Back-to-back FREE concerts by Carnavalito this week:
Mosaic Wine Lounge in Raleigh throws a patio party to celebrate their 3rd anniversary this THURSDAY (6/25). Live music by Carnavalito from 8-9 pm, followed by deejays. This should be a pleasant repeat of the band's gig there during the Mosaic Spring Music Fest earlier this month; view my video here.
Then, Carnavalito plays the Brightleaf Square concert series in Durham on FRIDAY (6/25), 7-9 pm.
Both events are outdoors and free of charge.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
taco heard round the world
Durham taco culture is booming:
New York Times, "36 Hours in Research Triangle Park"
(See Item 6)
La Vaquita was also featured in Gourmet magazine a year or so ago. The mole is to die for; I've heard raves about the pollo de crema and the flan. I hope all that publicity means they will never close. Little known fact: you can call your order in.
Photo credit: Lisa Brockmeier
I still mourn the de facto end of El Paraiso, on Alston Ave., which used to be run by that lady and her daughters who appear to have moved on. In the kitchen, she always had a giant bowl of masa dough from which she crafted all her various delicacies by hand. I've never had an empañada that was so light and crisp, so absent of dull, residual grease despite being fried. Heaven.
Last I was there, an interloper was selling only tacos, and those made with store-bought tortillas. Pirata! Someone has told me since that the wonderful, random murals on the bunker-like concrete structure have been painted over; no more floating Corona bottles on an electric lime-green background. I guess it's really over.
So, what's missing from your "36 Hours" list?
New York Times, "36 Hours in Research Triangle Park"
(See Item 6)
La Vaquita was also featured in Gourmet magazine a year or so ago. The mole is to die for; I've heard raves about the pollo de crema and the flan. I hope all that publicity means they will never close. Little known fact: you can call your order in.
Photo credit: Lisa Brockmeier
I still mourn the de facto end of El Paraiso, on Alston Ave., which used to be run by that lady and her daughters who appear to have moved on. In the kitchen, she always had a giant bowl of masa dough from which she crafted all her various delicacies by hand. I've never had an empañada that was so light and crisp, so absent of dull, residual grease despite being fried. Heaven.
Last I was there, an interloper was selling only tacos, and those made with store-bought tortillas. Pirata! Someone has told me since that the wonderful, random murals on the bunker-like concrete structure have been painted over; no more floating Corona bottles on an electric lime-green background. I guess it's really over.
So, what's missing from your "36 Hours" list?
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Fiesta Latina Photos
More coverage coming soon...click on any photo to enlarge or to see more at my flickr page.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Sunday (6/14) Jazz Brunch with Rice and Beans
I'll be guest hosting WXDU 88.7 FM's Sunday Morning Jazz Show this week, from 10 am - 12 noon.I'll be tinkering in the kitchen, but hope to feature some new jazz records by Latin artists as well as some of my favorite straight ahead jazz. So, tune in this Sunday at 10 am to WXDU (streaming at www.wxdu.org) for jazz with a side of rice and beans!
Saturday 'Showers'
When it rains, it pours!
This Saturday (6/13) from noon to 7 pm, there's the Chatham County Hispanic Liason Fiesta Latina at Shakori Hills Farm.
Then from 11 pm on, The Latin Project plays live salsa at the Cobo Brothers' Summer Latin Jam in George's Garage.
The Latin Project performing at Carmen's in April
Exclusively on Onda, here's your Fiesta Latina schedule (gracias a Hispanic Liason Executive Director Ronald Garcia-Forgarty!):
Mainstage:
12:00 - Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano (1st show)
12:30 - Firehouse Rhythm Kings (eclectic local music)
1:45 - Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano (2nd show)
2:30 - WELCOME
3:00 - Saludos Compay (salsa/cumbia/Latin music)
4:15 - Bravo Norteño (nortena music)
6:00 - Galumpha (acrobats)
7:00 - RAFFLE of a 1994 Ford station wagon
Movement Tent:
1:15 - Ms. Suz the Storyweaver
2:00 - Bilingual Storytelling and Music with Alex Weiss
3:00 - Hula Hooping Workshop with Jacquie
4:00 - Acrobatics Workshop with Galumpha
5:00 - Rora the Clown / La Payasita Rora
5:30 - Baile Folklórico Magetzi
There will be a lot of children's activities, health and information fair, food vendors and the whole 9 yards. Admission is FREE, only a small parking fee of $2 per car which goes to Shakori for donating their space for this community outreach fair.
Links:
Read Dora Ragin's Indy review of Galumpha at the last Fiesta Latina held in 2007.
This Saturday (6/13) from noon to 7 pm, there's the Chatham County Hispanic Liason Fiesta Latina at Shakori Hills Farm.
Then from 11 pm on, The Latin Project plays live salsa at the Cobo Brothers' Summer Latin Jam in George's Garage.
The Latin Project performing at Carmen's in April
Exclusively on Onda, here's your Fiesta Latina schedule (gracias a Hispanic Liason Executive Director Ronald Garcia-Forgarty!):
Mainstage:
12:00 - Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano (1st show)
12:30 - Firehouse Rhythm Kings (eclectic local music)
1:45 - Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano (2nd show)
2:30 - WELCOME
3:00 - Saludos Compay (salsa/cumbia/Latin music)
4:15 - Bravo Norteño (nortena music)
6:00 - Galumpha (acrobats)
7:00 - RAFFLE of a 1994 Ford station wagon
Movement Tent:
1:15 - Ms. Suz the Storyweaver
2:00 - Bilingual Storytelling and Music with Alex Weiss
3:00 - Hula Hooping Workshop with Jacquie
4:00 - Acrobatics Workshop with Galumpha
5:00 - Rora the Clown / La Payasita Rora
5:30 - Baile Folklórico Magetzi
There will be a lot of children's activities, health and information fair, food vendors and the whole 9 yards. Admission is FREE, only a small parking fee of $2 per car which goes to Shakori for donating their space for this community outreach fair.
Links:
Read Dora Ragin's Indy review of Galumpha at the last Fiesta Latina held in 2007.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Mambo Compañeros' Media High Jump
Good news: the small media campfire set here about the Sotomayor mambo is blowing back a few sparks toward Norway.
Mambo Compañeros saxophonist Kåre Kolve managed to get both our names in lights today in the Norwegian national daily Dagbladet.no!
I think one of my wildest dreams just came true. Not only that, I learned the word for "high jumper" in Norsk (= høydehopperen).
Shout out to all my mambo-loving, Dagbladet-reading brothers and sisters! Velkommen til Onda Carolina, and keep supporting Latin music in your Scandinavian wonderland...un cariño especial a los caribeños allí.
What's next? Will Judge Sonia Sotomayor herself check in with an opinion? You never know...
Link:
All things Sotomayor on Onda Carolina
Mambo Compañeros saxophonist Kåre Kolve managed to get both our names in lights today in the Norwegian national daily Dagbladet.no!
I think one of my wildest dreams just came true. Not only that, I learned the word for "high jumper" in Norsk (= høydehopperen).
Shout out to all my mambo-loving, Dagbladet-reading brothers and sisters! Velkommen til Onda Carolina, and keep supporting Latin music in your Scandinavian wonderland...un cariño especial a los caribeños allí.
What's next? Will Judge Sonia Sotomayor herself check in with an opinion? You never know...
Link:
All things Sotomayor on Onda Carolina
Dance Date with The Latin Project SATURDAY
The Cobo Brothers are turning their monthly social into a Summer Latin Jam in June, with live salsa by The Latin Project. Dressy attire is requested for this party at Durham's George's Garage this Saturday (6/13).
Admission is $20 at the door, so now is the time to jump on early ticket sales for discounts:
$10 if purchased before June 10
$15 if purchased before June 13
Keep in mind that only a LIMITED NUMBER of discounted tickets are available in each price category, so when they sell out, they are gone (which could happen before the closeout date).
Mambo Dinamico dancers will perform between live sets:
SCHEDULE - 11:00pm - 3:00am:
Latin Project's 1st set @ 11:30pm
Mambo Dinamico Dance Company performance @ 12:30am
Latin Project's 2nd set @ 1:30am
I've heard The Latin Project recently and they're an old school salsa band in the Puerto Rican mold, with seasoned musicians from Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham area, and South Carolina. These are the guys who came up with the parking lot plenazo (view video here) in their spare time between sets at Carmen's in April.
At George's this Saturday, salseros and mamboniks can expect to get their money's worth; this will be a solid dance date.
Tickets and info at Cobo Brothers Dance Company, ncsalsa.com.
Admission is $20 at the door, so now is the time to jump on early ticket sales for discounts:$10 if purchased before June 10
$15 if purchased before June 13
Keep in mind that only a LIMITED NUMBER of discounted tickets are available in each price category, so when they sell out, they are gone (which could happen before the closeout date).
Mambo Dinamico dancers will perform between live sets:
SCHEDULE - 11:00pm - 3:00am:
Latin Project's 1st set @ 11:30pm
Mambo Dinamico Dance Company performance @ 12:30am
Latin Project's 2nd set @ 1:30am
I've heard The Latin Project recently and they're an old school salsa band in the Puerto Rican mold, with seasoned musicians from Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham area, and South Carolina. These are the guys who came up with the parking lot plenazo (view video here) in their spare time between sets at Carmen's in April.
At George's this Saturday, salseros and mamboniks can expect to get their money's worth; this will be a solid dance date.
Tickets and info at Cobo Brothers Dance Company, ncsalsa.com.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Urban Bachata in NYT
It's an interesting phenomenon how Latino markets often run completely parallel to the mainstream Anglo music industry, united (and divided) by language demographics rather than geography.
Jody Rosen explores it in this recent New York Times profile of Anthony Santos, the Bronx-born urban bachata star of Aventura. I first heard his name about 10 years ago from my friend Milli, who said that all the jukeboxes in her Brooklyn neighborhood were playing Anthony Santos.
Links:
Click here to see my coverage of Toby Love at the Lincoln Theatre this past February.
Jody Rosen explores it in this recent New York Times profile of Anthony Santos, the Bronx-born urban bachata star of Aventura. I first heard his name about 10 years ago from my friend Milli, who said that all the jukeboxes in her Brooklyn neighborhood were playing Anthony Santos.
"As the hits have piled up, the band’s critics have been replaced by followers — American-based, pop-oriented bachata acts like Xtreme and Toby Love, a former Aventura backup singer."
[Source: "Crossover Dreams of a Bronx Bachatero," New York Times, 6/3/09]
Links:
Click here to see my coverage of Toby Love at the Lincoln Theatre this past February.
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