Tempo Latino Part 1

My time visiting Europe came and disappeared in a flash! But what a flash it was experiencing the Tempo Latino Festival in the picturesque small French town of Vic-Fezensac. This festival now in its 17th year was full of rumba, soul and most of all...Salsa! The biggest outdoor Salsa festival in all of Europe featured 4 days of music that satisfied the most die-hard fans of Salsa and Latin music. The big outdoor concerts at the Plaza De Toros (bullfight arena) featured 2 prominent acts per night starting at 9:30 pm and going until 1 am. The "La Conga" nightspot was free to the public and featured a band and a dj starting around 12:30 am until closing time at 4:30 am. It was a large space that featured a stage, huge dance floor and a meadow with a sandy floor that could fit 4,000 folks. The festival also had smaller stages with free music that were outside of the Plaza De Toros. A large crafts fair leading from the entrance of the festival to the town featured everything from hats, jewelry to percussion instruments. Vic-Fezensac was alive with music, dancing and rumba! Most cafes and restaurants had their own dj's, small groups and dance instructors...what a scene! The colorful decorations in the festival area were made by the large crew of volunteers who help make Tempo Latino a unique festival.

Tempo Latino

Europe's largest salsa festival Tempo Latino takes place in the town of Vic-Fezensac in the south of France near Toulouse next week from Thursday, July 22 through Sunday, July 25th. I will be traveling to dj two evenings at the annual festival that features an international lineup with a world music flavor this year. Past Tempo Latino festivals have featured the who's whos of Latin Music. Headlining will be Trombonist extraordinare Jimmy Bosch's all star band featuring top sonero Herman Olivera, PR salsa diva/percussionist Choco Orta, World music sensation Ojos De Brujo, Salsa Celtica from Ireland, Barcelona salsa dura from La Sucursal, Austin's favorite party band Grupo Fantasma, solid salsa from Colombia's Calambuco and Italo-Andoleuse vocalist Sebastian Avispa with his tasty fusion. Joining me in the after hour sessions at Le Conga which start at 1 am will be the French all female salsa band Yemaya La Banda on the 22nd and Barcelona fusionists Zulu 9.3. I'm am excited about playing music for the European salsa scene. Para el bailador y los exigentes con sabor! For more information, go to tempolatino.org. I will be reporting on the festival in the near future...check this blog.

Otra Vission

When you check out who is going to perform in the SF Bay such as Elio Reve Y Su Charangon, Grupo Niche, Jose Alberto "El Canario", Joe Arroyo, Orquesta Aragon, Oro Solido...you have to pinch yourself to realize that this isn't a dream. Wow! We have a renaissance of fantastic music coming our way. But we also need to remember to big up our own fine acts in the Bay. In that regard, the new recording by Vission Latina entitled "Sonando Como Un Canon" is a fine example of great musicians in our mist. Pianist/trumpeter Marco Diaz, bassist Saul Sierra and percussionist Carlos Caro are not household names yet but they will be if they keep producing the dynamic music heard on this new cd. They make up one of the hottest rhythm sections anywhere having been a part of John Santos Sextet, Anthony Blea's Charanson, Jesus Diaz y su QBA and other varied musical icons. This recording will features a myriad of styles including timba, son, cha cha cha and rumba is a joy to the listener and dancer. They are joined by Eduardo Herrera, Ramon "Monchy" Esteves, Carlos Soto, Felix Samuel and Jose Roberto Hernandez...what a powerful group of soneros joining in on this tasty stew. Kudos to the amazing blind percussionist Julio Perez who adds to the instrumental fire power of this cd. For more information, visit www.vissionlatina.com

Mas Viejo Pero Sabroso

I have been celebrating my birthday since this past Wednesday. My birthday was actually on Friday, June 25th. Friends and family made sure that I celebrated my birthday in style. I appreciate all the fine friends, acquaintances and contacts that I have made in the music, radio and media business. I am blessed and gratified to still be a part of the music scene in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond for so many years. Now the challenge is to continue to do the hard work and deliver consistently with quality and not rest on one's laurels or complacency. Yes, I am ready to meet that challenge....born ready!

Been Too Busy To Write...but I'm back!

this month has been incredible! Great shows that I've seen this month have been Silvio Rodriguez who mesmerized the crowd at the Paramount in Oakland...talk about audience participation! The crowd was singing along and shouting out their political comments and expressing their love at this esteemed troubadour who sang beautifully with his prolific and ageless voice. His band was a top notch group of flawless instrumentalists who graced his every tune. On the other side of the spectrum, Cesar "Pupy" Pedroso y Los Que Son Son demonstrated why they were worthy of that name with virtuosity, style, showmanship and non-stop quality modern Cuban dance music. Pedroso in spectacular form, played flawlessly, smiled at the adoring crowds at both Cocomo and Yoshi's while leading this powerhouse of a band. The front line of Rusdell, El Noro and Michel Perez were fun to watch. Each possessed a great voice to go along with their unique look, grind and dance steps. El Gran Combo kicked off the month with a swinging set at Cafe Cocomo showcasing their new hit "Sin Salsa No Hay Paraiso" and proving once again why they are one of the top Salsa bands in the planet.

Life Is Good

Sometimes we have to take the time to appreciate all the beauty that surrounds us. When we are closed minded, too busy, short of time, lost in thoughts about our troubles...we lose sight of the little things and the people that make life worth living. We need to take a moment to appreciate that we wake up every morning to a new day. How that day turns out is completely up to us. Life is good when we take advantage of that opportunity to make things better.

Carnaval has come and gone!

Carnaval SF 2010 has gone into the record books. It came and was gone in a flash! I was only able to visit for a couple of hours on early Saturday afternoon with my wife and son. There was a time when I used to spend months perhaps an entire year planning, organizing and presenting the entertainment on four different stages for Carnaval but that was a long time ago when there was still real money around to support events for the community. Until recently, our radio station KPFA was one of the sponsors of the stages as well....unfortunately, that's also in the past as well. Now I'm just a spectator checking out the new generation of carnavalescos, bands, promoters, djs and scene makers do their thing. I wasn't impressed by anything this year really because I've seen everything that could happen and has happened in Carnaval...however I was impressed that SFCAT was able to pull it off this year anyway and kept the spirit of Carnaval alive for the freshly initiated, the fans and guys like me. John Calloway's SF State Student Salsa/Afro Cuban big band played the best music the whole time I was there. I visited the Havana Pavilion where Dark Rum, Walt Digz, Nick & Serena and company were setting things up despite lacking a huge tent. Their spirits were still high while they were doing the hard work. We actually went there to see Mestiza who didn't play after all which disappointed all of us. When I inquired back stage about their non appearance, Jimmy, a gruff young guy who ran the show told me that they had a "keyboard issue". What happened? The keyboard player didn't show up? Well..the ups and downs of a big festival! Meanwhile, Calloway and company had the crowd riled up though...dancing and cheering to those great tunes played by smiling students who were stars for an hour on a glorious sunny day!