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Latin Parties With “Sabor” In Vienna
Austria turns its capital into the most Salsera in Europe this first month of the year
Every year Vienna (Capital of Austria) becomes the center of the Salsero movement of the country and Central Europe. International festivals of the genre, dance academies, and Latin music clubs are found day by day with greater frequency. For this reason, today, I will inform you of four Latin events that will take place this month in the Austrian territory so that you can start with Sabor in January 2022.
Cuban Salsa Weekend
Billie’s Studio brings one of Vienna’s most fancy Cuban Salsa festivals in its tenth edition. These are two days of large workshops adapted to the level of each dancer or Salsa lover. Its classes vary in style, going from partner work to the rhythm of Timba to New York On2, Son, and Rumba style.
The Afro-Cuban movements will also be developed in the multiple levels of these workshops as well as the dance in Rueda and the like, expanding in this way to the maximum the skills and techniques of the Salseros movements always hand in hand with the musical key.
Even if you are a beginner or a professional dancer, the environment will always be enthusiastic due to the master classes of each of the trained instructors led by the Cuban dancer Osmani Segura.
This dance professional was born in Havana (Cuba). From an early age, he got into dance and was a member of several dance companies on the Caribbean island, which allowed him to perfect each of the Afro-Cuban rhythms such as Rumba, Mambo, Casino, and others.
He began teaching dance lessons in 2002 in his native country and later did it in Germany in 2006. Since 2010 he has shared his knowledge at Salsa Congress and festivals in Europe and the rest of the world.
Vienna Cuban Salsa Weekend will be exclusive and incredible from January 29th to January 30th, and its epicenter will be at Capistrangasse 10, 1060. The program will be comprised of Saturday, the day in which you will learn the body movements to the rhythm of the fusion of Timba and Salsa Casino, while Sunday will be full of Son and Timba. Prices range from 79 euros (Day Pass) and 129 euros (Full Pass).
Salsa and Bachata Saturday
Saturday nights are Salsa and Bachata at the Mi Barrio Bar/ Restaurant. In this Latin music restaurant, the essence and richness of the ingredients of South American food/ drink is respected, which makes the gastronomic offer a break in the traditional and common schemes of Vienna, and establishes a unique representation of the culture.
In Mi Barrio, health and safety are a priority, so reservations are required. You must use a mask (the staff also use masks), as well as there is disinfection of surfaces (mandatory) by the staff after each visit, and if you prefer, you can sit in an outdoor area owned by the premises. To access the site, you must be vaccinated or present the result of recovered and analyzed by PCR.
On Saturday, January 15th from 8 PM to 2 AM the Vienna Bachata Night season begins on the great dance floor with teachers Jorge & Azahara brought directly from Spain, and mixing the great hits (80% Bachata and 20% Salsa) will be DJ Kty & DJ Dani.
The workshops begin at 8 PM and end at 10 PM giving way to the big party until 2 AM. The cost of the party plus the drink is € 12 and the party alone is € 9. Mi Barrio is located in Münzwardeingasse, 10 on the first floor on the left in the large function room “El Halle”.
Salsahouse Perfect Night
Salsahouse is a salsa dance studio with plenty of room for fun with friends. His philosophy about Salsa lies in the meaning of joy when dancing in this genre. Dancing with the heart, you can immerse yourself in tranquility and closeness with like-minded people. This Tuesday, January 11th, from 8 PM to 10 PM, you will be able to consolidate and learn new dance steps with the start of Salsahouse Perfection Night in a safe setting. Salsahouse is at Märzstraße 105, Top 50 / Hofhaus 1150 Vienna. Try to check in with your partner and bring your drink.
Salsahouse Featuring Mi Barrio
Salsahouse and the Mi Barrio bar come together to create the fourth Salsa event in Vienna for two consecutive days.
On Sunday (January 9th), from 6 AM to 10 AM, the first event called SalsaYuno will be held. For four hours, DJ Lorenzo will play the best Salsa songs and will continue until the buffet brunch (with Latin American delicacies) at noon mixing the fusion between Salsa and Bachata.
Then, on Monday (January 10th) at 1:30 PM, you will have the opportunity to get in shape on the dance floor starting from zero with the Basic Cuban Salsa Intensive 1. This workshop with a high level of Salsa will continue every Monday following until the end of the month (four nights) at the Bar/ Restaurant Mi Barrio.
Live The Salsero Rhythm In Asia
Thailand and Hong Kong are the two countries on the Asian continent that begin January with the sound of Salsa
2022 starts in Asia to the Salsero rhythm with Dance Classes and a Festival. Thailand (located in Southeast Asia) is the first country to hold a Latin music festival after two years of cessation of social events due to the pandemic. Also, Hong Kong does its part, announcing the new season of Salsa Classes from the first week of this month. So don’t wait any longer and keep reading to find out the details of each event related to Latin music.
Koh Samui Latin Festival (4th Sensual Edition)
Koh Samui is the third largest island in Thailand. It has beautiful beaches and is located on the southern coast of the country. In this main island destination, the Koh Samui Latin Festival will take place in its fourth sensual edition at the Resort & Hotel Fair House Beach.
This one-of-a-kind festival with Latin morning beach parties (Four days), nightly training camps, workshops (from 10 AM to 5 PM), social dances, and themed shows (starting at 11 PM) with professional DJs will begin on Thursday, January 13th from 9 AM and will end on Sunday, January 16th at 4 PM.
The dance floor for the entire festival is 2,700 square feet. The large living room is equipped with air conditioning, a light system, and a quality sound system.
The beach parties at sunset will also take place at the Fair House Beach Resort & Hotel between 5 PM and 8 PM specifically at the “Sea Paint Beach Bar” near the beach with DJs playing the international hits of Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba hits in the chill-out style.
The price for the four days of the festival is $ 75 (Full Pass) and includes an official festival t-shirt, access to all workshops (excluding training camps), entry to the three theme and beach parties, the Jack & Jill, and the shows.
The event venue, Fair House Beach Resort & Hotel is located on a hillside right next to Koh Samui’s Chaweng Noi Beach. Within the vicinity of the hotel, you will find a wide range of shops, numerous restaurants, cafes, bars, and other entertainment places.
Venue: Fair House Beach Resort & Hotel. Koh samui 124-124 / 1-2 Moo 3 Tambon Bophut, Amphur Koh Samui Suratthani 84320, Thailand
Salsa After Work
For eight years (2014) the Rula Live bar has delivered its premises to Salsa every Monday from 8 PM with free Salsa classes at all levels with Dance With Style. This Monday, January 3rd at 8:30 PM is the start of Afro-Caribbean dance lessons from beginners to advanced dancers. Then, the dance floor is open between 9 PM and 1:30 AM. Rula Live is at 58-62 D’aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central, Hong Kong on the ground floor.
You can access this Latin event wearing masks throughout the party and hand sanitizers are available in different areas of the establishment. The dress code is elegant, so T-shirts, shorts, sportswear, and flip-flops are prohibited. Admission is also free but you must consume at least two drinks to enjoy the free Salsa classes.
Dance With Style is a Hong Kong dance, events, and entertainment company that stands out from its competitors by offering high-quality Salsa, Bachata, and Salsa Cubana instruction for all ages.
This company also brings Latin Vibes Salsa / Bachata Party every Wednesday at Bar / Restaurant Fire ‘N’ located at Shop #2, ground floor, cosmos building, 8 – 11, Lan Kwai Fong, Central, Hong Kong.
Admission is free and you have the right to a Bachata class at no cost. DJ Javed will mainly play Salsa Romántica with a mix of Bachata, Merengue, and other Latin rhythms from 8:30 PM to 1:30 AM.
Every Wednesday night after work you will enjoy a lot of Latin music in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and if you are hungry you can enjoy its Thai menu. You must wear a mask at all times (except when eating / drinking) and sanitize your hands regularly. The dress code is elegant and lessons start on January 5th.
News “En Clave”
Latest News of the Salsa Movement in Spain
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
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.
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…
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 with Luis Medina
Noticias Con Sabor in the month of January
We leave this year with the loss of giants in the Latin Music who have joined the ancestors that include the recent loss of the legendary Mexican star Vicente Fernandez, Panamanian powerhouse sonero Meñique and Paquito Guzman who was known for both his boleros and Salsa tunes. This year we have also lost legends and great musicians such as Johnny Pacheco, Roberto Roena, Chick Corea, Larry Harlow, Adalberto Alvarez, Johnny Ventura, Ralph Irrizary, Tommy Villariny and at the end of 2020, Tito Rojas. We are lucky that these artists have left us with their legacies of music that will continue to entertain people for years to come. Rest in Power!
Spanish Harlem Orchestra conquered Monterey with two explosive sets at a special show this past Saturday, Dec. 11th at the Monterey Conference Center. SHO played a few new tunes from their upcoming 2022 release, their repertoire of hits and Christmas salsa music much to the crowd’s delight. I had the pleasure of emceeing the show as well as playing music as the event’s DJ. SHO who were on fire all night and the dance floor was packed all night long. The crowd roared their approval with a standing ovation at the end of the night. SHO responded with an infectious danceable Christmas song with a crowd sing-a-long which ended the festive evening. Thanks to producer Luis Mendoza and Montuno Productions for inviting me to be a part of this event. Thanks to the great crowd in Monterey who are salseros all the way!
During the COVID19 pandemic, it seemed that all live music stopped being played in public. However, there were a few places, mostly outdoor cafes, farmer’s markets and restaurants with outdoor dining that offered live Latin Jazz during these dark times. One of the unsung heroes who continued to play when the pandemic was at its height is veteran pianist-bandleader Gary Flores who formed Salsa Caliente in SF in 1976. The group has had a lot of prominent musicians including vocalists Paquito Acosta and Angelo Pagan who continued to see their careers thrive in Puerto Rico and Los Angeles. He disbanded Salsa Caliente in the late 90’s to concentrate on a smaller Latin Jazz group. Flores along with ex Franco Brothers bassist/vocalist Carlitos Franco and a revolving lineup of all-star percussionists including Santana timbalero Karl Perazo and former Avance bongocero Oscar Soltero kept the live music going during the pandemic at different venues. Flores was able to continue to play Latin Jazz and Salsa in stripped down format as a trio due to rearranging Salsa tunes as all the members sang coros and vocalized horn lines behind Franco, Now that live music has made a comeback of sorts and some venues are now booking bigger bands, Flores is revitalizing a bigger version of Salsa Caliente featuring Franco and Perazo. Flores has been writing new music and plans to record new music with the group. His last recording “Descarga Caliente: A New Beginning” came out in 2005. Gary Flores is a veteran and a survivor of the San Francisco Salsa Scene who deserves a big shout out for keeping Latin music alive in the age of COVID! Pa’lante Gary!!
Reopening will be later
Some scenes are not reopening for 2022 until February or later. One of those venues affected is Space 550 at 550 Barneveld St. in San Francisco who will reopen in February due to concerns regarding the current surge in COVID cases and the situation with the new variant of the disease. I also spoke with Adrian Goddard of Jaffe Events who told me that he will continue to book events but later in the first quarter of 2022, For some event producers, January isn’t a good month to book Latin Music.
However that’s not stopping Grammy Award winners Pacific Mambo Orchestra who will play their annual January dates at Yoshi’s, Jack London Square on Friday, January 7 and Saturday, January 8th. Get ready to enjoy and dance to swinging Mambo, Salsa and Latin Jazz from this awesome all-star 20 piece band led by pianist Christian Tumalan and trumpeter Steffen Kuehn. This SF based band is scheduled to play at Europe’s prestigious Tempo Latino Festival in late July. Tickets are now available for these upcoming January dates at Yoshi’s. For more information, visit www.yoshis.com.
The Cigar Bar, 850 Montgomery St. in SF is starting 2022 with a calendar of great acts coming to this fine venue where you can dine, dance and smoke a fine cigar if you choose to do so. The schedule includes Orquesta La Original w/Alexis Jan 7, Josh Jones Latin Jazz Ensemble Jan 8, The Latin Rhythm Boys Jan 14, Edgardo y Candela Jan 15, N’Rumba Jan 21, La Clave Del Blanco Jan 22, Julio Bravo Y Salsabor Jan 28 and Manteca Jan 29
The Seahorse in Sausalito continues to feature explosive music from the following acts in January on Saturday and Sunday including La Clave Del Blanco Jan 2, Gary Flores and Salsa Caliente featuring Karl Perazo of Santana Jan 8, Edgardo Cambon y Candela Jan 9, Carlos Xavier Salsa Band Jan. 15, Louie Romero and Mazacote Jan 16, Braulio Barrera and Somos El Son, Jan 22, Orquesta Bembe featuring Christian Pepin on Jan. 23 and Rumbache on Jan. 29. DJ Jose Ruiz from KPOO/KPFA Radio will also be behind the decks for your dancing pleasure. Check out their fine Italian cuisine and selection of beer and wine.
The Ramp, 855 Terry Francois in SF continues to offer Salsa under their all-weather tent during the month of January. Their line up includes N’Rumba Jan 8, Louie Romero & Mazacote Jan. 15, Manny Martinez y La Rebeldia, Jan 22 and Orquesta Borinquen on January 29th. DJ Mendy is providing the music in-between sets and from 9 to 11 pm. The music starts at 5 pm on Saturdays.
Cascal, 400 Castro in Mountain View will be featuring the explosive sounds of Edgardo Cambon and LaTiDo on Fridays, January 7th and 21st starting at 7:30 pm. There is no cover. Cascal continues to offer their tasty menu of Spanish cuisine, Tapas and fine drinks.
The following recordings kept me going during the second year of COVID19: Ruben Blades “Salswing”, El Gran Combo “En Cuarentena” and their Xmas cd “De Trulla Con El Combo”, Gilberto Santa Rosa’s all-star studded “Colegas”, Sonora Ponceña “Hegemonia Musical”, Mel Martinez “Asi Escribe Un Sonero”, Los Generales De La Salsa featuring Van Lester, a 1996 all-star session finally seeing the light of day, Tromboranga “Salsa Terapia”, Los Van Van “Mi Songo”, Various Artists “El Son De Caballero-Homenaje A Adalberto Alvarez and “Son Para Un Sonero”, Sounds Of Cuba “Los Titanes De La Timba”, Alexander Abreu/Havana d’Primera, Various Artists “En Barranquilla Me Quedo-Homenaje a Joe Arroyo, Dorance Lorza’s Sexteto Cafe “20 Aniversario”, Luis Perico Ortiz “Sigo Entre Amigos”, Charlie Donato’s Son Ideal “De Vuelta Al Barrio, Eduardo Zayas Y Su EZ La Banda “Huerto De Soneros” and his latest “Sabor Y Sandunga”, Alain Perez, Issac Delgado & Orquesta Aragon “Cha Cha Cha: Homenaje A Lo Tradicional” and Orquesta Failde “Joyas Ineditas”. There are a flood of singles that did the job as well from Julito Alvarado’s maxi single “Lo Que No Se Escucha (Descarga De Soneros), Don Pergiñon Y La Puertorriqueña, Marc Anthony, Wilito Otero, Josean Rivera, Monsi Y Su Salsa , Mariana Y Su Makynaria, Julito Albino y Secreto De Voces and VibraSON. These recordings are some of my picks for the Best of 2021.
And…if that wasn’t enough, my program Con Sabor, Saturday nights 9 to 11 PM PST on KPFA 94.1 FM will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary year on January 1, 2022! Time flies when you’re having fun!! I’m also on “Sabiduria Con Tumbao” every Wednesday night 5 to 7 PM PST on WorldSalsaRadio.com.
That’s it for this time. Ciao 4 now!!
This is the report last month: Noticias con Sabor by Luis Medina
BY LUIS MEDINA, PRODUCER AND HOST OF CON SABOR ON KPFA 94.1 FM AND SABIDURIA CON TUMBAO ON WORLD SALSA RADIO.COM