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Live music and other news in the SF Bay Area

Renowned timbalero, composer, bandleader and vocalist Mario Solomon is the leader of one of the hottest groups performing modern Cuban Dance music in the US: Mario Y Su Timbeko. Although Mario moved from Oakland to Austin, Texas during the pandemic, he hasn’t stopped his original music from coming out. His latest single “Sola Te Quedaste” follows three singles that he has released during the pandemic: “Llego Lo Que Te Esperabas”, “Lo Mas Grande” and “Nadie Sabe Nada”. These songs are to be released as an EP in the first quarter of this year. Mario Y Su Timbeko consisting of bassist Ayla Davila, guitarist David Lechuga, vocalist and keyboardist Jordan Wilson, pianist and recording producer Jason Moen and conguero Carlitos Medrano will be performing a special concert “Timbeko By The Bay at La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley on Saturday, February 12 starting at 8 pm.

Mario explained that the show is like taking a trip with the history of Cuban Music featuring traditional rhythms of Danzon, Cha Cha Cha, Boleros and Changui which will be the focus of the first set. The second set will feature original music with selections from the new EP. Many Bay Area-Northern California dancers and listeners alike are big fans of Timbeko’s infectious timba sound which contains elements of RnB, Gospel and Funk. Mario hopes to have copies of the EP ready to sell at the dance/concert. There will also be a dance after party with DJ Antonio included in the admission to the show. For more information on the concert, visit lapena.org. For more information on Mario Y Su Timbeko, check out their page on Facebook and Instagram.

Mario Mayito Salomón — Mario *Mayito* Salomón

Montuno Productions will be presenting a Valentine’s Day Concert as part of their Bay Area Latin Jazz Series at Oakland’s fine art deco California Ballroom located on 1736 Franklin Street. This triple billed show will feature the debut of Cuban jazz vocalist Jessy Diaz accompanied by 4 time Grammy award winner Oscar Hernandez of Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Edgardo Cambon and Candela and ending the show with be the MP All Star Salsa Project directed by pianist Israel “Izzy” Tannenbaum (formerly of Grupo Niche). I will be your Master of Ceremonies and DJ for the entire evening. Cuban food will be available for hungry patrons at the concert/dance. For more ticket information on this dance/concert, you can visit montunoproductions.com

Major cancellations and postponements continue due to the latest Omicron variant of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Victor Manuelle concert/dance scheduled for the Hyatt Regency in Burlingame has been postponed until Saturday, April 9th per show producers JC Coral and Bosco Vega. Cuban born Brother-virtuosos violinist Ilmar and pianist Aldo Lopez-Gavilàn protagonists of the film documentary Los Hermanos/The Brothers cancelled their scheduled January 23rd concert at U.C. Berkeley’s Zellerbach Auditorium. There is no rescheduled date for that show.

On the local club front, Oakland’s own Fresquecito Timba DJ monthly at La Furia Chalaca near Jack London Square produced by DJ Walt Digz was cancelled as well at the beginning of January but the event will be back in February. The Ramp in San Francisco has temporarily suspended their live and DJ music shows per order of the San Francisco Port. The Ramp is hoping to resume their live music dates in March. Other venues such as Space 550 just didn’t reopen in January but will reopen on February 11th with Julio Bravo y Salsabor headlining their Valentine’s Day weekend party. You may want to double check that the venue is still open and that live music is still going to be presented on the night that you are planning to go out.

A scene of many a popular, crowded club night, Lukas on West Grand and Broadway in Oakland the home of Thursday Cuban nights will close at the end of January. Ahi Na Ma, the production company in charge of the popular Cuban dance night featuring DJ’s Leydis and Antonio have announced that their weekly event will move to a new location soon to be announced.

Ex El Gran Combo vocalist Charlie Aponte will be visiting the SF Bay Area on Friday, April 1 at Roccapulco, 3140 Mission St. in San Francisco. Jaffe Events will be presenting the show. Look for Aponte to feature original material from his recordings as well as the many hit songs he recorded with El Gran Combo during his tenure with this great musical institution. It promises to be a smokin’ show!!

The Seahorse in Sausalito continues to buck the trend and continues to present live music on their outdoors patio stage on Saturday and Sunday evenings starting around 5 pm. They are featuring Orquesta Taino Feb 6, Karabali with Karl Perazo of Santana and Michael Spiro Feb 12, Louie Romero & Mazacote Feb 13, Salsa Caliente w/Gary Flores Feb 19, Edgardo Cambon & Candela Feb 20 and Braulio Barrera’s Somos El Son on Feb 27th. KPOO/KPFA DJ Jose Ruiz is the house DJ behind the decks.

Another venue that has stayed open for business in spite of this tough COVID time is the Cigar Bar, 850 Montgomery St. in San Francisco. You can still enjoy good drinks, fine food and a selection of cigars for your enjoyment. They have a full schedule on Fridays and Saturdays for February which includes Somos El Son Feb. 4, N’Rumba Feb. 5, Manteca, Feb. 11, Josh Jones Latin Jazz Ensemble, Feb. 12, La Clave Del Blanco, Feb. 18, Edgardo Cambon y Candela Feb. 19, The Latin Rhythm Boys Feb. 25 and Pacho Y Orquesta Evolution on Feb. 26. Schedule subject to change due to COVID so check their calendar to confirm acts. Visit their website at www.cigarbarandgrill.com

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

What Ángel Meléndez has to say about his brilliant musical career

Who Ángel Meléndez is

Ángel Meléndez is a source of pride for Puerto Rico who lives in Chicago, United States, and has a bright musical career that has not gone unnoticed by great well-known people and record labels linked to Latin music. The producer, arranger, composer, music teacher and trombonist studied at VanderCook College of Music, where he gained most of the knowledge that would serve him to become the figure he is today.

His hard work has allowed him to be nominated for the Best Tropical Music category at the Grammy Awards and the winner of the 2005 Annual Independent Music Awards thanks to the talent he displayed on his album Ángel Meléndez & the 911 Mambo Orchestra.

Meléndez was great lick to collaborate with some of the greats of music such as Cheo Feliciano, Adalberto Santiago, Tito Puente, Tito Allen, Frankie Ruiz, Ismael Miranda, among many others.

Trombonist Ángel Melendez — Producer, arranger, composer, music teacher and trombonist Ángel Meléndez

His most recent projects include the one he made with Gia Fu and Ralph Riley. Riley was in charge of the making of Big Band Maquina (album name) and was in charge of organizing the work of all the artists who lent their talent to carry out this ambitious project together with Meléndez and other producers. The album includes 11 tracks and a bonus track, as a result of the serious issue of fathering so many music professionals in a single project in the middle of the pandemic and from so many recording studios.

We had the opportunity to talk to him to learn a little more about his career and what he is doing now. We hope everyone reading this pleasant talk will enjoy it.

Interview

Today we are pleased to welcome composer, arranger, instructor and trombonist Ángel Meléndez. Good afternoon, Mr. Meléndez, how are you today?

I am doing very well, thank goodness. Although I am very cold here in Chicago, but it is not your fault (laugh).

You once commented that you always liked the Big Band sound. How important is the number of musicians in an orchestra?

When I was a kid, my family always organized parties and played the music of Machito, Tito Puente, Tito Rodríguez and many others. So when I went to college, the jazz band director made me his manager. When I had it in front of me, I knew that was what I wanted to. I love it. That is why I say the more the better, but there are also groups like Joe Cuba Sextet that sound great with only six or seven members.

You have been a music teacher for several decades. Do you think training other artists has influenced your style? Do you think that you have learned from your students?

I have had many students who have become professional musicians and also learned a lot from them. In college I learned to play many instruments on a very basic level. One of the things I have learned from my students is that you can learn to play two, three or four instruments properly. I love the piano, I bought a Spanish guitar and am learning to play flamenco late in life.

Ángel playing his instrument — Ángel Meléndez performing and playing the trombone

So you never stop learning and are always looking for new instruments and rhythms to add to your work

Yes! Right now I am working on a project with Hong Kong producer Gia Fu and she is going to kill me because she does not want anyone to know yet (laugh). It’s called the Borinchino Project and includes Chinese songs in Latin rhythms. The first song is a bolero cha cha chá.

What was the experience of working together with Gia Fu, Ralph Raley and the rest of the team of musicians with whom you made this album? Are you happy with the result?

Of course we are! We were all pleased with the record. What happened was that I made a jingle called Lisa La Boricua for a dance academy called Lisa La Boricua in swing dancing about 20 or 25 years ago. In Germany, it was a hit for about 14 weeks. Gia is also a salsa DJ, she was doing some work in Switzerland when she heard that track which was like a jam session. She liked it so much that she thought about collaborating with me. After many months of looking for me, he found me. So my former timbalero is now music director of Victor Manuelle and knows the best musicians in Puerto Rico. When they called me and offered me to collaborate with them, they only wanted to make two songs. I told them if I said yes, we were going to get it right and go to Puerto Rico. Since we are in times of Covid-19, the best musicians are available. We went to Puerto Rico, made two songs and loved the result, so they said to make four more songs. The second time, Gia came from Hong Kong. She is like a painter who knows exactly what she wants. She already bears in mind the idea of how this will all turn out. She can be a bit stubborn, but, at the end of the day, everything always goes as she hopes. If she imagines a song with Tito Allen singing, she got it.

Something that got our attention at International Salsa Magazine is the way you did this project. We know that you were conceiving everything from different countries and studios thanks to new technologies. How was the process of recording from several places as far apart? How do you feel about what you achieved?

Most of the recordings were made at Rolo Studios in Puerto Rico. The vocals for the two tracks recorded by Herman Olivera were created at Nino Cegarra’s studio, but vocals by Tito Allen were done in New York because he did not want to travel to Puerto Rico. That is why Ralph, Gia and I went to New York to record them there, but the base, percussion, brass and backing vocals were done at Rolo Studios.

Album Big Band Máquina — Album cover Big Band Máquina

In addition, the pandemic made everything difficult, especially travel, how much do you think the pandemic has affected your work? Do you feel that things are coming back to normal? Is your work back to normal?

It has made it impossible to go back to work. I had about three or four bookings, but everything got cancelled when the Covid pandemic was getting worse. As I told you, In part it was a blessing because no one was working. Luis Marín (Gilberto Santa Rosa’s piano player), bassist Pedro Pérez (he has worked in more than 500 recording productions), conguero Sammy García (musical director of Charlie Aponte), Pocorelli (musical director of Víctor Manuelle as I had said), Sammy Vélez (musical director of El Canario), Richie Bastar (El Gran Combo’s congocero) were available to work with us and that it was a blessing.

Exactly. This whole situation has given you the opportunity to do other activities such as writing music, making new arrangements and many other things.

That’s it. I put my students on an assignment and most of them paid no attention anyway. I gave them 10 or 15 minutes to practice while I sat at the piano and waited for them to tell me something. During that time, I used to write. As they say, everything happens for a reason.

What plans do you have for 2022?

There’s Borinchino, which is the project I am working on with Gia and Ralph wants to repeat what we already did in mambo. Right now I am writing two new musical productions with new songs. In the case of Borinchino, the album will include several Chinese songs with Latin genres such as salsa, bolero, merengue, cha cha chá, among others. In the case of the project with Ralph, it will be almost the same as we did with the previous album.

This is Gia Fu — Hong Kong producer Gia Fu

This all means this partnership with Ralph and Gia will continue for an indefinite time?

Of course it will! They are thrilled with me and I am thrilled with them. They are my family in Hong Kong. The two people I love most in Hong Kong. The only people I know there, but I still love them very much.

What recommendations do you make to young people who want to do the same thing in the future?

I would advise them to learn about their culture. Our music is incredible and has a very high level. We grew up with children’s songs like Cheki Morena, so a complicated rhythm is very easy for us. In contrast, Americans grow up listening to the A, B, C song. When kids from our Latin countries begin to learn music, it is much simpler for them to play things with complicated rhythms. What I would like to tell those who read this interview is that they have to learn about their culture and music.

Latin Parties With “Sabor” In Vienna

Austria turns its capital into the most Salsera in Europe this first month of the year

Couple dancing at a Latin event at Billie's Studio in Vienna — Four Latin events with Sabor will take place this first month of the year in Vienna

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

group of people dancing in the workshop of Billie's Studio in Vienna — The Cuban Salsa party starts on January 29th at Billie’s Studio

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 29^th to January 30^th, 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

Couple dressed in black dancing in the Bar / restaurant Mi Barrio in Vienna — Salsa and Bachata in the Bar/ restaurant Mi Barrio every Saturday night

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 15^th 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

Senior couple dancing Salsa at Salsahouse in Vienna — Salsahouse & Mi Barrio bar come together to offer many Latin parties throughout the month

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 11^th, 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.

You Can Also Read: Say Goodbye To 2021 To Latin Rhythm In Austria

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 9^th), 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 10^th) 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.

Not-so-well-known Latin percussion instruments

Some lesser-known percussion instruments

After so many centuries of history, Latin music has undergone any number of transformations and mixes that have made it into the wonder that it is today. In the result, percussion instruments play a critical role and many of them are widely known by fans of Latin rhythms, including those who do not have a great deal of expertise on the issue. The thing is that many of these implements are not so well known to people, so let us mention a few of them with their main characteristics.

Arará

The Arará drums are named after a Cuban ethnic group that is mainly based in Havana and the province of Matanzas. In turn, they descend from other ethnic groups that had similar practices and today almost all their temples are located in Matanzas.

At present, these drums are still used in the rituals of these cults. They are of various sizes and types, but a common characteristic they share is that they are all unimenbranophone and open without exception. One of the things that most identifies them is the presence of ritual marks made to differentiate them.

This is an arará drum — One of the many types of arará drum

Rain stick

This percussion instrument consists of a long tube inside which you can find seeds and bamboo sticks, which form a helicoid extended throughout the whole instrument. When this stick is moved, the seeds hit its walls and the sound produced is very similar to that of the falling rain, a characteristic of which it receives its name.

It is believed that it originated during the age of indigenous peoples in South America such as the Panatahuas, the Quitos, the Mexicas, among many others. On the other hand, it is worth noting the appearance of evidence to suggest that they may have come from pre-Inca cultures originating in the Peruvian coast and the Andes Mountain Range.

Although the tools used in its manufacture vary from one cultural tradition to another, the most common material is cactus, whose spines must be dried, ground and reintroduced.

This is a rain stick — A wooden rain stick

Güira

This is a Dominican percussion instrument that is part of the idiophones. Although it has come to be popular in other places, it is in the Dominican Republic where it originated and became so famous that it is even considered as a national heritage. For many, it has a strong resemblance to the bangaño, but it is very different from this one, since it has a manufacturing process in which metal predominates.

In these times, it is very common to see it being used as an important part of musical genres such as bachata and merengue, although it is most likely fans have no idea about its existence.

Marimbula

The marimbula consists of a set of metal plates that attach to a resonance box and whose main purpose is to produce sounds. It is an idiophone instrument that holds a striking resemblance to the sanza, which originated in Africa many centuries ago and arrived to the American continent from the hand of the slaves, who already brought their own traditions from their places of origin.

As to its current use, it serves as an accompaniment to all kinds of musical groups in their shows, whether we are talking about rural or urban environments. However, it should be noted that its use has also spread to religious ceremonies and cults of various kinds.

If you want more info about this topic: The seeds of capacho give the sound to maracas

Music programming in January at Cascal Restaurant

What Cascal Restaurant has to offer

Cascal is a colorful and lively restaurant that has become one of the best culinary options that people of the State of California can choose when it comes to enjoying an exquisite meal in good company. When we check the official website of the establishment, we can clearly see the wide variety of cuisine that its friendly staff strives to offer its diners, one of the reasons why they are so popular in these times of pandemic.

One of the reasons why this restaurant stands out from the rest is that it strives to mix the delicious Spanish flavors with the exotic Latin American culture, something that has been very well received by those who have had the opportunity to attend its facilities and see for themselves how good this place they have heard about is.

In addition to offering spectacular dishes, they always have very special guests who ensure that visitors spent a pleasant time and pair their meal with good music and entertainment for the whole family. Next up, we will talk a little bit about what Cascal Restaurant has to offer to its visitors musically speaking.

This is Cascal — The facade of Cascal Restaurant

Music programming throughout the month of January

The first month of the year is reputed to be boring and lean in many ways, but this is not the case with Cascal, as it has a very special schedule for all Fridays and Saturdays in January.

Edgardo Cambón y Su Conjunto LaTIDo will be one of the groups to be presented at the venue just as they did during 2021 on a recurring basis. It is a Latin music group based in Oakland, California, and was created by Edgardo Cambón, who has a long history as a bandleader, vocalist, conguero and other things. The group has been shown to have a vast repertoire that can mix the classic salsa style of the 80s and 90s with much more recent rhythms without ever falling into monotony.

Edgardo Cambón playing — Edgardo Cambón performing at Cascal

According to information provided by Brad Daley, who is part of Cascal’s staff, Edgardo and LaTIDo will be performing at the establishment on 7 and 21 January between 7:30 and 10:00 P.M.

Another artist performing is acclaimed guitarist and music teacher Daniel Yarritú, who has been performing at Cascal since some years ago. On this occasion, he will not be alone, as he will be joined by fellow guitarist Gary Carpenter and master percussionist Luis Carranza. It is expected that the trio will perform on Saturday 8, Friday 14 and Friday 28 during this month.

The third and final group that will be at Cascal will be Gypsy Tribe, which will perform on Saturdays 15, 22 and 29 of this month. The band consists of Nesser Babolmoradi (founder of the band, musician and composer), Nicolas Adams (lead guitar), Jack Marshall (bass guitar), Willie Garza (percussion), Dany Cobo (violin), Ardie Salem (percussion).

Acknowledgements

We want to give special thanks to Brad Daley, Cascal’s general manager who was the one who provided us with all information related to events and shows at the venue for the month of January.