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Luis Medina as a master of ceremonies, broadcaster, DJ and much more

Incredible conversation with Luis Medina

Luis Medina on the radio
This is Luis Medina on the radio

Good afternoon, everyone. We are here with broadcaster, DJ and event producer Luis Medina. Mr. Medina, how are you today?  

I am well and ready to talk to you right now.

Mr. Medina, you have a very long career as a radio presenter. You got started in this business in 1974. What led you to spend so much time in your career on the radio? 

In 1971 I was studying architecture at San Francisco State University, but in 1974 I changed my major to broadcasting and communications in the Department of Radio and Television. When I was a kid, I was always fascinated by broadcasters on TV with their microphones. My parents gave me a toy microphone, and I always imagined I was broadcasting. At the time I was accepted in the broadcasting program, I already loved salsa because my cousin  Stella played popular music for me since I was about 8 years old. I loved all kinds of music. At home, we always had the radio on, and my parents always listened to tropical music, which was very common at that time.

In 1974 my cousin Eduardo invited me to go to a radio station called KBRG to visit some friends who had a program called Venezuela Suya. In another studio in the station, there was a radio producer named Arturito Santiago, who was the master of ceremonies for the Gran Combo de Puerto Rico when they did dances in San Francisco hotels. When I saw him doing his job, I was intrigued. Two months later, my cousin called to tell me that he’d gotten involved in a community radio station called KPOO San Francisco and asked me if I wanted to help him with the show. I brought a stack of LPs, and we did the show from midnight until 6 am. I went a few times to help, but I could not maintain that pace because I was still in college.

A few months later, he called me to tell me that he had a show from 3pm to 6pm on Sundays. He told me he was talking to other people I knew in order to do the show together. I got a segment of 45 minutes to an hour to do whatever I wanted, so I decided to start programming salsa. I helped produce several programs until I had my own show. In 1979, while I had a four-hour show on Saturdays on KPOO, KBRG’s program director, Al Carlos Hernandez, called me. KBRG was a powerful FM station at that time. That gave me the opportunity to do a commercial show.

DJ Luis Medina
Broadcaster Luis Medina with two maracas

I am part Venezuelan and part Mexican, but I grew up in the United States. I spoke Spanish perfectly until I was five years old, but when I started school, I just wanted to speak English in school and at home. When I turned 18, I decided to get my culture back and relearn to speak Spanish again. However, I’m wasn’t completely fluent in Spanish because I have to translate mentally from English. I explained the situation to Al Carlos, and he told me that he did not care. That’s how I became the first radio announcer to do salsa programming in English on a Spanish-speaking station. The program was called Sabor Caliente and it lasted about a year and a half, until they let me go due to philosophical differences. After that, I did specials in KPFA, until Víctor Castro, who produced the program Ahora, invited me to alternate weeks with him. I produced salsa shows on KPFA from 1983 to 1995.

What Medina has to say about all his combined activities

How do you balance your radio activities and event production and your job as a DJ?  

When I was a student at San Francisco State University, I became co-director of the university’s productions to present musical acts. From 1974 to 1976 I presented acts from various genres such as rock, R&B, and jazz, among others. I also presented some salsa and Latin jazz shows, including Pete and Sheila Escovedo, who were part of Roger Glenn’s band, Benny Velarde and others. I became friends with Pete and Sheila before Sheila became Sheila E and I also worked with Pete’s brother, Coke Escovedo in the 70s.

Then I met Roberto Hernandez, who had an organization that helped produced the first major street fairs in the San Francisco Mission district together with a coalition of community agencies. I got involved with the fairs, which presented the famous singer Joe Bataan among others. It was the era of Latin rock, but salsa was also booming. I was part of the renaissance of salsa music that occurred on the radio, but I also had the opportunity to play an influential role in the community in the Mission. In 1977, the Mission Cultural Center opened in a furniture store ran by artists that were organizing it. I became part of the music committee and we presented performances and salsa groups that were growing in fame at that time. I was involved on the activities of the center until the 1980s, when some of us created a production group called CMP (Cultural Music Productions). During the 80s we did a series of dances, in which I worked as master of ceremonies. I already had experience as master of ceremonies because when I was at KBRG, they gave me the opportunity to introduce some great shows with Celia Cruz, La Sonora Matancera, Oscar D’ León, Cal Tjader and La Orquesta Broadway. I was also master of ceremonies for Brazilian carnivals for about five years. With CMP I was involved in dances with Willie Colón, Bobby Valentín, Oscar D’ León, and boxing champion Roberto Durán (who at the time wanted to be a salsa singer).

Eventually I left CMP, and I was contacted by Roberto Hernandez, who offered me the position of entertainment director of his new organization, MECA. I accepted and started to help him program the schedule for events such as the San Francisco Carnival, and the 24 Street Fair. I worked with Roberto until 1994 and we presented Santana, Los Lobos, Eddie Palmieri, Luis Henrique, Willie Colón, Yomo Toro, Mighty Sparrow, The Neville Brothers, Shaggy, and many more. When Roberto Hernandez left the organization, I stayed for four more years and worked with Manny Oquendo and Libre, John Santos, Pete Escovedo and Pancho Quinto. In 1998, the president of the organization Patricia Aguayo and I had some problems, so we stopped working together.

A radio DJ and a party DJ are two completely different things. It took me a little while to adjust to being a live DJ. In the early 1990’s, the producers at the Alta Vista club hired me from time to time. Then, they moved to a ship called Alta Vista del Mar in Pier 3, and occasionally hired me as their DJ.

Event producir Luis Medina
Event producer Luis Medina posing for or the camera

In 1994 I met a very ambitious young Venezuelan by the name of Adrian Goddard and started working with him at his club, 330 Ritch. It was a winning combination of Adrian’s talent as an event producer and my talent as a DJ and MC. I worked there for about nine very successful months, but then I had an opportunity with KPFA and I was forced to leave the club because the schedule conflicted. My priority was to produce my own salsa show (ironically, this program didn’t last long, but in 1997 they offered me the same slot, which would become the program Con Sabor, which I still produced today, 25 years later, at KPFA, on Saturdays from 9-11pm.)

A little later, Kimballs Carnaval hired me as a Latin House DJ, as this rhythm was very popular at that time. I wanted to please them, but it wasn’t a good fit. Eventually I was hired as a salsa DJ by the club Kimballs West. This opened other opportunities and I became the DJ in residence at the most prominent salsa clubs in San Francisco at the time, the legendary Jelly’s Cafe, where I DJ’d until it closed in 2010 and the popular Café Cócomo, which closed in 2014. I now DJ and MC primarily for special events and private parties.

Something very important in my story is that in 1997 I worked with Bill Martinez and Arturo Riera  and they both gave me the opportunity to be master of ceremonies for a very important series of concerts featuring Cuban musicians who were allowed into the States for the first time. I was the first master of ceremonies for a Los Van Van concert in San Francisco and I also represented my show and KPFA for their concert at Stern Grove in 2019. That was one of many times that I worked with that group.  I also was the MC   for Orquesta Aragon, Cubanismo, NG La Banda and other Cuban acts.

During the pandemic, I was offered a show with an online radio station called World Salsa Radio. I started the show Sabiduría con Tumbao on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 pm. What makes this show different from Con Sabor is that Sabiduría Con Tumbao is a conceptual program that focuses on certain musicians, musical themes and movements within salsa and Afro-Latin music. On the other hand, Con Sabor offers a broader perspective of salsa, Latin Jazz and música cubana from the classics to the latest.

Since the pandemic started, I produce all my radio shows at home. I managed to master the technology and built my own home studio. I am not afraid of technology or modern things. I go with the flow because I’ve learned that I should be at the forefront of technology and music. If I do not know something, I am going to research it right away. I keep an open mind and ears and I appreciate and listen to all kinds of music, something that was key when I was music director at KPFA from 2001 through 2014. In terms of my own programs, I really love salsa from the 70s, but I’m not stuck in any time period.

Eduardo and Luis
Our editor Eduardo Guilarte and Luis Medina

 

Preparence is close to the Panama Jazz Festival 2022.

From January 10 to 15, the Panama Jazz Festival 2022 will be held, this being this 19th edition, which will take place both virtual and face-to-face activities, so that the Biosafety regulations of the Ministry of Health will be met (“No cloth” masks and gel), where they are informed that to enter all events they will be asked for the card and QR code 100% vaccinated with a minimum of 14 days and 12-year-olds must present a negative Covid test 24 hours before.

It will be held at the City of Knowledge Athenaeum, where every day except for Wednesday (12) from 7 pm at the National Theater there will be a Gala night with Danilo Pérez and Kurt Elling, however the other days will be presented:

  • Monday (10): Panamá Connections and Mayra Hurley.
  • Tuesday (11): Borderlands Trio e Idania Douman.
  • Thursday (13): Global Messengers and Pz533-Global Jazz Womxn.
  • Friday (14): Antonio Hart and Solinka.

This year the festival of this edition will be dedicated to Frank Anderson born in Panama, Bocas del Toro on January 24, 1929, in Panama he met and played with many Cuban musicians; In New York, he played piano and directed several recordings by Vicentico Valdés and worked with other artists such as Marcelino Guerra, Polito Galíndez, Arsenio Rodríguez, Andrés Andino and Yomo Toro, Israel López “Cachao”, Clark Terry, and in 1950 he founded his own big band, the musicians were members of the Duke Ellington and Count Basie orchestras. In the 1970s he became musical director and accompanist for many Broadway plays such as Purlie, Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope, A Raisin in the Sun, Eubie !, The Wiz, and Guys and Dolls. He also recorded on the discs of those works.

In 2009 he was recognized by the New York State Senate for his musical contributions, particularly his role as organist in various Brooklyn churches and his most recent recording is Ochosi Blues (2015) by Benjamin Lapidus and Kari-B3 where he is accompanying with the organ. in its unique style and unmatched flavor that combines Caribbean music, jazz and more in a very personal way. Anderson currently maintains his residence in Brooklyn.

The International Artists to participate are:

  1. Kurt Elling Dúo with Danilo Pérez “Secrets are the Best Stories”:
    Renowned for his unique combination of robust swing and poetic acumen, two-time GRAMMY winner Kurt Elling secures his place among the world’s leading jazz vocalists. The New York Times proclaimed him the “most prominent male vocalist of our time.” Over a 25-year touring and recording career, he has won 3 Prix du Jazz Vocal, 2 German Echo Awards, 2 Dutch Edison Awards and been nominated for a GRAMMY Award fifteen times. He has had a 14-year career at the top of DownBeat’s Critics and Readers polls, and has won twelve Jazz Journalist awards for “Male Vocalist of the Year.”Elling’s voice is instantly recognizable, embracing listeners with her warm, rich baritone and navigating the four-octave range as a virtuoso improviser and compelling storyteller. The Guardian has named him “some kind of superpowered Sinatra” and “one of the great jazz vocalists of all time.”
  2. Kris Davis and Bordeerlands Trio with Eric McPherson, Stephan Crump:In Borderlands Trio, the collective efforts of bassist Stephan Crump, pianist Kris Davis, and drummer Eric McPherson have luck on your side. In less than a year their chemistry is unusually deep. The title of their album Asteroidea is the Latin term for starfish, a creature capable of regenerating parts of itself, in turn related to the trio’s ability to constantly develop new landscapes. The word starfish evokes notions of both the ocean and outer space. “Gravity, magnetism, constellations, nature. With this band, we are always expanding and contracting, recontextualizing what surrounds us and heading towards the instantly inevitable. ” Crump comments.Asteroidea is a treatise on immediacy and a deep dive into the spectrum of responses to any gesture. Its rhythms are always transforming, its drama has wacky moments, and its creators are just getting started.
  3. Antonio Hart:He studied jazz at Berklee College of Music in Boston with Bill Pierce, Andy McGhee and Joe Viola. Of his friendships in Berklee, Roy Hargrove stands out, with whom he spends three years traveling the world and recording the first three Hargrove albums. During these years on the road, Hart completed a master’s degree at Queens College where he learned from teachers Donald Byrd and Jimmy Heath, who also produced the artist’s second recording ‘Don’t You Know I Care’.With his 1997 release, Impulse Records’ ‘Here I Stand’, he earned a Grammy nomination for ‘Best Jazz Instrumental Soloist’ and additionally participated in more than 100 guest recordings. Since its inception, Hart has recorded eight CDs as a leader. The latest JLP Jazz Legacy productions, ‘Blessings’.The artist balances his time as a full professor at Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, with touring with his bands, The Dave Holland Big Band and The Dizzy Gillespie Big Band.
  4. El Berklee Global Jazz Institute (BGJI):It is a musical performance program designed to foster creativity and musical mastery across various musical disciplines, with pianist and composer Danilo Pérez as its founder and artistic director.The BGJI provides a comprehensive contemporary music environment where students have the opportunity to explore their creativity to the highest level possible, advance the power of music as a tool for the betterment of society, and connect musical creative thinking with the environment. natural.
  5. Global Messengers:Directed by Panamanian pianist and composer Danilo Pérez, Global Messengers draws its unique spirit from the culture and experiences of its members, who come from Palestine, the United States, Greece, Jordan and Panama, with varied musical traditions and instrumentation to match. They are committed to the ancient practice of building community through rhythmically rich and melodically exciting music.* Danilo Pérez piano
    * Farayi Malek voice
    * Vasilis Kostas laouto
    * Layth Sidiq violin
    * Naseem Alatrash cello
    * Tareq Rantisi percussion
  6. The New England Conservatory (NEC):It was founded in 1867, being the oldest independent music school in the United States. Since its opening it has played an important role in the musical life of Boston and the world. Its mission is to provide a more rigorous education at the level of musicians of all ages and parts of the world. Additionally, we have teachers who encourage individual excellence in a welcoming community.NEC works for music to have an important place in people’s lives and for rigorous education and excellent recognition. Beyond the study of music, NEC teachers help explore the historical and social frameworks that support our musical traditions.
  7. PS-533:It is the number of a class called “Musical Performance and Social Activism” for the Berklee Global Jazz Institute Master’s Program at Berklee College of Music. The PS refers to the department of “Performance” and 533 refers to an upper level class open only to graduate students. Patricia Zarate, a teacher of this class, organized this group in 2022 to present the Global Jazz Womxn (women and dissidents) that stand out as alumni and of the program. The letter “S” was changed to “Z” to reflect the change from a school environment to a professional environment led by Zarate.

The National Artists to participate are:

  1. Solinka: better known as Solange Arias, she was a public servant in the 1950s, working as a secretary in the Ministry of Education of Panama, has a beautiful voice and is very attractive, so a Cuban agent convinced her to be a singer of professional sauce. In those years, men dominated the salsa genre, which is why Solange was not successful at first. It was in Peru that she became a sensation as a salsa presenter, so much so that one journalist wrote that her performance was as brilliant as an “Inca sun,” a nickname she adopted as her stage name, changing the c to a k. Later he found success in his native country and signed a contract with a record company, traveled a lot and won the first prize at the Valparaíso international song festival.

  2. Idania Dowman: She has a privileged and unmistakable voice that has transcended throughout her 27-year career. Daughter of the renowned Panamanian calypsonian Lord Byron. She publicly began in the Church where she was director of the Archdiocesan Choir of Panama and was part of Jazz Effects of Panama with Reginal Boyce. Today he has two groups of his own: The Emotions and Cache. He shared projects with Billy Herron, as he believes in the generational sharing of culture. He has represented Panama in Peru, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, Colombia, the United States and Dubai. She was recognized by receiving a Doctorate in Art from the United Graduate College and Seminary International (United States) for her career in ART, MUSIC AND CULTURE; by the National University of Panama in 2012 and 2014, and awarded the Golden Star Awards of the distinguished VIP Diplomática magazine of Peru in 2019.She is recognized for her virtuosity in each of her presentations, for maintaining her Afro jazz essence and being a defender of Panamanian culture.

    She is recognized for her virtuosity in each of her presentations, for maintaining her Afro jazz essence and being a defender of Panamanian culture.

  3. Panama Connections: Group made up of professors and scholarship students from the Danilo Pérez Foundation, under the premise of “community and sharing”, Panama Connections explores the creative possibilities between Jazz and its links with Pan-African and Caribbean folklore, from its compositions originals, arrangements and adaptations are focused on this fusion.
  4. Mayra Hurley: Singer, film and television actress, and broadcaster. The Panamanian singer-songwriter is inspired by her multicultural roots that are expressed in all her artistic expressions, from funk, salsa, to rock n’roll, each show is a live experience with Caribbean flavor. In his more than 10 years of experience in musical theater, he has worked under the artistic direction of Bruce Quinn and Edwin Cedeño and has participated in works such as Jesus Christ Superstar (2005), Cabaret (2006), A Chorus Line (2008), Peras en el huerto (2006-2012), Little Shop of Horrors (2010), en la guerra y el amor todo se vale (2011) and Hairspray (2013).He made his film debut in the acclaimed film Historias del canal (2014), presented in the official IFF Panama selection and at international film festivals in Spain, the United States, Costa Rica, Mexico, Canada and Jamaica. In 2019 he participated in the Panamanian film Escribiendo el General by Oscar Faarup and in 2021 he won the Panama positive award in the category Positive Artist.

Buy your tickets through https://panamajazzfestival.com/ or if you want to have other information, follow the following accounts:

6 Clubs To Dance Salsa In London

The Salsero Movement Begins In The Capital Of The United Kingdom In January 2022

Group of people learning to dance at the Soho Salsa Bar, Restaurant and Nightclub
Salsa Soho kicks off the New Year with Salsa classes on January 6th

The salsa parties don’t stop in London that is why here we make a list of the best places to dance Salsa during this first month of the year.

We started with the Bar/ Restaurant/ Nightclub Salsa Soho, listed by many as one of the most authentic Latin music venues in the UK. Here, you can enjoy Salsa classes from 7 PM to 9 PM (every Thursday), excellent dishes of South American origin, and 50 types of cocktails. This seven-day-a-week bar has been located at 96 Charing Cross Rd since 1997.

On Thursday, January 6th, the Cross Body Salsa lessons begin with two groups at the beginner and intermediate levels (7:30 PM & 8:30 PM), added to the Cuban Salsa and Rueda Casino classes at the same two times and levels with ten teachers in constant rotation. The cost of the class varies according to the amount chosen, for example, one class has a cost of £ 10 while two classes add up to a value of £ 15. The Salsa Soho Nightclub/ Restaurant has high-definition screens, an outdoor area, an area for smokers, and a great dance floor with Latin parties until 2 AM. The mix of Latin sounds goes by DJ Dani K, DJ Massimo, DJ Tuli, DJ Erick, DJ Dennis Dale, and more DJs in rotation. Admission is £ 5 after 9 PM, and you can get more information by visiting its website.

We traveled south specifically we landed at Hideaway, a club with an elegant and relaxed atmosphere, designed to appreciate the best of live music with a drink in hand due to its bar, and tasting the best international food prepared by the restaurant’s chef. In Hideway every Thursday night is the Cuban Hideway with Salsa Casino lessons to develop the skills of Cuban Salsa dance with qualified teachers. Beginning class is from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM, and lessons for intermediate students continue from 8:40 PM to 9:40 PM, culminating until dawn on the dance floor with DJ Rich, one of the specialist DJs in Cuban music from London. The entrance fee plus a class is £ 6 (£ 8 for live Cuban band nights – first Thursday of each month), and the price of both classes together with the entrance is £ 10 (£ 12 for Cuban band nights live – first Thursday of every month), and club entry alone is £ 5 (£ 7 on live Cuban band nights – first Thursday of every month). Hideaway is at 2 Empire Mews, Stanthorpe Road SW16 2BF.

Women dressed in black dancing at the Kona Kai bar in London
Kona Kai Brings 45-Minute Salsa and Bachata Lessons starting January 2nd

We continue with the tropical cocktail bar, Kona Kai. This Polynesian-inspired bar transports you to the southern shores and offers the Fulham Salsa & Bachata Club every first Sunday of the month with the Incognito Bachata Salsa team. The instructions of the Dominican rhythm are the first and begin at 7:30 PM followed by Salsa classes at 8:30 PM, ending with the social dance starting at 9:15 PM with the most recent hits of Salsa, Bachata, Cha-Cha, and other Latin rhythms.

Lessons last 45 minutes and begin on January 2nd. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, light clothing so you can dance the night comfortably, and $ 5 to pay for admission. At Kona Kai parking is at no cost on the surrounding streets and can be found at 515 Fulham Road SW6 1HD one minute and a half (walking) from Fulham Broadway Station.

We now walk through Hammersmith, Chiswick, and Barnes with the Azucar Club where they offer Salsa instructions for couples and singles taught for ten years by the Colombian teacher Ginu Nuñez every Monday at 8 PM. The first class is £ 10 and the subsequent ones are around £ 12. The benefits obtained in these classes are low impact dynamic exercise, coordination of body movements, concentration, easy learning environment, weight loss, positive self-image with a sculpted body, stress relief, and social interaction. Azucar Club is located on King Street, Hammersmith W6 9JT.

Couples dancing at Restaurant / Bar Gabeto in London
Gabeto offers Salsa classes in the Cuban, Colombian, and Puerto Rican style

Another Latin scene in London is the Gabeto Camden Restaurant/ Bar. This Cuban gem to the north of the city has two floors and an outdoor terrace; they serve genuine Latin dishes, modern British drinks with Afro-Caribbean touches, and have a wide variety of vibrant nightly events during the week.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday live the Salsa experience from January 4th with instructor Ramiro Zapata (from Bolivia) with more than 20 years of experience in Salsa. Ramiro teaches his Cross Body style with a mixture of Cuban, Colombian, and Puerto Rican Salsa. He also generates great focus on Cali (Colombia) style footwork, male body movement, and female style. The cost of the lessons varies according to the instructional time; one hour equals £ 10 while two hours cost £ 12. Lessons begin at 7:30 PM and end at 9:30 PM except on Sundays with Rumba Pa ’Ti classes that are from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. The Cuban spirit is found in Gabeto, located at Camden Market, The Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, just minutes from Camden Town and Chalk Farm stations. Only people over 18 can attend and for more details visit their website.

Smartly Dressed Senior Couple Dancing Salsa at Bar Salsa Temple in Londonn
Sundays at Bar Salsa Temple are 9 continuous hours of Salsa

We finished this tour of the 6 Clubs To Dance Salsa In London at Bar Salsa Temple. Every Sunday, they are explosively Salseros. DJs Jorge Andre & DJ Jlatino mix the most recognized themes of yesterday and today from Timba, Salsa, Cubaton, and Bachata. Salsa classes for beginners start at 6 PM, Bachata lessons at 7 PM, and Cuban Salsa instruction is at 8 PM. The cost for admission is £ 5 and the first Sunday, January 2nd, 2022 is the Salsero start at the Bar. Bar Salsa Temple is one of the most popular Latin clubs largest in the country and is located in Embankment, London. Join and experience the Sabor in detail on its official website.

News “En Clave”

Latest News of the Salsa Movement in Spain

artist dressed in light blue suit and white hat playing the trumpet
News “En Clave”! The most recent ISM section in 2022

This 2022 we come with more strength, new ideas, and recharged. In this first edition, we released a new section titled News “En Clave”. A space dedicated to the collection and promotion of the best shows, concerts, books, and the latest news from the Salsero environment & Latin rhythms in Europe and Asia.

Spain is one of the old-world countries that begin January 2022 with the best Salseros and Bachateros events. Here we will tell you each one En Clave so that you don’t miss out on going to one.

News “En Clave” In Spain

Luis Alberto Díaz "El Negri" playing the piano in the sound rehearsal
Cuban Pianist – Luis Alberto Díaz “El Negri”

We open the section to the northeast of Spain with La casa de Cuba in Barcelona, ​​El Sabor Cubano BCN. This Nightclub offers live music, Cuban Salsa, International Salsa, Bachata, and urban rhythms with DJs, it also has Salsa and Bachata instructors who give free lessons for beginners at 9:30 PM every Thursday and Sunday. The virtuous pianist Luis Alberto Díaz “El Negri” together with singer “Changui” will be playing the best songs of traditional Cuban music this Thursday, January 6th, and Sunday, January 9th, for two and a half hours. This will be one of the first live Salsa evenings that you can enjoy starting the New Year. El Sabor Cubano BCN opens its doors from 7:00 PM to 12:30 AM at Francisco Giner 32 Street, 08012, Barcelona. Have a memorable moment in this nightclub with a good atmosphere, friendly and impeccable service, and an authentic Cuban mojito. You find more details on their official social network.

We are still in Barcelona, and this time we walk through the Diobar Restaurant / Nightclub. This Greek restaurant has enabled a musical space every Thursday for Salsa and Rueda Casino classes. The duration of Salsa Thursdays is almost five continuous hours organized as follows: one hour of Cuban Salsa class and the next one in Rueda Casino, followed by the AfroCuban Jam Sessions live (open to all musicians). Starting at 9:15 PM there is a class for dancers of Intermediate / Advanced level with which they will acquire new skills for mastering individual steps, the couple turns, and Rueda figures. The cost does not exceed € 5, and the closest date is Thursday, January 6, 2022. A novel proposal to enjoy Salsa in the musical space of the Dionisos Born restaurant located at Marqués de la Argentera, 27 (ground floor) 08003 Barcelona, Spain.

colorful Cuban Party art at Matisse Club
Cuban Party begins January 12th at Matisse Club

We now jump to the east coast towards Valencia, and we run into the Matisse Club. We tell you that in this place of exhibition of events and culture they offer every Sunday the Cuban Party event, live Cuban music with AR-Latin (directly from the Caribbean island) playing Salsa, Latin Jazz, Son, and Bachata. This one-hour live show begins at 8:30 PM. Then you will enjoy six hours of Latin Quarter Session with DJ Sergio Falomir. Admission is € 10 and begins on Sunday, January 12th at the Sala Matisse. Enjoy a Latin music atmosphere with the Cuban Party event every Sunday of the month at Matisse Club located at Campoamor Street, 60, 46022, Valencia.

And the last News “En Clave” that I bring you is the Latin Dance classes in Salason in the northwest of the country at Lirio Street, 30 Cangas Do Morrazo, 36940, Galicia. This culture platform is designed for the reception of musical performances with exceptional acoustics and cutting-edge technology. Salason is a building structured in three independent but complementary environments at the same time. Salsa and Bachata classes will begin on Tuesday, January 25th, from 7:30 PM to 11:00 PM.

The Objectives of these Cuban-style Salsa and Rueda Casino classes, as well as the traditional Bachata lessons, are fun and disconnection to the routine with the rhythm of Latin music. Also, it improves coordination and body expression coupled with the new relationships that are established between people with similar pleasures.

On Tuesdays, there are two groups for intermediate students: The Salsa class starts at 8 PM while the Bachata group starts at 8:30 PM.

Thursdays are classes for beginners and have two times of choice: 8 PM and 9:30 PM. For more information, venture to visit its official website

We continue with Bachata…

group of people dancing at the Bachata Sensual World Congress
Bachata Sensual World Congress 2022 will be held in Girona

We start with one of the main congresses to be held the second weekend of this month (Friday 7th – Monday 10th) in Girona, a city located in the region of Catalonia, mainly known for its exuberant architecture of medieval origin and the historic Barri Vell neighborhood.

The Bachata Sensual World Congress (BSWC) brings great quality Bachata Sensual workshops with more than 16 qualified instructors of this Dominican rhythm and leading Salsa professionals worldwide. There will be live shows with more than 16 couples on stage and famous night parties during the three days of the event.

Girona becomes the international city of the Dominican melody with Bachata Sensual World Congress 2022

BSWC will take place at the Evenia Olympic Palace Hotel, Avinguda Del Rieral, 55 17310 Lloret De Mar, Girona. Tickets (Full Pass) range from € 140 and the event begins the first day at two in the afternoon ending on Monday, January 10th at five in the morning.

We continue, and it is the turn of the Winter Bachata Festival 2022. The particularity of this festival is that it will have night workshops with social dances, the instructors are mostly local, more than one continuous hour of shows, and a closing party. The musicalization throughout the weekend will be in charge of DJ Miguelón, DJ Salva, and DJ Yago in a shared room with the rhythms of Bachata and Salsa. Obtaining Full Pass tickets (€ 40) can be obtained through teachers or promoters and different payment methods by clicking here.  Remember that Winter Bachata Festival begins on Friday, January 21st, and ends on Sunday, 23rd, also returns for the fifth time to the Spanish municipality of Cullera at the Hotel Cullera Holiday, at Av. el Racó, 27 Cullera, Valencia.

Now we finish our trip in the center of the country, specifically in Madrid. During the first weekend of the month, the Magic Bachata Weekend event will take place with all the established biosafety measures: temperature measurement, Hydro-alcoholic Gel, and Mask (during the three days). Magic Bachata Weekend will begin on Friday, January 7th, and will end on Sunday, 9th. This weekend full of Bachata will feature 18 pairs of instructors of the genre conducting workshops, shows, and late-night Latin parties. You can get tickets online at La Salsa del Baile and the price at the door ranges from € 60. The venue will be the Hotel Eurostars Madrid Foro, Ronda de Europa, 1, 28760 Tres Cantos.

NOTICIAS CON SABOR- SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA/NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

News about the San Francisco Bay Area live music scene

The SF Bay Area live music scene has been slowly reopening since the Summer and these are the latest developments. The Seahorse in Sausalito continues to offer live Salsa on Sundays in November. The Sunday Salsa calendar for November includes rising Salsa star Carlos Xavier on Nov. 7, Edgardo Cambon y Candela on Nov. 14, Louie Romero and Mazacote on Nov. 21 and Anthony Blea on Nov. 28. The live Sundays also feature the DJ music of KPOO/KPFA DJ Jose Ruiz.

Space 550 at 550 Barneveld in SF that was offering Live Salsa with Bachata and Kizomba rooms on Friday and Saturdays are resuming their live music offerings on Friday nights. The popular Friday nights cater to the dancers featuring popular bands such as Orquesta Borinquen, Julio Bravo and Salsabor and VibraSON plus Salsa Congress type of DJ’s on the decks.

The Ramp at 855 Terry Francois Blvd in San Francisco continues to offer Salsa at their popular outdoor venue that offers live Salsa every Saturday from 5 to 9 pm and resident DJ Mendy continues his DJ sets until 11pm. Their November calendar features N’Rumba on Nov. 6, Orquesta La Original w/lead vocalist Alexis Guillen on Nov. 13, Karabali with Karl Perazo (of Santana) and Michael Spiro on Nov. 20 and La Clave Del Blanco on Nov. 27.

Rocky’s Market at Oakland’s Brooklyn Basin has finished their events season for the year. This new outdoor venue has been a welcomed addition to the local scene and has made quite a splash since offering live Salsa, Afro-Cuban, World music, Comedy and Dance shows. All-star percussionist Javier Navarette is the curator for the Modupue Sundays Latin shows. Dancers have enjoyed the live music of the SF Charanga All Star reunions featuring Dr. John Calloway, Anthony Blea, Marco Diaz, Christelle Durandy, Orlando Torriente and others, Edgardo and Candela, Pellejo Seco, La Mixta Criolla, Mio Flores Habana All Stars and Navarette and his all-star Socially Distanced Friends band! I look forward to next year!

Logo Rocky's Market Brooklyn Basin
Logotype of Rocky’s Market Brooklyn Basin

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Speaking about Anthony Blea…the all-star violin virtuoso has started a new Friday night scene at the Gestalt Bar, 3159 16th Street near Valencia in San Francisco. Blea, led his popular Anthony Blea y Su Charanga (aka Charanson) for many years and was part of legendary SF based bands such as Orquesta Batachanga and Tipica Cienfuegos. Blea is featuring his hot quartet which includes bassist Ayla Davila. Patrons can expect a hot descarga (jam session) with special guests to sit in every Friday night.

Popular Timba/Cuban music DJ Walt Digz has moved his El Timbon Wednesday nights to the Slate Bar 2925-16th Street between Capp and South Van Ness in SF. Digz continues to livestream his “El Timbon” three hour webcasts full of the latest Timba and Cuban Dance videos on Twitch every Tuesday night from 7 to 10 PM PST….Walt Digz is also part of the rotating all-star DJ crew that includes veteran DJ/Promoter Tony O (of Roccapulco fame) and DJ Leydis who are featured on various events produced by Jaffe Events at swanky hotel rooftops and exclusive venues in SF, Berkeley and Oakland. For more information, visit www.jaffeevents.com or check out their Facebook page.

The Peruvian restaurant Kimbara that now occupies the former large space that was part of Bissap Baobab on 3380-19th Street in SF’s Mission District is now offering DJ Salsa nights on Wednesday nights….Cigar Bar, 850 Montgomery Street in San Francisco continues to keep their doors open to Salsa aficionados and dancers on weekend nights. Recent bookings have included their Halloween bash featuring the dynamic Edgardo Cambon and Candela. Patrons can enjoy their drinks, food and cigars at this established North Beach venue for Latin music with no cover.

Restaurant Kimbara
The restaurant Kimbara’s interior

Don’t forget to check out the Northern California return of the explosive Grammy Award winners Spanish Harlem Orchestra for the holidays at the Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza in Monterey on Saturday, December 11th! Yours truly, Luis Medina will be your MC and DJ for this special event coming to Monterey! For tickets and more information, visit www.montunoproductions.com or call (510) 586-3215.

International Salsa coming to SF Bay/Northern California…. Look out for Ruben Blades Salswing Tour to land at Oakland’s Paramount Theater on Saturday, November 20th at 8 PM. Ruben will be backed up by the swinging big band of Panamanian bassist Roberto Delgado who are awesome live!! Blades will be performing selections of his current critically acclaimed recording Salswing as well as his vast repertoire of hits and crowd favorites. Salswing which combines Salsa, Jazz and Swing music is already on my top 20 list for this year!!

Gilberto Santa Rosa “El Caballero De La Salsa” and his orchestra will be at the San Jose Center For The Performing Arts on Friday, November 12th. Santa Rosa released one of the best Salsa recordings of the year “Colegas” last Fall featuring all-star duets with Tito Nieves, the late Tito Rojas, Issac Delgado, Herman Olivera and others!….Grammy award winners Grupo Niche from Colombia will be appearing at Roccapulco in SF on Saturday, November 20th as well…..Superstar Marc Anthony will finally perform after several postponements at San Jose’s SAP Center on Friday, December 17th. Anthony is riding high on the charts with Pa’alla Voy, his remake of the group Africando’s Yay Voy 90’s salsa classic.

Be sure to check out my radio programs Con Sabor every Saturday evening 9 to 11 PM PST on KPFA 94.1 FM and worldwide at www.kpfa.org. And…Sabiduria Con Tumbao every Wednesday night 5 to 7 PM PST on WorldSalsaRadio.com. Con Sabor past programs are just archived for two weeks at www.kpfa.org/archives. Sabiduria Con Tumbao’s past programs are archived at www.soundcloud.com. Just go to the World Salsa radio.com page to access the programs and check it out!!!

See you next time. Ciao 4 now!!!

World Salsa Radio
Logotype for World Salsa Radio

BY LUIS MEDINA, PRODUCER AND HOST OF CON SABOR ON KPFA 94.1 FM AND SABIDURIA CON TUMBAO ON WORLD SALSA RADIO.COM