harlem Orchestra fame and slammin’ tunes. The band now led by trumpeter Bill Ortega Jr. and featuring vocalist Carlos Xavier shines on this recording. A strong effort from this fine band. Percussionist Silvestre Martinez has put out a fine Latin Jazz recording “Vengo De La Costa”. Martinez whose credits include performing with Louie Romero’s Mazacote and the renowned Charanga orchestra La Moderna Tradition has a distinctive Mexican flavor interwoven into his Latin Jazz fabric. Check out the tracks “Wildcat” and the title track to appreciate his unique approach....
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