The San Francisco Bay Area is fortunate to have many musical talents who have made left this corner of the United States of America at the top. Acclaimed Julio Bravo is one of them and there are many reasons for stating that. Julio Bravo is a famous singer and musician who has been performing with his orchestra in many nightclubs and salsa festivals for quite some time now. He is the leader of the Orquesta Salsabor, which is composed of 12 members whose place of residence is the East Bay.
This Peruvian says that they are a hard-working group with many decades of experience. He has also said at times that playing with the same people for so long makes a huge difference in terms of sound. In that sense, Salsabor is not unlike other orchestras of its type and time.
As a child, Bravo already showed a big vocation by the world of music and this is reflected in his appearance on children’s television programmes, school plays and some more formal projects. At the end of the 80s, he came to the United States and it would not be long before he started walking the path still to be followed today. One of his first projects was his incorporation into the Trio Los Chalanes, which led him to become more and more known in the Latin community of his new country of residence.
One of the events that projected the most his image as an artist was his brilliant participation on the TV show Buscando Estrellas, a contest in which he reached the final and became much more recognized than he already was thanks to his hard work. With the amount of fame he had earned so far, he started taking part in La Orquesta Internacional, with which he performed on countless occasions in various venues in California and had a heavy demand from places that wanted him to perform there.
A few years later, he made the difficult decision to create his own orchestra which he named Salsabor and with which he remains active to this day. All this time, both Julio and his musicians have earned a reputation for professionalism and quality that would guarantee them the confidence of many festival organizers in night clubs and private events.
His hard work has made his orchestra one of the most important salsa groups in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Julio Bravo Y Su Orquesta Salsabor
Interview
We are talking with Julio Bravo, Peruvian artist and leader of Orquesta Salsabor. Good afternoon, Julio. How are you?
Very good afternoon, Karina. I am delighted to be here. Thank you for the invitation.
Julio, you had your first contact with music when you were very young in your country. At what age did you know you wanted to dedicate yourself to the musical world?
I think you are born with that. I think it all started when I was in school. In elementary school, I was always involved in the performances or the school theater. That’s how I think it all started.
So, from schooling age, you already expressed this interest in the world of music and the arts.
Exactly. I did not necessarily sing, but we acted and did skits. In my neighborhood, musical manifestations were very frequent. My parents always organized meetings at home and my friends came, and they loved to bring their guitars and the acoustic cajón. There were always meetings at my house or at a neighbor’s.
Do you think there was something that inspired you?
In Peru, we have the Creole music genre. Since I was a small child I listened to it at home with my parents. In order to play it, you only need the cajón accompanied by a guitar. In neighborhoods, when there are no guitarists, children have a cajon or they make one in wood. In the 70s and 80s, there was a strong influence from Creole music on radio and television in my country, plus my parents and neighbors liked it. So, seeing all that up close was one of the things that inspired me.
Peruvian bandleader, singer and musician Julio Bravo
In 1991, you were on the TV show Buscando Estrellas, since your career took off in many ways. Do you consider that this project changed your professional future?
That helped me a lot, but it happened when I had barely two years here. When I came from Peru, I did not want to be a great musician or look for work in that field. I came to seek a future in whatever God put in my way and I was fortunate to have music as an instrument to generate work. When I started singing here, on my first week here, I went to sing at a restaurant because some friends took me over there. It was called ”El Chalán” and that’s where I met a group that performed that night and started playing with them, but I would recently arrived, so I had to get a revenue-generating job to pay the rent. I worked construction for about 10 years, but I was finally starting to work in music only on weekends. In 1994, I formed my orchestra after singing in several groups. I did not have such a plan, but the conditions were right and doing what you love does not take much effort because the thing leaves naturally.
You mean, when you arrived in the United States, you were ready to do other activities and the music thing just came naturally.
Exactly, I did not come with the desire to become an artist. I studied journalism at university in Peru, but I knew that it would be tough to practice my profession here because of language and immigration status. There were many obstacles that, like every immigrant, I had to learn how to overcome. I came with a degree in Communication Sciences, but I worked construction and did it with pride. 30 years later everything I worked in construction also helped me become a real estate and loan officer. However, I have not been able to leave music as a passion. I can quit jobs that have come my way, but music never.
Never got to practice journalism in the United States?
I could never practice journalism, but there were a couple of magazines run by some friends from the Peruvian community and I collaborated with them writing about show business. I also got to interview a couple of artists at that time. When La Orquesta de La Luz came to the San Francisco Bay Area, I interviewed them for that newspaper. I have not worked as a journalist, but I have done many things related to that environment. I have worked in radio and looked for a job at a television channel in my youth. Unfortunately, I did not have migration documents, the Green Card as people call it here.
Julio Bravo posing for the camera
How do you think language made things difficult for you at the beginning?
I always liked English, although I did not know how to speak it. Whenever I listened to songs in my country. We tried to imitate what artists said, but we could not (laugh). Before coming to this country, I decided to have as a priority booking intensive English classes a year before. I mean, every day, I had a two-hour class during the year my departure. That helped me a lot. When I came here, there were some barriers and I did not understand what people were saying, but I managed to learn a lot of vocabulary. Here, each working branch has its own vocabulary. If you work cleaning houses, you are not going to use the same vocabulary as if you work construction or in a store. I do not feel that language was an obstacle for me. I met people who discriminate in the early years, but that has not stopped me from moving forward. I do not think it is a barrier that prevents you from growing.
What were your favorite bands in English?
The Bee Gees and I also liked the Beatles. When the Bee Gees and the ”Saturday Night Fever” movie with John Travolta came out, I was about 13 years old and was working on a children’s television programme. On Wednesdays, we sang Peruvian music and played the cajón, but on Fridays, we did dance shows in the clothes of that time with large collars. I worked there for five years and that helped me a lot in my artistic training because it was a wonderful experience. The programme was called ”Villa Juguete”, which had music and dance. That helped me a lot to overcome stage fright.
What makes Orquesta Salsabor different from other groups in the San Francisco Bay Area?
I do not know what the main difference is. I think I like to play my original music, but I also know the importance of playing what people want to hear. You can’t just play my original music because I am no longer famous enough for people to know my numbers from beginning to end. For example, Oscar D’ León has more than 50 years in the artistic life and still plays ”Llorarás” every time he comes to the Bay. When people listen to one of those songs, they come out to dance immediately. I think I have the good sense to know when to play the hit songs that I have chosen over the years. I think that is what has differentiated me from other orchestras.
Julio Bravo, Martin Villamizar, Evelio Llamas and Alberto Palomino (three of his musicians)
What do you think has been your best professional decision in your career?
The best decision I have made was to form my orchestra and it has taught me many things. I was taught to be a manager, a soundman, among other things. If someone new in this world wants to know what steps to take, I can gladly say what not to do to not make any mistakes. I do not think we have made mistakes as an orchestra, since we have always tried to do our best. We have had to travel in a van, in a plane or each in his own vehicle to go to play. The musician moves by the desire and motivation to show the gift which the Lord gave us. The restaurant and record label owners move by the economic benefit, but the case of the musician is different. I think the best decision I have made was to form my orchestra. I think that, if you talk to the musicians I have worked with, they know that, as the leader of the orchestra, I have done the best I could to offer them a good, fun and healthy working environment.
And the worst one?
When I started with the orchestra, I wanted to make studio recordings here and I lost a lot of money because the musicians I called to record did not arrive after I paid for the studio. The desire to to record here made me lose a lot of money. And by the way, this was money I was saving for the project, but it was gone away soon enough. That’s where I was recommended to talk to a producer and musician named Oscar Pitín Sanchez. I only knew him by his music, but I struck up a friendship with him. He helped me produce two of my salsa records. Sadly he passed away last year. Then I started getting some experience in the recording studios because experience is needed for everything. In the studios, the thing is cooler because there is no audience to applaud you. On the contrary, you do not want to make any mistakes because everything will be recorded. After being wrong in producing my own album without the required experience, I found a light on the way after a very long tunnel (laugh).
Orquesta Mulenze came out in 1976 due to the motivation of Edwin Morales. At that time, he was a young rocker who decided to change his guitar for a bass and in turn become part of Orquesta Yambo, often accompanyng artists such as Hector Lavoe, Celia Cruz, Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Miranda among others arriving in Puerto Rico without an orchestra; then it was later identified and we would know as MULENZE.
The Mulenze orchestra was founded in 1976, motivated by Edwin Morales
The Orchestra was created in the era where salsa was booming and was fortunate to have musicians, composers and singers of great stature who are now recognized. These include Cano Estremera (R.I.P), (El albino de la Salsa) who would later join Bobby Valentín’s band as a vocalist; in the choir singer-songwriter Pedro Arroyo who has brought several of his compositions to Mulenze, in the piano Andy Guzmán and Eric Figueroa. The latter would be one of the influencers in the style which would be adopted by the orchestra, practicing a little sophisticated and revolutionary rhythm for the public that follows popular music.
Mulenze was one of the first orchestras to use synthesizers within salsa, working rhythmically out of the beat in which the clave pattern is set, giving some jazz variations to their music; it was an innovation that was not very accepted by the groups that were already established at that time, though later this would give respect and an its own identity to the orchestra with its brilliant arrangements.
The ninth record production “Extravagante”
“Extravagante” is the ninth record production by Orquesta Mulenze
This ninth record production “Extravagante” is impossible to get since 1990 as the company under which it was released has ceased to exist and it is one of those many lost records.
In the voices of Pedro Brull and Rafy Andino, excellent album and Edwin “Mulenze” Morales as director of the group with a first-class team of musicians and arrangers surprises us with this release.
Orquesta Mulenze – Extravagante 1990.
Record label: Hitt Makers
Quédate: Written-By – Pedro Arroyo
Ese Loco De La Vida: Written-By – Juan Bautista
Es Al Amor Que Llega: Written-By – Jose Luis Perales*
No Hay Preguntas: Written-By – Jose Luis Perales*
Contra Viento Y Marea: Written-By – Gloria Gonzalez
Zumba Con Mi Rumba: Written-By – Poldo Castro
Mi Tremendo Caso: Written-By – Tite Curet Alonso
A Dormir Afuera: Written-By Fabio Espinoza, Joaquin Galan, Lucia Galan
Arrangers:
Eric Figueroa (2) (tracks: B3),
Julio Alvarado (tracks: A2, B1),
Luis Garcia (5) (tracks: B2),
Ricky Rodriguez (3) (tracks: A1, A3, A4, B4).
Talent:
Bongos, Cowbell – Charlie Sierra
Congas – Jimmy Garcia (3)
Choir – Alex Castro (3), Cheo Andújar
Guest Musician, Congas – Giovanni Hidalgo, Johnny Rivero
Guest Musician, Keyboards – Jose Pujales
Guest Musician], Maracas – Cusy Castillo
Guest Musician, Timbales – Chago Martinez
Guest Musician, Trombone – José Berrios
Guest Musician, Trumpet – Carlos Martinez (3), Mario Ortiz Jr.
Güiro – Ricardo Salgado
Leader, Bass, Producer, Directed By – Edwin Morales
Album covers can express the technological and social advances of different epochs through indirect means.
“Salsa Fantasy” is a term coined by journalist Pablo Yglesias to describe a concept that artist and illustrator Ron Levine wanted to implement when he started creating various album covers for Latin music in the 70s. He was primarily intended to propose a style that could compete directly with the creations of the prosperous American industry.
This article presents the reasons why Ron Levine decided to set out on on that journey. To that end, we have drawn on an interview conducted by Pablo Yglesias in 2011 in which, in addition to his interesting anecdotes, we are being offered a glimpse of a retrospect of all his work, going through his work with the Sonora Ponceña in which he had the opportunity to develop his style.
Album cover design, Fania Records, illustration, Pop Art, La Sonora Ponceña.
Introduction
Album covers can express the technological and social advances of different epochs through indirect means.
Album covers can express the technological and social advances of different epochs through indirect means (Rondón, C., 2008), (Figueredo, M., 2010). The interesting thing about this is that the relative precarious situation in which salsa album covers were designed and the marginality expressed in many cases by the lack of resources with which they were created.
Jerry Masucci’s Fania Records was really focused on supporting that nascent number of singers of Latin origin.
Many of those covers created were concepts on which certain issues closely related to the songs or what the singer wished to express were handled.
In most cases, staging and photography were resorted to express certain ideas related to migration of Latinos in the U.S. and others of social order that prevailed in the lyrics of the songs (Yglesias, P. E., 2005).
In this way, various artists became directly or indirectly involved in the making of their album covers; one example of this are Eddie Palmieri’s album covers where a set of simple but forceful photos and the good mastering of typography can be appreciated (Yglesias, P. E. ,2005).
Although there existed a number of non-Latin graphic designers and artists who engaged in Latin music in the United States during the 70s and 80s, the team formed by Ron Levine and Marshall Lee was the most visible of Salsa in New York.
The two artists, both iconic and revered, worked for Jerry Masucci at Fania Records where Levine created many of Fania’s best known and appreciated covers.
Salsa wonderful photos of Lee would be part of a comprehensive separate study, what interests us in this article is to show the work developed in Ron Levine’s work as a graphic designer and artist.
Throughout his career he played an important role in carrying on the legacy of high quality in the design of album covers initiated by Izzy Sanabria, Walter Velez, Charlie Rosario and other artists and illustrators in the 60s and early 70s.
Below is a review of Ron Levine’s work and some aspects that led him to develop a style so particular that, still today, is applauded by many designers, artists and illustrators who have been involved in the art of creating album covers.
Levine’s childhood: from drawing horses to Ronald Stuart art school Levine was born in 1947 in Brooklyn, New York and moved to Long Island at six years old. His maternal grandparents were Scottish Protestants; his maternal grandmother was Theodore Roosevelt’s nurse in a moment of her life (“She was a big burly woman with hair like sheep,” recalls Levine)
Her paternal grandparents were Jews from Poland and Russia. Her mother, who was born in Glasgow, converted to Judaism when she married her father. She attended art school and, besides being a housewife, she used to work in a professional photo studio and was an expert in dyeing and painting backgrounds oil colors in black and white photographs for weddings.
Her father worked in a textile store and had a knack for textile marketing and fashion in Manhattan.
Levine spent his childhood playing with drums, Jewish folk dances and horse riding. Drawing horses fascinated him and he was obsessed with science fiction illustrations such as Flash Gordon, Disney cartoons, superhero comics, horror and fantasy.
By the age of eight, he was longing to work for Walt Disney; at school he was irreverent in art classes, preferring to draw horses, fantasy characters or Flash Gordon, rather than those boring still life, fruit bowls and colour cards that were classroom exercises.
He motivated himself by drawing fantasy and beautiful horses. Despite his poor grades, his parents knew he had talent, so they encouraged his artistic skills knowing that his career in the arts may not be very financially feasible.
To him, music was a passion almost be likened to painting. Levine formed a band called “The tensions” in which he played drums. He was also the lead vocalist of another band called “The New Rock Workshop” and its members toured and recorded for several years in the 60s.
In addition to playing and singing in those bands, Levine began studying at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, where he took classes in a 4-year programme. There he reclaimed his passion for drawing the human figure.
At the age of 20 Levine settled permanently in Manhattan anstarted his professional career as an artist. He could not finish the last quarter of his studies, but through a professor he was able to make contact high-profile graphic artists such as Paul Davis, Milton Glaser, Chwast Seymour and Lubalin Herb. After a while he landed a job making magazine covers and also with the famous creative director Tony Palladino with whom he learned various tools of the trade.
In these early works, as may be noted, photography was used as an element of graphic expression, combining some illustration and staging. It was a work concluded between Levine and Lee.
After the first six years, Levine was already doing most of the work for Fania All-Stars together with Lee.
At the same time, Sanabria was occupied with Latin NY magazine, which was a very influential publication for Nuyorican popular culture.
Levine comments that he felt part of The Good, The Bad And The Ugly and Lo Mato.
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Jhonny Pacheco had respect for his illustrations because Levine also knew about music.
However, he says he took an intensive course and went from not knowing anything about Latin music to witnessing its history and evolution in the front row.
After that, he worked for some albums by Rubén Blades in which he began experimenting with portrait photography, which was a realistic interpretation from photography.
Lo Mato
Lo Mato
Despite the pleasant working atmosphere, Levine had some conceptual discussions with Masucci in relation to logos and title text sizes in typographies, resulting in controversial results in some cases.
Since Latin music was marginalized for many years, the designs of the 60s and 70s used a shoestring budget, considering that Fania All-Stars was neither Columbia nor Atlantic Records, for many of the typographies almost everything had to be created manually and with basic techniques such as the use of masks, photocopies, adhesive tape and rubber cement.
In this way, there was a lot of handmade work in which Levine’s photos were taken to the extreme. All the lines were done by hand and then tinted with rapidograph pens. Levine says that some of the typographies created had no concept behind them, however, illustration to produce a quality product take a long time.
Creativity was blooming as was humor. Many musicians used to dress up in costumes and pose with girls.
Subsequently, he was called to work in the covers of La Sonora Ponceña given that the aesthetics of this orchestra’s pieces were in line with his expectations about fantasy illustrations.
La Sonora Ponceña.
Many of the covers created by Levine and Lee challenged the concept of the Latin identity’s representation, this can be better seen in the LP’s created for La Sonora Ponceña from Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The record label Fania Records offered that differentiation to new musicians, giving them the opportunity to say something interestingusing their covers. Sanabria had already begun to develop a concept, but were at the hands of Lee and Levine that a classic representation of the style based on comic-inspired illustrations, some humor and Pop Art was truly shown.
Ruben Blades.
Ruben Blades With Strings
Rubén Blades With Strings
This is how contextualized ideas and stories were developed; an example of this is a cover where a representation of the conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon in full body armor (something incongruous with the use of a sweater), a guitar on his shoulder, a maraca in one hand and a parchment in the other one.
When Levine took charge, there was some controversy concerning how the group should be represented; however, Levine was quite good in the eyes of the fans.
Given that they felt the story needed to be told in some way and the problems and artistic freedom so important to salsa in the 70s were illustrated with authencity through his creations.
These creations that came out from an initial idea of Juan Ponce de León’s representation mutated and became the issue of many album covers that not only told fantastic fictional stories related to music, but also changed the traditional image of the Latin album.
Sonora Ponceña albums (Musical Conquest – Back to work).
Sonora Ponceña Musical Conquest
Sonora Ponceña Musical Conquest
Despite the success of Levine’s work with the public, Sanabria, who always tried to remain within the limits of Latin culture, criticized him precisely for distorting music and its culture.
Sonora Ponceña Back to work
Sonora Ponceña Back to Work
However, Levine defended his idea by saying that Latin music and its artists very good music), had not received before the support as is provided to American music and artists. Given that Levine had been linked to the creation of covers for rock bands, he always felt that the quality of Latin music covers was very poor due to the low budget.
Sonora Ponceña albums (Determination – Night Rider).
Sonora Ponceña Determination
Sonora Ponceña Determination
In this way with his fiction proposal, Levine put Latin music on a par with some American artists who had recognition (Boston, ELO, Earth, Wind, Fire, Kiss and Yes).
Levine believed the covers should reflect the image of success. Fortunately, he had the support of Masucci, who, motivated by Levine, invested more money in the covers using the same premise.
Sonora Ponceña Night Rider
Sonora Ponceña Night Rider
With his proposal for the covers, Levine wanted to show that Latin music was part of one of the biggest music scenes in the world.
He remarked that each of the covers had the same standard of treatment as a work of art; it was worked with great care and detail.
Finally, the last cover created by Levine for La Sonora Ponceña was made in the digital age – On Target (1998). There is a kind of hybrid between samurai and barbarian, with certain influences of the aesthetics of video games, fast-moving typography management with a flatter illustration but with a three-dimensional look.
The CD was released the year after the death of Masucci.
Sonora Ponceña On Target.
Sonora Ponceña On Target
Conclusion
The concept proposed by Ron Levine allowed to explore from creation not only the various ways of making known a musical group, but also the establishment of a style that spread among the public to such an extent that his work on each cover is recognized as a work of art at present.
Mongo Santamaria
Mongo Santamaria
On the other hand, he was a pioneer of a style with which Latin music was not initially identified in its beginnings (fiction illustration, Pop Art, humor.) Yet, despite economic constraints, he designed several album covers with the best quality, they are even on the same level as those created on American record labels with higher budgets.
Notes
1 Member of the Research Group Camaleón.
2 Member of the Research Group Palo de Mango.
3 Music festival, art and Hippie congregation; held on 15, 16, 17 and the early morning of 18 August 1969, in Sullivan Country, New York.
References
Figueredo, M. (2010).
Album cover design in the 1970s.
Creation and Production in Design and Communication [works of students and Graduates] Nº 35 (2010). pp 99-102 ISSN 1668-5229 99
Rondón, C. (2008).
The Book of Salsa: A Chronicle of Urban Music from the Caribbean to New York City The University of North Carolina Press.
Cocinando. Fifty Years of Latin Album Cover Art.
New York: Pricenton Architectural Press.
Received: June 30/ Approved: November 28, 2013.
For Santa Maria’s bongo album Afro-Indio, Levine produced a masterful watercolor of ritual imagery focused on African culture.
On February 28, 1992, the Queen of Latin Soul and Boogaloo “La Yiyiyi” passed away in New York.
While Curro was scaring the children in the Cartuja of Seville, Guadalupe Victoria Yolí Raymond, a Hispanic neighbor of the Bronx of New York, died at the age of 52, in misery.
A few years earlier she had enrolled in college in order to survive on scholarship money.
The legendary singer Guadalupe Victoria Yolí Raymond “La Lupe”
Maybe when her neighbors heard her talk about limousines, fame, luxury and parties, they looked at her with a knowing look on their faces and played along. There you go again.
But it was true, during the sixties Victoria, La Lupe, also known then as the queen of Latin soul, bragged about being able to spend the twenty thousand dollars she earned per concert on a fur coat.
Long before the invasion of salsa there she was, La Yiyiyi, wandering from bar to bar along 53rd Street, a meeting and exchange place for Latino immigrants in the city of skyscrapers. Busamba’, ‘Boogaloo’, gentlemen.
That’s what it sounded like when Cuba slept with Mexico or Puerto Rico on the stage of any club. Salsa? No, not yet, please. It was still La Lupe’s time.
Yolí Victoria Raymond “La Lupe”
The Queen of Latin Soul and Boogaloo “La Yiyiyi”
Exiled from Cuba because her singing offended the colonel, she was disputed in her beginnings by Mongo Santamaría and Tito Puente himself, with whom she made perhaps her most interesting recordings. From her first album, ‘Con el diablo en el cuerpo’, she made it clear that she was not going to be just any singer. She captivated the public with her extravagant personality and her madness.
She shrieked, shuddered, pulled her hair, insulted the audience, laughed, tore her clothes in passionate outbursts.
But she also cried and demonstrated her incredible technique when she was asked to sing a bolero. As she sang she lived. Pouring out and enjoying the joy and the sadness.
Then something happened. A new sound began to soundtrack the daily routine of the immigrant ghettos.
A less compromised rhythm that allowed evasion, at least for the duration of the dance, to all the Hispanics living badly in the United States.
Celia Cruz, for better or worse, gave salsa to the world and buried La Lupe in life.
Celia took away her throne and made sure that no one would remember her.
Fame and success is a war and Victoria no longer had the strength to participate in that battle. Her life was an earthquake.
Around that time her second husband began to develop schizophrenia and she decided to take care of her.
After that, little else is known about her until her death.
At the end of the 80’s she converted to the evangelist religion and composed a series of songs that may come to light under the name of La Samaritana.
Although surely her praises to God still sound as warm and sensual as the boleros ‘Orgasmo’ or ‘Puro Teatro’.
La Lupe
The year of her death, her friend Tito Puente and Celia Cruz were offering a conventional Latin music concert at Expo ’92.
Perhaps, at some point, the percussionist remembered when he played ‘Boogaloo’ with the first Latin queen.
As Lupe herself says in her explosive version of ‘Guantanamera’: “Sobre tu tierra divina riega mi voz campesina versos que son como flores, con los más grandes honores de La Yiyiyi, señores”.
The Ruben Blades concert at Oakland’s Paramount Theatre on Saturday, November 20th was sensational! The anticipation of the packed intergenerational crowd to his first visit In 18 years was at a high peak. Blades wowed the audience with a stunning performance backed by bassist Roberto Delgado’s dynamic Big Band.Ruben’s powerful voice was as crystal clear as when he started his career with Ray Barretto back in 1974. His set list was a retrospective into his vast and deep repertoire that included his big hits, crowd favorites, esoteric song choices and selections from his Latin Grammy award winning album Salswing! The musicianship that accompanied Blades was top notch as Roberto Delgado’s crack band were tight, explosive and swinging! The visuals projected on the huge screen above Ruben were imaginative displaying photo tributes to Hector Lavoe as well as to recently deceased Latin music giants and clever animation that was the backdrop for songs. This was a triumphant return to the SF Bay Area for Blades who last played a concert here in 2003 at Roccapulco. He performed for 2 hours and 40 minutes to the delight of the massive crowd. What a show!!
Art for the Salswing Tour by Rubén Baldes
Speaking of big shows….Three time Grammy Award Winner Spanish Harlem Orchestra will play a special holiday dance/concert “Salsa Para El Bailador” on Saturday, December 11th, 8 pm at the Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza in Monterey. Yours truly, Luis Medina will be your Master Of Ceremonies and DJ for the evening playing 100% Bailable in between the sets.There are VIP seats and packages still available. There is also an auto caravan coming from San Francisco directly to the concert.For more information on the concert, caravan and tickets, please visit www.montunoproductions.com or call 510-586-3215.
I dropped by La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley to catch the livestream of their couch concert starring Santana percussionist Karl Perazo live from their stage on Friday, Nov. 19th. The web streamed concert was hosted by renowned Bay Area based flautist Miguelito Martinez (Candela) with an intro from La Peña’s Executive Director Natalia Neira Retamal.Perazo was in excellent form on congas, bongos and percussion leading a hot Latin Jazz descarga accompanied by Martinez, bassist Saul Sierra and pianist Julio De La Cruz. This session was part of an on-going series that is coordinated by La Peña new creative staff Corey Raynor. For more information, visit www.lapena.org.
The Cigar Bar, 850 Montgomery in SF’s North Beach will be open to Salseros in December for part of December. Their lineup includes Orquesta Timbalero Dec 4, Alberto Y La Differencia Dec. 5, Edgardo Cambon y Candela, Dec 10, Josh Jones Latin Jazz Ensemble Dec 11, Latin Rhythm Boys Dec 17 and the last night for Salsa this year will be featuring PMO all star vocalist/percussionist Braulio Barrera’s Somos El Son on Dec. 18. Cigar Bar will reopen the Latin music nights in early January 2022.
The Seahorse is Sausalito will feature in their Sunday Salsa lineup the following acts: Julio Bravo & Salsabor Dec 5, Edgardo Cambon & Candela Dec. 12, Louie Romero & Mazacote Dec 19 and the Salsa Caliente All Stars with Karl Perazo (of Santana), Gary Flores and Carlitos Franco on Dec. 26. The Seahorse will also be starting off their Salsa Saturdays with Rene Escovedo on Dec. 4th. For the rest of the Sat schedule, visit sausalitoseahorse.com.
Julio Bravo in one of his performances
More news
The Ramp, 855 Terry Francois in SF will continue Salsa under their weatherproof tent on Saturday afternoons beginning at 5 PM featuring Pepe Y Su Orquesta Dec. 4, trumpeter Julius Melendez All Stars Dec. 11, Eric Rangel and Orquesta America, Dec 18 and a special Thursday with Julio Bravo and Salsabor on Dec. 23rd
Space 550 at 550 Barneveld, SF has opened its doors again to Friday Salsa dancing featuring Somos El Son Dec 3, Orquesta Borinquen Dec. 10 and their last event for 2021 featuring N’Rumba on Dec. 17th. The Friday Night happenings will resume on Friday, January 14, 2022 with Borinquen. The Saturday nights have resumed with Bachata Takeover Saturdays featuring Bachata in the main room and the other rooms featuring Salsa and Bachata.
Kimbara 3380 19th Street at the site of the old big room of the former SF Bissap Baobab location is now featuring Suzy Q Wednesdays every 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month. This night brought you by the Producers of I Heart Mambo and the SBK Congress feature Salsa Congress style DJ’s and live bands such as VibraSON on December 15th.
Peninsula/South Bay’s long-running established Salsa Club Alberto’s, 736 West Dana St in Mountain View offers Salsa on Tuesday and Friday nights featuring dance lessons by Pantea with DJ and live entertainment. Their weekly calendar includes Tango on Sunday, Bachata on Wednesdays and Rock En Español on Saturday nights….Cascal Restaurant located nearby at 400 Castro Street, Mountain View offers live entertainment on Fridays through Sundays with great ambiance, tasty Spanish cuisine and the sounds of Edgardo Cambon and LaTiDo on December 3, 4 and 17th.
Uruguayan bandleader, percussionist, and singer Edgardo Cambon
Producer Adrian Goddard’s Jaffe Events continues to keep busy into the holidays. They will celebrate with a Fiesta Navideña on Saturday, Dec. 11 from 3 to 7 pm. Featuring an afternoon of Salsa, Timba, Bachata, Reggaeton and more by DJ’s including Walt Digz, Tony O and Pablo at the Mars Bar, 798 Brannan SF. Jaffe Events is also presenting Feliz Año Nuevo 2022 on New Years Eve with DJ’s spinning Reggaeton, Salsa, Latin Hits, Cumbia and more at the BEI Hotel, 50 Eighth Street in San Francisco.
On New Year’s Eve, the renowned Salsa orchestra Grupo Gale from Colombia will headline at the Hyatt Regency in Burlingame. The event will also feature DJ Tony O, DJ Bosco and DJ Franklin. The event will also feature International music in their second room. For more information, go to eventbrite.com, ticketsparaticom or call 415-424-8809.
The Marriott in San Mateo will feature 6 rooms featuring live music by Julio Bravo and Salsabor, Amor Do Samba with Brazilian Drummers, Orquesta N’Rumba, Orq Revelation and 10 DJ’s playing hits, Reggaeton, Bachata and Salsa. Free beer offered from 8 to 11 pm. For ticket info, visit www.marriottliveparty.com.
There will be a New Years Eve Descarga 2021featuring Salsa, Bachata and Kizomba music at 1824 Hillsdale Avenue in San Jose. This bash will feature a tribute to the legendary all-star timbalero Louie Romero who will be performing with Orquesta Salson, Dance performance by John and Liz of Salsamania Dance Company,, DJ music will feature WorldSalsaRadio DJ’s El De La Clave SF and DJ Boricua, dancer Kathy Reyes will be hosting the bachata room and more! For tickets, go to eventbrite.com
Be sure to check out my radio programs “Con Sabor” every Saturday evening 9 to 11 pm on KPFA 94.1 FM/kpfa.org and “Sabiduria Con Tumbao” every Wednesday evening 5 to 7 PM PST on WorldSalsaRadio.com.
Until next time, Ciao 4 now!!!
Bandleader and timbalero Luie Romero while performing
