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The best Salsa-Latin bands in London! Are you in London?

Europe / England / London

London: Here we bring you the best Latin bands you must check right now!

PALENKE, the Latin dance leader in London

Palenke was born in 1990 to the collective talents of Fernando Suarez – “Kinacho” and Lisandro Zapata from Colombia. Both are highly professional performers and are widely experienced in the Latin and Jazz scene.

Photo 1 - The best Salsa-Latin bands in London — Photo 1 – The best Salsa-Latin bands in London

The Band’s eclectic repertoire is passionate, dynamic and eminently danceable: from the characteristically hot blooded tempos of Cuban Salsa and Brazilian Lambada, the traditional folk rhythms of Colombian cumbia and Dominican Merengue, to the latest Caribbean Reggae and universally popular Spanish style “Gypsy Kings”. This all singing band includes the traditional latin rhythm section, piano, guitar, bass, congas, bongos and timbale. It is fronted by Adriana Santana also Colombian, who has become the “Queen of Salsa” in London captivating the audience with her magnetic voice and sensual dancing.

Over the years Palenke has toured: Switzerland (Montreaux Festival), France, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco, Malaysia, Indonesia, Ireland and Turkey. The band has performed for dignitaries such as Prince Charles, the late King Hussein of Jordan, King Juan Carlos of Spain and has become a spicy ingredient at hotels, clubs and many pop stars parties.

In the UK, the band is well known from North to South as a leading Latin band spreading the Latin fever from small to big audiences. Palenke has been invited to the Barbican Centre, the South Bank, The Edinburgh Festival and several TV shows. Palenke over the years had worked with the collaboration of great Musicians such as: Oscar Ruiz, timbale; Bill Bland, congas; Alejandro Martinez, multi-percussionist and Luis Carlos Fuentes, Drummer.

Photo 3 - The best Salsa-Latin bands in London — Photo 3 – The best Salsa-Latin bands in London

SAMBOSSA, a band playing the sounds & rhythms of Brazil

With music ranging from sultry Bossa Nova & grooving Afro-funk to blistering samba, Sambossa have everything needed to delight both the listener & the dancer.

Featuring the unique vocal talents of ELISANGELA MAHOGANY, who brings originality to some classic Brazilian tunes.

Also from Rio is hugely talented multi-instrumentalist MARCELO ANDRADE who showcases his saxophone & flute styles.

Guitarist PAUL RUMBOL leads this band as well as being band leader of the celebrated group Viramundo. He also sings & plays the cavquinho (small Brazilian guitar) & has been working alongside the most talented Brazilian performers for more than 20 years.

Completing the quartet is XAVIER OSMIR from São Paulo, Brazil who brings his wonderful percussion & vocal talents. The band is also available as a trio and duo for smaller events/budgets. SAMBOSSA, a compact but very powerful Brazilian/Latin group.

Photo 4 - The best Salsa-Latin bands in London — Photo 4 – The best Salsa-Latin bands in London

RIAMBA: the professionals of rhythm!

With flair for performing, Riamba is one of the most sought after and lively Latin music bands on the London scene today. Its flexible 3 to 7 piece line-up is led by a superb female vocalist and backed by a strong rhythm section which includes: piano, trumpet, bass and typical Latin American percussion.

With their combined musical talents, the group is perfectly suited for the many different occasions and requests that Riamba receives; from a fully blown Salsa dance band with optional dance tuition, to a more relaxed event where lively background music in the Latin style is required.

Photo 5 - The best Salsa-Latin bands in London — Photo 5 – The best Salsa-Latin bands in London

Riamba’s musicians, who are from Latin America, Europe and the UK, have had an eclectic musical training with professional experiences to match, encompassing: Latin American, jazz, pop and classical music.

As individuals this has led them to perform on tours in the UK and around the world with artists such as: Björk, Jason Rebello, The Ghana Dance Ensemble, Stewart Copeland (The Police), and at venues which include: Pizza on the Park, The 606 Club, The Royal Festival Hall, Glastonbury Festival, The Sydney Festival (Australia) and The National Theatres (London and Ghana).

Photo 2 - The best Salsa-Latin bands in London — Photo 2 – The best Salsa-Latin bands in London

Riamba has performed for many private clients and at venues which include: The National Theatre (London), The National Portrait Gallery, The Dorchester Hotel, The Cultural Olympiad, Battersea Park and Regent’s Park Festival as well as travelling abroad for European performances.

Melina Almodóvar “La Muñeca de la Salsa”

North America / USA / New York

Melina Almodóvar

With an unwavering spirit, melodious voice, Caribbean cadence on her hips, friendly and cataloged by many as sexy, Melina Almodóvar has represented the Latin female son in the US. During her 20 years of artistic career, Melina Almodóvar has conquered audiences in the most imposing scenarios and has shared stages with the most recognized artists of the tropical genre

The nickname as many know she is “La Muñeca de la salsa” and which for a long period of time she sought to have because she had the same name that already identified another Salsa singer. Getting an ideal pseudonym to her was difficult, but not for a fan who, while delighting in her live presentation, cataloged her with this nickname with which they would later recognize her in the whole world.

“I wanted to give myself a nickname for Salsa … But I did not want to change my name … And then one day a gentleman says to me:” Hey, but you are a doll and look how you sing “, and then it was there that I stayed “La Muñeca de la Salsa”. It’s a name that stuck with me and it stayed there, so everyone knows who “La Muñeca de la Salsa” is and sometimes they do not know who Melina Almodóvar is, but I really like that name, I think it’s very beautiful”, she said.

At the age of 14, the interpreter born in San Juan de Puerto Rico lived an experience that marked her life since then. She moved with her mother to Memphis, Tennessee, leaving behind her culture and family, which caused an emotional shock and made her take full refuge in the music.

Melina Almodóvar - Photo — Melina Almodóvar – Photo

“Salsa saved my life.” The Salsa is my way of life. It’s my way of breathing, of doing things “.

“We moved to a very white place to an extremely American place. The south of the US is a very different place from New York or Florida. There are not many Latin people and for me it was very hard … I started studying music at the High School. I got into all the choirs that I could and all the bands in the school where I could be”, told me Melina.

Melina Almodóvar - Photo 2 — Melina Almodóvar – Photo 2

This Puerto Rican composer not only prepared in salsa, also studied different musical styles: Blues, Jazz and Gospel. What made her race for only 3 years at the University of Memphis the career of Musical Execution. Studies that she decided to abandon for working at the same time as a receptionist and translator for the City Council and also to continue pursuing her dream of singing Salsa professionally. “I decided to quit my university studies because I was really doing what I wanted to do: that was to be a singer… I thought it was better to leave school and nothing has gone wrong, I have continued doing everything at that moment, but on a slightly larger scale and for me it was the right decision”, commented Amodóvar.

During the 90s, Melina and other music professionals created the first salsa orchestra in Memphis called “La Orquesta Caliente”. With this band toured places like Alanna, Kentucky and Alabama. They played at such iconic venues as Beale Street, one of the most famous music streets in all the US for almost 4 years, just as they did at Young Ave Deli, a place that filled to its maximum capacity just to hear them sing and play Salsa every Monday. In this regard, Melina told me: “That’s when I started singing Salsa. That’s when I fell in love with salsa and I wanted to continue being a professional Salsa singer.”

Melina Almodóvar “La Muñeca de la Salsa” in concert

Melina Almodóvar “La Muñeca de la Salsa” in concert photo

In 2003, she began her musical career as an independent soloist with her first album Rumba’s Salsa Soul Delight, where she exhibited her creative freedom to compose, work with other people in the music industry and create her own identity in this tropical genre. So, her second álbum was La Muñeca De La Salsa Y Más (2008) and Pasión y Salsa Live in 2013.

In all her productions this Puerto Rican singer based in Miami, likes to sing to the love in a very positive way. Each song is a tropical proposal of Latin culture, passion, celebration, dance and happiness that invites the dancer to enjoy. “I like to talk positively about things that make me happy. I do not like to shoot men … Because it’s not what happened to me. “She added: “I have a bolero that’s called Mi Nueva Página de Amor, but it’s very positive.

Melina Almodóvar “La Muñeca de la Salsa” - Cover — Melina Almodóvar “La Muñeca de la Salsa” – Cover

”Although the Salsa is a genre dominated by men, Melina has shown to take firm steps and open field solidly in the music industry, she has sung alongside major figures such as: The Great Combo of Puerto Rico, Andy Montanez, Bobby Cruz, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Marlo Rosa, Tito Puente Jr., el maestro Larry Harlow and Tromboranga.

She has developed a successful musical career of 20 uninterrupted years that has led her to perform at the biggest annual festivals and daily events in the country. For nine years “La Muñeca de la Salsa” performed live shows in South Florida at Tapas y Tintos club located in Miami’s South Beach with el maestro Ricky Torres, where thousands of dancers from all over the world gathered every Tuesday to dance and enjoy her music.

Melina Almodóvar “La Muñeca de la Salsa” - Singing — Melina Almodóvar “La Muñeca de la Salsa” – Singing

In 2010, Melina and approximately more than 600 dancers broke the Guinness Record for the largest number of people dancing Salsa at the same time a song. The idea got with her former manager Frank Nieves. The theme was “Lista pa’ Impresionar” of her authorship and doesn’t rule in the near future to do it again. “We were there seeing how we could do something different for an event that he was doing here for the Broward County Patron Festivities and we said why we did not try to break the Guinness Record. Establish a Guinness Record of the greatest number of dancers dancing a song and then we did it and it was spectacular”, said Melina.

In 2016, she released to the national and international market the salsa version single “Estoy aquí” of the popular Pop singer Shakira, whose arrangement was made by Seferino Cavan. The video of “Estoy Aquí” was shot on the famous beaches of Miami Beach and already has almost 1 million views.

Melina Almodóvar “La Muñeca de la Salsa” - Photo — Melina Almodóvar “La Muñeca de la Salsa” – Photo

Likewise, and in mid of 2017, Almodóvar recorded with Tito Puente Jr. a new version in Salsa Mambo of the song “Mi Socio” created by Tito Puente and Cuban singer La Lupe popularized in 1965. In the same way, she did with the singer and composer Bobby Cruz the song “La Chica del Bling”.

Currently, Melina does live performances every Friday to 6pm at Best Time Wine Shop located on 8th Street at 64th and 8th, a wine warehouse with a large dance floor. “Ándale! Pon a Sonar el Güiro” is her most recent single, it was released since last December and you can find it on all digital platforms. During this month of January, Melina will continue playing her music through the territory of Florida with the event Los Patrones de la Salsa and on April 7 she will produce along with her friend Kristina Moinelo the biggest salsa festival in Miami, the Hollywood Salsa Fest, in which she will also participate as a main star with great figures of salsa music.

la muneca de la salsa - flyers — la muneca de la salsa – flyers

Melina Almodóvar believes that the Salsa will never die because it is in the Latin idiosyncrasy and at some point this AfroCaribbean genre will return to be that people like most. She also commented that she does not rule out the possibility in the future to do a fusion with the new urban musical trends of the moment.

“For me to represent Latin music in the US is a very big honor because I love tropical music more than anything. It’s my life, it’s my way of breathing like all the SALSEROS … For me, it’s the whole world to be able to continue my long-standing career, to go ahead and bring good Salsa for the whole World.” Melina Almodóvar

The Salsa is the NUMBER ONE music genre that is danced around the world. I believe that we are keeping this genre alive with what we are doing every day. “Melina Almodóvar

Melina Almodóvar “La Muñeca de la Salsa”

To more information about La Muñeca de la Salsa, please visit www.melinaalmodovar.com or like her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pg/MelinaSalsa

12th edition of the distinguished Salsero and tourist Festival of Venezuela

Latin America / Venezuela / Caracas

Venezuela land of salsa by nature year after year offers us a space dedicated to this beautiful dance, mainly framed in the presentation of the talent of more than 150 dance schools registered as diffusers of Salsa in this country and an expected visit of guests and foreign public. will make the so named Venezuela es Latina an event to remember. With 12 years of successful editions, it invites us not to one more edition, it calls us to enjoy 4 nights and 3 days of multiple activities, best of all, nights of great social parties.

Venezuela es Latina XII Festival - Flyer — Venezuela es Latina XII Festival – Flyer

Venezuela is Latina, an event with more than 11 years of experience, organizes for this 2018 edition a festival full of workshops, seminars, forums, certifications, bootcamp, shows, competitions and good local tourism, the ideal space for everyone who wants to meet one of the most emblematic tourist and salsa lands in the world, the famous Venezuela.

This 12 installment gives us a cycle of more than 20 hours of classes and training cycles distributed in workshops, seminars and Bootcamp on days dedicated to the professional training of dancers or dancers, as well as instruction for visitors, novices and / or dance fans.

We will be able to delight ourselves with the knowledge of the best instructors from Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba, Venezuela among other countries that remain to be confirmed, with workshops of the most sought-after disciplines, added to this 3 high-caliber seminars of theoretical and practical content that seeks to certify participants.

For the general public, Bootcamps are offered guided by the organizing academy, the Son Rumbero school, which for 2 years has brought this famous practice to the festival, giving attendees the opportunity to do a cycle of classes that ends when they appear on stage. along with the best dancers of the moment on the main night of the festival.

For lovers of good music, there will be a meeting of salsa and timba fans or collectors, where we can enjoy the best musical themes, acquire good music, together with 3 nights of parties and social dancing to share with all attendees, framed in nights of enjoyment and sharing between dancers and sympathizers of these great rhythms at the hands of the best guest DJs.

Stage of the Venezuela es Latina XII Festival

For those who wish to visit this great event, the organizing committee has distributed all-inclusive packages for Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Central America, North America and Europe, with 5, 4 and 3 star hotels adapted to each need. In the same way, free packages are offered for promoters, directors or group managers who visit the festival.

Everything is ready for the 12th edition of this festival, the city of San Cristobal – Táchira State will offer us the best spaces to enjoy 4 days of great Latin things, a city 30 minutes from the border with Colombia in Cúcuta that speeds up access from the south. Dare to be part of this great festival, for more information, contact through social networks: @vzlaeslatina on Instagram and Facebook. Telephones: +573114061366 / +584126142562.

Grazy Tango Festival 2018

Europe / Austria / Graz

Grazy Tango Festival 2018 – 08 Mar 2018 – 11 Mar 2018

The elegance of Argentinian Tango is here to conquer the heart of Europe with the March edition of Crazy Tango Festival 2018! This is the third edition of this amazing Tango Festival in the beautiful city of Graz/Austria and each time attracts more national and international dancers. Participants will love the friendly atmosphere, the high quality workshops in air-conditioned rooms with wooden floors and the wonderful Milongas with superb music!

Maestros 2018:

Maja & Marko (Croatia)
Germán & Eva (Argentina & Denmark)
Boris & Chris (Argentina & England)

Tango DJs 2018:

DJ Pablo
DJ Germán
DJ Veronika
DJ Vlado
DJ Đurđina

Maja Petrović & Marko Miljević started dancing Tango in Zagreb, Croatia in 2002 in a small group of enthusiasts curious about this “new” dance. Only five years later they began giving regular lessons at the Tango Argentino Zagreb Dance School. Their first and most influential teachers were Pablo Rodríguez and Noelia Hurtado. Later they continued to study with Noelia and Carlitos Espinoza.

Maja and Marko - Grazy Tango Festival 2018 — Maja and Marko – Grazy Tango Festival 2018

In 2014 they started to work with Tango professionally, holding workshops and performing all over Europe. In 2015 they had their debut in North America at Bailongo Tango Festival in Montréal, Canada.

Germán Cuestas started dancing when he was a teenager, and since then dedicated his life to music and Tango. He has a degree as a music school teacher and now uses this knowledge in his work as a Tango dancer.

He also has been a Tango DJ for many years and is the organizer of El Motivo Tango (a Milonga in Villa Malcolm’s club, Buenos Aires) and has taught in various Milongas and schools in Buenos Aires.Now he is based in Denmark, teaches and performs with Eva Lehrmann, around Europe, Russia and Argentina.

Eva and German dancing tango - Grazy Tango Festival 2018 — Eva and German dancing tango – Grazy Tango Festival 2018

Eva Lehrman has been dancing different styles of dances most of her life, however it wasn’t until she met the Argentine Tango that she dedicated herself to dancing professionally. She travelled to Buenos Aires, where she soon started working in El Esquinazo, a newly opened Tango school, where she taught Tango and Yoga and there she also met Germàn. Today she mainly works in Copenhagen being an instructor, a DJ and a performer. She still spends a big part of her time in Buenos Aires, where she is part of a team who organizes Tango holidays.

Boris and Chris work to harmonize their distinct and varied backgrounds of dance training, biomechanics, and Tango to create their dance. The fundamental element of their Tango is “el abrazo”’ and the connection between two dancers. It enables them to communicate in an unspoken language that unites you to your partner, your partner’s body to yours.

They believe that even if two bodies are standing still in space, their embrace continues moving within and between them. In her experience of studying many other disciplines, Chris believes that this is what makes Tango so special, so unique and so rewarding, “alongside the technical details, the complexity of the steps and the music, in no other dance style have I experienced this sensation where dancers search for such a deep connection with their partner”.

Boris and Chris - Grazy Tango Festival 2018 — Boris and Chris – Grazy Tango Festival 2018

Using knowledge and understanding of the body, their teaching method focuses on how to use the bodies to create movement and then how to transmit and receive this information through the embrace. Alongside steps and techniques, they will give you tools, foundations, and concepts that can be applied within your entire Tango world to discover different ways of moving.

Location

All the workshops will take place in the four air-conditioned halls of the dance school on approximately 450 m². You will also find a lobby with a cozy bar and comfortable chairs, as well as some cloak & changing rooms. Wooden floors are dancers’ paradise and the bar will take care for your refreshments!

Gravity does not allow very much floating, but sometimes in your life you come to a place, where the laws of gravity do not apply any more. This place will give you a pleasurable experience, which will put you at ease and which transfers you into an unforgettable experience. The place where we just can relax and let your soul get some rest.

The panorama hall presents itself with a glazing from the bottom to the top and offers an unbelievable view over the city of Graz. It is one of the most popular event locations of the “Schlossberg”, the well-known landmark of Graz. Together with the stage hall it covers 250m2 of wooden dancefloors so that dancers can experience a most memorable evening.

Am Schlossberg 7

A-8010 Graz

Tel.: +43 (0) 316 84 00 00

[email protected]

Körösistraße 81

A-8010 Graz

Further information at https://www.facebook.com/events/1666219917013457/

Pirisalsa Orchestra

Latin America / Venezuela / Falcon

The music is the result of the creation of a rhythm that tries to convey a message that the artists give to their audience and depending on the voice, the lyrics, the instruments and above all the desire to transmit that feeling, they make people want to listen to it and dance to it.

The Orchestras became known for being dynamic groups, creators of rhythms and party entertainers; something that cannot be replaced by a DJ or digital music, since recorded music and live music are two different things.

In the state of Falcón, Venezuela, there is the Grupo Piritu, who make up the Pirisalsa Orchestra, they are a group of talented young people who, despite their young ages, know how to transmit the flavor of Salsa to their audience.

They emerged and were educated in schools and through the selection of the most outstanding children in music, they gradually gave rise to the orchestra, being a pleasant and rhythmic sound to the audience to date, not to mention that it is a group with many followers full of dreams and musical desires. They mention that “since our first presentation on October 19, 2011 to date we have not stopped working…”.

Pirisalsa Orchestra with Augusto Felibert - Asocosalsa — Pirisalsa Orchestra with Augusto Felibertt – Asocosalsa

Currently his manager is Frank Molina, he says:

“That as a manager whenever he discovers a rough diamond project what he wants is to make it shine to achieve and achieve the dreams of each member and turns it into a single dream, because the Pirisalsa orchestra is a family. …the goal is to ensure that our work is recognized both nationally and internationally, I have been working for some time now, spreading this project on radio, television and social networks, we also have the support of many artists who believe in this Project. These young people are admirable because at their young ages they decided on this genre that is SALSA”.

Franky Frorentino - Pirisalsa — Franky Frorentino – Pirisalsa

The Pirisalsa Orchestra plays SALSA, with a smooth style in its message and melody, despite the fact that the rhythm is very lively, thanks to the percussion instruments, showing us and maintaining its Latin, Afro-descendant, and Caribbean roots in its music.

They have had the opportunity to participate in several important events in Venezuela, such as the PDVSA Salsa Festival held in La Estancia, Caracas in two editions, where they managed to share with great bastions of this genre throughout Venezuela, especially in Caracas, there were also a Festival in Maracay, Aragua and recently at the Whatuyusei Festival in Punto Fijo, Falcón, where they shared with artists such as Omar Enrique, la Melodía Perfecta, Gustavo Eli, los Bois Servando and Florentino, among others.

However, their goal and desire is to take their music throughout Venezuela and abroad so that the whole world can listen to them, appreciate their talent and be able to project themselves as an orchestra, since when they are on stage in a presentation they sing full of a feeling of love but that is with great elegance, with a fresh, tender language, full of emotion and kindness, but always transmitting his deep love for his homeland Venezuela.

The members of the orchestra are mostly young people and children from the town of Piritu, Falcón, dividing into:

● Evannys Lorves – Vocalist	● Daniel Peña – Hand Bell
● José Amundarai – Vocalist	● Bongo Wullian Álvarez – Piano
● Yerli Lugo – Vocalist	● Javier Gómez bajo eléctrico
● José Daniel Lugo – Timbal	● David Gómez (director musical) – trombón
● Reinaldo Pérez – Congas	● Reinaldo Antonio Pérez – Trumpet
● Navarro trompeta y Luis Navarro – Trombón

The Pirisalsa Orchestra and its Manager Frank Colina gave a message to all the new talents, which goes like this “if you have a musical dream, don’t let difficulties stop your path, believe in your virtues, try to be yourself, don’t copy nobody, be original, offer your own proposal and believe deeply in it, don’t stop no matter how hard the circumstances are, fight relentlessly until you break down the barriers and achieve your goals. He who perseveres achieves.”

For more information Pirisalsa Orchestra:

Facebook: @frank.colina
Instagram: @managerpirisalsa
Twitter: @pirisalsamanage
Phone: +(58) 4168076199 / +(58) 4168044073