Busy Busy Busy...calendar item

This has been one busy month! Maintaining ones blog is a discipline in my world. I am juggling like many parents out there. Working gigs and the regular job, dealing with your family, taking care of obligations, networking, preparing radio programs, planning for the future..and the list goes on and on. I'm back..ready with new things to share with you.

The Legendary Jelly's Dance Cafe - RIP

A San Francisco salsa lover's institution, Jelly's Dance Cafe at Pier 50 closed its doors last week but not without a final party blowout which featured Julio Bravo Y Salsabor, DJ Walt Digz and myself on the wheels of steel. It was beyond packed both inside and outside...I estimated that more than 600 people must have gone in and out of the venue during the evening. Since I have been a resident DJ on Club Havana Sundays for more than a decade, I recall some of the great musicians who sat in with bands at the club: Herman Olivera, Omar Sosa, Giovanni Hidalgo, Modesto Cepeda, Johnny Polanco, Pepito Gomez, Danny Lozada and La Palabra among others. In the early days, it was Louie Romero's Mazacote and Anthony Blea's Charanson who were the house bands. I rotated with Ivette "La Coqui" Fuentes as the house dj's for years mixing it up with salsa dura y clasica, timba, mambo and more. Ivette left a few years ago and DJ's Walt Digz and Antonio were added to the rotation. It was a delight to DJ at Jelly's because we always tried to match or surpass the energy of the band and vice versa so the level of music created at the club was always top notch. The special communication between the band, djs, dancers and audience was unique among salsa clubs in the area and it didn't matter that Jelly's wasn't a luxurious club or offered dance lessons (it never did!). What mattered to the dancers, faithful patrons, visitors, musicians and dj's at Jelly's was only the music! Even though new Sunday venues are popping up to fill the void, Jelly's unique vibe will be sorely missed!

KPFA needs your support!

Lot's of things have been happening that have taken my time away from my blog. I have been working hard the past month with the KPFA fund drive. It is no secret that this 61 year old listener sponsored radio station is in financial trouble going thru job cuts, reducing budgets, shrinking resources and enduring a heated local station board election and on-going internal political struggles. In addition to my duties and obligations as Music Director, I have been extremely busy producing fund drive programs, assisting my fellow on-air hosts in pitching for much needed money and securing premiums for this current drive. It has been a struggle this time which is reflective of our sagging economic situation and it appears that the station is going to fall short of its goal this time. You can contribute to KPFA by going to the web site at www.kpfa.org. If you listen to my program "Con Sabor", please consider supporting the cause, visiting the web site and becoming a member.