Search Results for: Cuban music

Clubs Tour in Tennessee

North America / USA / Tenessee

Do you want to party in Tennessee? Then, this tour is made for you! It is the perfect opportunity to meet people and dance Latin tropical music all night in the best clubs of the moment.

The Rumba Room

The tour starts with The Rumba Room nightclub every Friday and Saturday from 9:30 pm to 3:00 am. Remember to bring your ID and try the mojitos. Guys first shot is on the house.

The Rumba Room is the first salsa nightclub located in downtown Memphis! Their mission is to introduce Latin culture to the Greater Mid-South through food, music, and dance.

The Rumba Room specializes in Latin food, tropical mixed drinks and live entertainment. They feature salsa lessons, live salsa bands, dance competitions, shows, concerts, after- parties, and reservations for private events.

THE RUMBA ROOM

There’s a swanky bar area, a colorful mural, a menu full of Cuban and Latin-inspired appetizers, and a large dance area that pulses with a salsa beat. Primarily a DJ-driven dance club, the Rumba Room offers salsa music every Friday and Saturday night, with an occasional live band featured. Free salsa lessons are offered both evenings starting at 09:30pm. On Friday nights starts at 07:00 p.m until salsa time. The minimum age is 21; entry for salsa nights is 18 and up; ladies over 21 are free until 10 p.m., and there’s a $10 cover for all others.

Website: www.memphisrumba.com Address: 303 S. Main Street, Memphis, TN 38103, USA.

FRIDAY

Bachateame Fridays

9:30pm – 3:00am Free bachata lesson at 9:30pm. Ladies free all night. Guys first shot is on the house.
The Rumba Room – Bachateame Fridays

SATURDAY

Salsa Saturdays

9:30pm – 3:00am Free lesson at 9:30pm. Best DJs in town.
The Rumba Room – Salsa Saturdays

Salsa Puerto Rican And Latin Cuisine

Explore the limits of your Nashville experience by dancing in this most important nightclub in Tennessee! You will know why Salsa is the queen of the parties and you will meet many people with the same passion as you for this tropical rhythm.

In January of 2013 Salsa Puerto Rican and Latin Cuisine opened its doors to the public in the heart of this city, bringing new flavors to Music City and adding the Caribbean taste to the great cultural variety of Nashville, with Latin dancing evenings and special events.

FREE Salsa Dancing Lessons are presented every Tuesday, starting at 8pm. Aquí el instructor Francisco te ensenara los pasos básico de la Salsa, si eres principiante, para que aprendas a bailar esta música con facilidad y adoptes este ritmo rápidamente. La meta de Francisco es que tú aprendas a bailar Salsa. Es sencillo, te divertirás y socializarás a la vez. No Cover. Free Parking.

Address: 818 Palmer Pl, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.
Website: www.salsarestaurantnashville.com

404 BAR & GRILL

No queuing, no stress, just one of the best experiences of your life in the nightlife town of Nashville. EVERY SATURDAY, Sexy Salsa Dancing, 08:00pm. As always, on the main floor, we will be playing the hottest mix of Salsa and Bachata with just a splash of Cha Cha, Merengue, and Cumbia. It’s a mix that is proven to keep you on the dance floor all night long, so join for great music, people, and a cool time!

Joining for a very special Havana Nights! They will also be opening up the back patio for Kizomba by Moonlight, a separate area strictly kizomba and some afrohouse. (Weather permitting)

It has a small parking lot, but there is also plenty of free parking in the lot across the street.

Ticket: 8,00 USD/per person
9:00pm Salsa Lesson
10:00pm-01:00am Open Dancing
$8 cover charge
Website: www.404barandgrill.net
Address: 404 Elysian Fields Rd, Nashville, TN 37211, USA.

IBIZA NIGHT CLUB

And finally, take a walk on Ibiza Nightclub. A Club with 11 years of experience and great reputation in South Nashville. Their owners are Colombians and they put 100% Latin music: Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Reguetón, etc…, punctured by Djs. They have a great musical repertoire that walks you from the great old successes until the present time. You dance all night and the safety is best.

Parking: In the street or beach
Open: Thursdays – Saturdays: 21:00-03:00 & Sundays: 22:00-03:00
Address: 15128 Old Hickory Blvd, Nashville, TN 37211, USA.
Facebook: Ibiza Night club

Rey Ruíz visits the Salsa Museum and talks about his prolific career

The Salsa Museum is celebrating the tremendous and valuable support of Cuban singer-songwriter Reinerio Ruíz Santiago, known to the world as Rey Ruíz, whom I had the pleasure to interview along with El Rubio Boris on our show Salsamania.

The artist was not only in our facilities to tell us important details about his career and share some of his time with us, but he also granted us the honor of gifting us one of the suits he used to wear for several of his most important shows. We are very grateful for the distinction he has made with us, and now let us mention some of the most important topics we discussed with the salsa singer.

Rey posing for the camera — Cuban singer-songwriter Rey Ruiz posing for the camera

Rey’s life in Cuba

Rey sang since his childhood to the point that his parents said he sang songs without words and started imitating the sounds his father taught him. He began to study music in sixth grade in his native Cuba, but his interest went far beyond simple childlike curiosity, so his parents enrolled him at the music conservatory in Havana so that he could have a more formal training.

Soon after, he appeared on Cuban television and sang for the orchestras “La Riverside” and “Los Dadas” at the then Habana Hilton.

Rey’s beginnings in music

Among many interesting things, Rey told us that he left his country at the age of 24, turned 25 in Miami, and arrived in Puerto Rico at 26. Shortly after arriving in Miami, he took a salsa demo to a record label, since Puerto Rican salsa was experiencing a long boom at the time, so they advised him to choose that genre.

Then, he got down to work with his producer Toby Villarini, recently deceased, to create the album.

Following the success obtained, the record label asked him to move to Puerto Rico, where they got him an apartment for about six months so he could make a life there and focus on his music. He then began working with musical director Guillermo Calderón’s orchestra, until Rey felt confident enough to say that the orchestra was his about a year later.

In 1994, he released his second album ”Mi Media Mitad” and the cover includes a very young Rey on a mountain of salt posing for the camera in a beige outfit and with a big smile on his face. The arrangements were made by Ernesto Sánchez, who also passed away recently at a very young age.

What Ray Ruiz is doing now

When El Rubio and I wanted to know what Rey is doing now, the singer confessed that he had chosen a career in which work never ends and that always makes him seek progress. “You’re always looking for ways to produce something new and show people what you’re doing at the recording and show production level.” In fact, the day after the interview, on February 14, he had a concert to celebrate Valentine’s Day at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.

Johnny and Rey — Johnny Cruz and Rey Ruiz at the Salsa Museum

He told us that it was the first time he performed as a solo artist at this venue, something he wanted to do for many years and finally got it. Never before has he performed in New York without the company of another artist or orchestra, so he was very happy and excited about living that new experience in his career.

Opinions about the Salsa Museum

Rey Ruiz had to leave soon to make final arrangements for the next day’s show, but we could not let him go without asking for his honest opinion about the Salsa Museum. When we asked him, he told us that he loved the place and that seeing what the museum exhibits was like seeing history. The history of salsa and all the artists who have been part of that genre. He also said that being here was like going to school because, even he who has been in this business for so many years, he has learned a lot from what he has seen.

He concluded by saying goodbye and thanking us for the opportunity to share with us and be on our platform.

Latin Bayarea WebSite

North America / USA

Latin Bayarea WebSite

At present, the search for information about Latin music and its culture in California (USA) has been put into the technology, because it is a very practical tool. On the internet, you can find an online site where you can investigate practically everything: music, culture, entertainment, clubs and concerts. The Web site is Latin Bay Area.

Among its many events that advertise monthly is that of:

Mariah Parker’s Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble CD Release Concert

This concert celebrates the upcoming release of Mariah Parker’s new CD, Indo Latin Jazz Live in Concert.

According to Latin Beat Magazine, Mariah Parker’s Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble “blends the rhythmic syncopations of Latin jazz music with the entrancing, asymmetrical meters of East Indian rhythms resulting in first- class world music. Intriguing melodies that draw musical inspirations from the tempos of Brazil, Cuba, India, and Spain make for an uplifting serene yet passionate musical journey into an idealworld.”

Sunday, January 22, 2017, 7:00 PM Freight and Salvage

2020 Addison Street

Berkeley, California

Tickets: $24 in advance, $28 at the door

For more info, call (510) 644-2020 or visit www.thefreight.org

Featuring Mariah Parker (composition, piano, santur), Paul McCandless (woodwinds), Matthew Montfort (guitar), Kash Killion (bass, cello), and percussionists lan Dogole, Brian Rice, and Michaelle Goerlitz.

Indo Latin Jazz Live in Concert CD Release 1/20/17

Lanzamiento del CD "Indo Latin Jazz Live in Concert", 20/01/17 — Lanzamiento del CD “Indo Latin Jazz Live in Concert”, 20/01/17

In 2009, Mariah Parker launched her Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble with a sold- out debut concert at Yoshi’s in Oakland, California. Mariah’s new release for AncientFuture.com records, “Indo Latin Jazz Live in Concert,” captures the magic of that first performance, as well as subsequent Northern California concerts at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, the Throckmorton Theater in Mill Valley and a studio session at Bob Weir’s TRI Studios in San Rafael. These multi-track live recordings were painstakingly mixed and mastered over a seven-year period by veteran Ancient Future producer Matthew Montfort. Indo Latin Jazz Live in Concert is a follow-up recording to Sangria, Mariah’s debut CD, which received airplay on over 468 New World, Jazz, and Latin radio programs, and earned over 365 reviews and media placements, including two songs that ascended to the Smooth Jazz Now Top 100 Songs of 2009 Chart.

Bios Mariah Parker

(Composition, piano, santur) http://www.mariahparkermusic.com

“Parker, who holds a degree in music from UC Santa Cruz, wrote the eight instrumental compositions on this exquisite collection of pieces that fuse Latin rhythms with influences from South America and India with a dash of straight-up American jazz. It’s an intoxicating blend of East and West performed by musicians of astounding virtuosity. Like all the best jazz bands, this group is as disciplined as it is innovative, stopping on a dime when the composition calls for it and soaring into gorgeous landscapes of free association the next moment that are as pleasing as they are adventurous.

This is sophisticated stuff, an album of global fusion performed by a group with character, charisma and the confidence that comes across when world-class musicians at the top of their games come together and create magic in the here and now of a live performance.” -Marin Independent Journal

Mariah Parker has been playing music from the time she could reach the keys on the grand piano in her family home. While completing her degree in music at UC Santa Cruz, she worked with ethnomusicologist Fred Lieberman and drummer Mickey Hart on the “Planet Drum” project and became fascinated with the possibilities of bridging musical concepts from different traditions.

She has performed her original compositions in festivals in the US and Europe. A gifted composer and band leader, she released her first solo recording of her compositions, “Sangria,” in February of 2009. This release received extensive airplay and critical acclaim worldwide.

“Dazzling…. Parker’s subtle and sensuous sounds reflect exotic flavors of India, the Middle East and Latin America.” -Palo Alto Daily News.

Matthew Montfort (Scalloped Fretboard Guitar)

Recently recognized as one of the world’s 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists, Montfort is a pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar and the leader of the seminal world fusion music ensemble Ancient Future. He has performed concerts worldwide, including at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain near Barcelona and the Mumbai Festival at the Gateway of India in Bombay.

Paul McCandless (Reed Virtuoso)

During a distinguished career spanning three decades, Grammy-winning woodwind virtuoso Paul McCandless has brought a soaring lyricism to his playing and composing that has been integral to the ensemble sound of two seminal world music bands, the original Paul Winter Consort and the relentlessly innovative quartet, Oregon.

A gifted multi-instrumentalist, McCandless has specialized in an unusually broad palette of single and double reed instruments that reflect his grounding in both classical and jazz disciplines.

lan Dogole (Global Percussion)

Ian Dogole is an accomplished bandleader, composer, and multi- percussionist who has recorded and performed with artists such as Hamza el Din, Tito La Rosa, Ancient Future, and Alex de Grassi on a wide variety of percussion instruments, including udu, cajon, hang, African talking drum, kalimbas, cymbals and dumbek.

Kash Killion (Bass, Cello)

Kash Killion plays cello, bass and assorted African and Middle Eastern stringed instruments, and has worked with Donald Byrd, George Cables, Billy Higgins, Cecil Taylor, John Zorn, Sun Ra, Butch Morris, George Lewis, Reggie Workman, and the Sun Ra Arkestra.

Brian Rice (Latin Percussion)

Brian Rice is a highly acclaimed musician specializing in Latin, Afro- Cuban, and Brazilian percussion who performs with acts such as Mike Marshall with Choro Famoso and the Antionio Calogero Quartet featuring Paul McCandless and Mike Manring.

Michaelle Goerlitz (Latin Percussion)

A talented percussionist with a focus on Brazilian, Afro Cuban, Venezuelan and Peruvian rhythms, Michaelle has played, recorded and toured with Mark Levine, Wayne Wallace, Houston Pearson, Denise Perrier, Joan Jeanrenaud, the Pickpocket Ensemble, Samba Rio, Novo Tempo, Bossa 5-0, and many others.

Willie Colón The “Architect of Salsa” Enters Immortality

February 21, 2026, will be etched into the history of Latin music as the day the “street trombone” fell silent to become an eternal echo.

A Sorrowful Farewell: February 2026

After several days of uncertainty and reports regarding his delicate health, the passing of William Anthony Colón Román was confirmed in New York City at the age of 75.

Willie Colón, the Architect of Salsa, Passes into Immortality

Producer, trombonist, visionary. He was the architect of a sound that broke the mold and redefined salsa from New York for the entire world.

With his aggressive trombone, his innovative musical concepts, and his leadership within the historic Fania All-Stars, he marked an era that can never be repeated.

The musician, who had already shown signs of physical frailty following his retirement from the stage in 2023, suffered severe respiratory complications that kept him hospitalized during his final days.

Iconic figures like Rubén Blades and the entire Fania family have expressed their grief, noting that we haven’t just lost a musician, but the “Malo” (The Bad Boy) who revolutionized the visual and sonic identity of Latinos in New York.

A Legacy of Rebellion and Sophistication

Unlike other bandleaders, Willie Colón didn’t just make music; he told cinematic stories. From his early days with Héctor Lavoe to his era of social consciousness with Rubén Blades, Colón transformed salsa into a vehicle for urban narrative.

With his aggressive trombone playing, innovative musical concept, and leadership within the historic Fania All-Stars

Innovation: He was responsible for putting the trombone at center stage, creating that “heavy,” raw sound that defined the Bronx.
Identity: Through his iconic album covers (emulating FBI “Wanted” posters), he constructed the mystique of the Latin anti-hero.

His Eternal Anthems

Willie Colón’s catalog is the backbone of every party and social reflection in Latin America. Among his most remembered tracks, more relevant today than ever, are:

Song	Significance
El Gran Varón	A milestone in social lyrics regarding identity and redemption.
Idilio	The most romantic and melodic facet of his mature era.
Pedro Navaja	The ultimate expression of narrative salsa produced alongside Blades.
Gitana	A classic of sentiment and rhythmic fusion.

Beyond the Trombone: Activism and Service

In his later years, Willie Colón’s life was also defined by his work offstage. He served as an activist, a community leader in New York, and held positions in organizations advocating for Hispanic rights. His life was a testament to the fact that art and social commitment can walk hand-in-hand.

Producer, trombonist, visionary. Architect of a sound that broke molds and redefined salsa from New York to the world.

The Centennial on the Horizon

Though the Maestro has physically departed in 2026, his office and family have made it clear that his music will live on. Releases of unedited material and tribute concerts are expected as we pave the road toward the centennial of his birth in 2050.

“Time passes, and I am left unable to speak to you” Willie Colón.

His music will continue to speak for him on every corner where a trombone sounds and in every heart that feels the pulse of urban salsa.

His talent was more than rhythm: it was identity, the barrio, resistance, and living history. Today, we don’t just say goodbye to a musician; we say goodbye to a pillar, a North Star, and an entire chapter of our Latin culture.

Anecdote:

Willie Colón had a notorious incident in Medellín in 1985 when he refused to perform at the Iván de Bedout Coliseum because the promoters of “Rumba Producciones” failed to pay the agreed amount. Police arrested him along with 13 of his musicians, and they were detained for two days at the Belén neighborhood police station.

The audience, who had waited for hours, grew unruly, leading to riots that resulted in six injuries and significant property damage. This episode inspired the song “Especial No. 5,” which narrates Colón’s experience inside cell number five of that station.

Willie Colón had an incident in Medellín in 1985

Special Contribution by Julio Cesar Galindo Alarcón (Lima, Peru)

A posthumous tribute to the great Willie Colón (1950-2026): The greatest disciple of Mon Rivera by his own admission and today a legend of our passionate salsa.

Willie Colón: From “Classic Urban Salsa” to “Symphonic Salsa”

His musical production clarifies and proves that “salsa” does not only originate from Cuban and Puerto Rican rhythms, but also from American, Brazilian, and other Latin influences.

When Willie produced and recorded his 1977 instrumental-only album, El Baquiné de Angelitos Negros, he expanded the orchestral lineup to include violins, saxophone, flute, cello, and trumpet. While the work had little commercial success and went largely unnoticed during his triumphant career, it served as more than just a platform for his “salsa” fusions with Jazz, Funk, Soul, and R&B. It was the starting point for producing grander orchestral arrangements with a larger number of musicians, thus becoming the precursor to what is now known as “Symphonic Salsa.”

Four years after this beginning, in 1981, this “Symphonic Salsa” reached its peak when Willie released his second solo album, Fantasmas dedicated to and motivated by the loss of his younger sister, Cindy. The album included a track he composed, with musical arrangements by Luis Cruz, titled “Toma Mis Manos” (Take My Hands).

This piece, dealing with the somber theme of death, is considered by this author (due to the quality of the composition and the fabulous “Symphonic” orchestration) to be an authentic and grand masterpiece of “Classic Salsa.” It blends Funk, Soul, R&B, and Bossa Nova with Willie’s excellent vocals, serving as a spectacular prelude to that other legendary, yet often overlooked, symphonic track recorded in 1991 by the “Canary of Carolina,” the great Lalo Rodríguez: “El niño, el hombre, el soñador y el loco.”

To conclude, with the immense pain that his departure brings, I accompany this tribute with the aforementioned song: “Toma Mis Manos,” an unforgettable composition by the recent legend of our “salsa” the great Willie Colón, famously known as “The Bad Boy of the Bronx.”

The legendary musician and his wife Julia Colón were married for decades and share three children ( — The legendary musician and his wife Julia Colón were married for decades and share three children

Also Read: The legacy of Leopoldo Pineda, the ambassador of the trombone in La Maquinaria Fania All Stars

Adriana Mosquea: Between Strings, Winds, and Spirituality

Vocal Excellence, Instrumental Versatility, and Artistic Training

Adriana Carolina Mosquea Santana, born on August 25, 1993, in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, is a multi-faceted artist who has built a solid career as a solo singer, bassist, stage actress, and vocal coach.

Adriana Mosquea Between Strings, Winds and Spirituality

Early Training and First Steps

She began her musical journey at the age of five in school and church choirs. At nine, she entered the Centro de la Cultura de Santiago, where she studied singing, electric bass, and classical guitar. By age 17, she became the only female voice and bassist for the fusion group Oveja Negra.

After an accident that hindered the mobility of her hands for eight months, she defied medical diagnoses and achieved a full recovery through self-directed therapy, resuming her career with groups such as Sol Latino and La Piña Tá Dulce.

The Leap into Lyrical Music and Theater

In 2014, she received a scholarship from the La 37 por las Tablas school, joining the elite vocal group Les Cantatis. Under the tutelage of Roberto Guzmán and María Ligia Grullón, she performed pieces by Vivaldi, Pergolesi, and Tchaikovsky, and participated in the opera Carmen. In 2019, she was part of the choir for the opera La Traviata at the National Theater, conducted by José Antonio Molina.

Solo Career and National Projection

As a soloist, she has released tracks such as Humo y Humo and Zombie, performing at festivals like Arte Vivo and the Alliance Française. Her multidisciplinary project, Circo Imaginario, led her to open for the iconic Dominican rock band Toque Profundo.

Her appearance on Dominicana’s Got Talent in 2019 earned her massive recognition and excellent reviews from the judges. That same year, she joined Belkys Concepción y las Damas as a bassist and backing vocalist, sharing the stage with legendary figures like Johnny Ventura and Fefita la Grande.

Adriana Carolina Mosquea Santana, born on August 25, 1993 in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic

Professional Background and Academic Formation

Adriana’s dedication goes beyond performance; she is an art scholar. She holds a degree in Art History and is currently pursuing a degree in Special Needs Education, focusing on music pedagogy.

Key milestones in her professional journey include:

Oveja Negra: Her first professional group at 17, where she served as the bassist.
Son Santiaguero & Sol Latino: Projects where she explored Cuban Son and alternative rock.
Belkys Concepción: She performed as the bassist for the band led by “The Mother of Merengue,” highlighting Belkys’ overwhelming energy on stage.

Innovation During the Pandemic and Recent Collaborations

Between 2020 and 2021, she produced her album Arte, Magia y Libertad (Art, Magic, and Freedom) in collaboration with Venezuelan producer Daniela Yánez. Her singles have received nominations at the Indie Dominican Awards and Expo Cibao.

Additionally, she participated in the In Memoriam segment of the 2020 Soberano Awards and composed part of the soundtrack for the film La Soga 3. In 2025, she stood out in a tribute to Maridalia Hernández, performing the duet Te Ofrezco.

Pedagogical Work and Vocal Coaching

Currently, Adriana is a prominent vocal coach. She has been a key figure in the technical evolution of the artist Tokischa, working on projects nominated for the 2025 Latin Grammys and 2026 Premios Lo Nuestro. She is a graduate in Art History and is currently completing a Degree in Pedagogy at CESUMA University in Spain.

Excelencia Vocal, Versatilidad Instrumental y Formación Artística

“Singing is a means of expression and healing. My focus is on a balanced life and technical discipline to set the voice free.”

The Multi-instrumentalist and the Winds of Communication

Although her primary instrument is the bass (and double bass in her early years), Adriana is proficient in guitar, piano, drums, and ukulele. her foray into woodwind instruments, such as the clarinet and saxophone, was born from a spiritual search:

“Wind instruments work with air, which is communication. As an artist, I needed to work on my ability to communicate what I was keeping silent.”

Identity, Flavor, and Spirituality

Proud of her roots, Adriana describes Santiago de los Caballeros as a peaceful “city-countryside.” Her palate travels between the Dominican Sancocho de siete carnes and the Venezuelan Mondongo, a dish she confesses has captivated her.

For her, music and spirituality are tools for self-knowledge. She defines spirituality as the acceptance of human duality—seeking balance between light and shadow, far from the pretensions of the ego.

Also Read: Dominican bandleader and singer Papo Ross is triumphing in Montreal