What it is: Afro-Cuban percussion ensemble, two short live sets at 10:30 and 11:30 pm, with DJ'ed salsa in between. FREE, no cover.
UPDATE, posted Friday AM:
This party is happening. More and more people turn out each time for this (soon to be regular?) monthly percussion performance, with sweaty interludes of salsa. DJ Steven Feinberg played Bio Ritmo from the new album, the fortified plena/salsa mix "Dime Vida," also some Cuban timba (why wasn't I paying closer attention?), some Willie Colon (I think it was the real thing, "Todo Tiene Su Final") and some Marc Anthony from the El Cantante soundtrack, "Aguanile." Betto and some of his Mambo Dinamico crowd turned out, as well as the stalwarts from Paso, with their rueda and rumba guaguanco students, and members of the NCSalseros Meetup group. It was a good feeling to see a large crowd responding to live drums. Tambor Vivo sounded the best I've heard them at this venue, possibly feeding off the crowd energy. They were doing a samba batucada thing when I came in, at the tail end of the last set. After the intermission, they entered with a shekere procession, and Beverly (Botsford) was in her element. One of her percussion buddies drove in 100 miles from Greenville. "I can't believe I'm hearing this. This wouldn't be happening 20 years ago," he said during the second set's long guaguanco, for which Betto and Beverly improvised some vocals. Like a tiny flame, we shelter it and watch it grow.
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1 comment:
You know, this night was absolutely amazing. I am still in awe of the fact the we were dancing to LIVE Guaguanco in downtown Raleigh, NC.
For the most part, even dancers in a big city like LA would have no clue what to do with a Guaguanco.
But here we were in Mosaic with a GROUP of people dancing to a rhythm that even many Latin dancers only know by name given that it's commonly referred to in Salsa music.
And for one of the coolest parts of the night:
I turned away from the stage for one minute and I all the sudden I see Betto on stage delivering improvised vocals. You just never know!
Tambor Vivo was really on top of things as usual. You don't know how thankful Paso is to have these guys.
I would literally give up my ankles to see nights exactly like this spread throughout the Triangle.
Well, maybe not my ankles.
Eduardo
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