A new dance space in Hillsborough opens its doors to salsa dancers this Saturday (11/5): The Depot, at 246 Nash Street, hosts a Latin Dance Party withSaludos Compay from 7:30 pm on. Jack Wolf reports there is a nice wood dance floor and plenty of space.
This dance is FREE, NO COVER; a hat will be passed for the musicians.
DJ Wolfy Jack gives the free dance lesson at 7:45; the band will play two sets starting around 8:30.
Two things I've noticed about the "international" party scene lately: a) it seems to be migrating more and more to Raleigh, and b) the names for some of the new parties sound like new brands in Trojan's expanding product line (i.e., "Latinsations," "Latinvibe," etc.).
New local sextet Caribe Vibe, co-led by Billy Marrero and Andres Leon, seems like the perfect band for this newer, "hotter" Raleigh scene. On just their third gig out in public last night, they brought an agile and unique sound to the newly remodeled Cantina South on Glenwood. Breaking away from either "salsa" or "Latin jazz" formulas, the creative ensemble is making pure dance music that is relaxed, sophisticated and just a little outside the box. Also, absolutely perfect for relatively intimate club spaces. When a sextet doesn't feel like a logistical compromise, but an opportunity for musical creativity, you know you have something special.
So, what's different? For a half-Boricua band--Alberto Carrasquillo (trumpet), Nelson Delgado (vocal/ bongo), and BillyMarrero (congas)--it also sports a heavy Venezuelan angle: co-leader Andres Leon on the piano, and his Maracaibo cohort Josue Bracho on drumset. American Paul Dobelstein plays electric bass.
That drumset (in place of timbales) sets Caribe Vibe apart from other salsa bands, giving it a jazzy versatility and a rock-heavy downbeat reminiscent of Cuban timba. Yet unlike most Latin jazz combos, Caribe Vibe keeps vocals and dancefloor appeal always foregrounded. Nelson Delgado, also a lead vocalist with Charanga Carolina and Orquesta GarDel, as well as a percussionist for many years in Carnavalito, maximizes both talents in the sextet--as sonero and bongocero.
In repertoire, they have a similar range to Billy and Andres's large ensemble, Orquesta K'Che: salsas, son/cha cha chas, merengues and cumbias. But even on well-worn standards, Caribe Vibe isn't treading water; with drumset and electric bass on hand, "Oye Como Va" can really plunge off the deep end toward rock. On "Moliendo Cafe," a classic pianist's showcase, Andres played a solo which is one of his best I've heard:
Caribe Vibe showed its own personality with two boleros that the group adapted into exciting salsa arrangements. This one, "La Barca" (Luis Miguel) got my blood up, with instrumental soloing on piano and trumpet:
Dancers loved this show; the sound (mixing and volume) was excellent. The venue has mixed bar- and restaurant-style seating, and a moderately sized wood dancefloor. Door cover was $5. I would definitely hit this band/venue up again.
Brevan Hampden leads a new Latin ensemble tonight at Cinco de Mayo, a Chapel Hill restaurant at 1502 E. Franklin Street, near Estes Dr., located across from the Sienna Hotel. Cover is $7.
Percussionist Brevan Hampden
Sources have been tight-lipped about the new dance organ, dubbed Conjunto Breve. Rumor has it that Hampden will be joined by members of Orquesta GarDel, Eric Hirsh, Atiba Rorie, Alberto Carrasquillo, Pete Kimosh and Jaime Roman, to perform charts unknown.
Salsa Xtreme is a fairly new Latin party, bringing salsa, merengue, bachata, et al., back to Wednesday nights. Empresario Cesar Merlos, dancer, DJ and former club manager, goes back far enough to remember this longtime Chapel Hill tradition.
Dance lesson at 9:30 pm; invite says "dress to impress." Party rolls at 10.
The sensation I am recommending to everyone these days isKairaba, a newly formed African band from the 'boros--Pittsboro, Carrboro, and Mbouror, Senegal. Diali Keba Cissokho is the griot to watch on the local music scene, having assembled a soulful trailblazer in Kairaba.
Kora, vocal, electric guitar, bass, drumset, djembe, dun dun and talking drum form the basis of this experimental sextet, whose members include Diali's nephew Sidya Cissokho, Midtown Dickens' Jonathan Henderson, jazz guitarist John Westmoreland, and longtime students of African rhythm Austin McCall and Will Ridenour.
The band name means "peace and love," a powerful, one-word concept in Manding. Will dissected it grammatically for me Thursday night:
Kaira = peace -ba = a suffix meaning "big, great," therefore, Kairaba = the big peace, or "peace to every living thing on earth."
Whoa.
The no-cover show was Kairaba's second at Talulla's, an event slated to repeat itself, for the time being, every other Thursday at 10 pm.
Andrew Magill, a fiddle player and former member of Charanga Carolina, joined the band last night for a few numbers. Here's audio capture of Andrew sitting on the last tune of the evening:
Catch KAIRABA again TONIGHT, Friday (5/27) at The Cat's Cradle's World Beat Fest, opening at 9:15 pm for DIFFERENT DRUM and DUB ADDIS.
The Triangle's newest Latin dance band makes its debut this weekend: Orquesta K'Che is the brainchild of percussionist/leader Billy Marrero, and Andres Leon, pianist and musical director.
Some fresh faces, and familiar echoes from bands of yore, fill out K'Che's ranks. The band is guitar-heavy with bassist Levy Vargas (of Latin rock band Razpa) playing an electric axe, and backing vocalist Nelson Rodriguez, of long-lost son band La Sexta Clave, sporting his tres in band photos. Horns include newcomers Channing McCullough (sax) and Matthew Parunak (trombone), as well as Samecumba veteran William Villalba (trumpet). Jaime Roman (Charanga Carolina, Orquesta GarDel) sings lead, and the rhythm section includes Pako Santiago (Carnavalito, Charanga Carolina). Countries of origin represented include Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Dominican Republic.
The band's strategy for building their own niche in the salsa scene is twofold, says musical director Leon. First and foremost: they aim to be an all-purpose dance band. That means rocking the cumbia, merengue, cha cha chá, etc. AND salsa, rather than specializing in one genre. Second: by selecting classic charts to cover that no other band in the area is doing, they bring variety to the scene.
First night to catch them live is this Friday (3/11) at Carmen's Cuban Cafe in Morrisville; doors open at 10, band at 11:30, admission $10.
Triangle salseros are abuzz about Orquesta GarDel's much anticipated CD release party this Saturday (1/29) at Motorco. Many contributed to the realization of the EP, Lo Que Tú Querías, via public donations at GarDel's Kickstarter site. So is it any wonder we feel invested?
According to Orquesta GarDel's website, the physical EP is for sale now for $6 at Bull City Records in Durham, and CD Alley in Chapel Hill. You can buy the digital album online here for only $4.
I'm not sure why Motorco booked an opening band--the place is going to be jammed with normally single-minded salseros, making unprecedented use of the spacious, polished dancefloor. That said, I'm kinda stoked to hear Dark Water Rising open, a band of young Lumbees singing and playing their own brand of Southern rock from Robeson County. I hope that the salsa world shows them some hospitality. What's great for both bands is it will bring a diverse audience together.
Late add to the party calendar: Orquesta GarDel has been booked to play Copa Night this month at its new Raleigh location: The Mint Restaurant on Fayetteville Street.
GarDel says this will be the last time to hear them in 2010 before the release party for their imminent CD.
Party hours: 11 pm - 2:30 am, with two live band sets at 11:45 pm and 1:15 am. Professional salsa and tango dancers Eider and Luisa and Cristian Oviedo will perform.
It's a Winter Black and White Party, so guests get a door discount for wearing all black and/or all white. Limited online tickets are available, which include a gift certificate to dine at Mint.
Bio Ritmo sets up shop at the new Durham venue Casbah on Friday, December 3 for a vinyl release party of their new 45rpm single. Yours truly, Santa Salsera, will be spinning dance music between sets.
A-side "Dinah's Mambo" displays that funky, experimental side of Bio Ritmo we know and love, while B-side "La Muralla" is the smokin', old school salsa we can count on.
And now, for an Onda Carolina EXCLUSIVE:
Charanga Carolina is poised to announce its next show, a Latin dance party at Talulla's, on Saturday, December 4. Thanks to director David Garcia for the scoop. Charanga will play one set from 11pm-12 midnight; cover is $5.
At their last show in October at UNC, vocalist/percussionist Nelson Delgado made his exciting vibraphone debut with the Charanga. He's joined here in a VIBES DUEL (! ! !) by Matt Thurtell, a UNC exchange student from the Royal Academy of Music in London, on the Tito Puente classic, "Cayuco":
North Carolina may be the only state in the union to have a publicly funded charanga orchestra: Charanga Carolina, UNC's Latin ensemble, plays their first concert of the season this Thursday (9/16) in Durham, at the neighboring NCCU campus.
Charanga Carolina @ NCCU last April
Thursday's concert celebrates Hispanic heritage month at NC Central's "Fiesta Pachanga." The Fiesta from 5-9 pm includes Latin American food, and is free and open to the public. Charanga Carolina performs from 6-7 pm in the lobby of the Alfonso Elder Student Union.
I visited a Charanga rehearsal a few weeks ago, and saw many returning faces, along with a few new ones. Looking forward to hearing the new group in action.
WHAT: Charanga Carolina WHEN: Thursday, 9/16, 6:00 - 7:00 pm WHERE: Alfonso Elder Student Union Lobby, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC Directions:http://www.nccu.edu/students/union.cfm
Rain deterred some from the annual salsa shindig at Saxapahaw; while the ground was damper and muddier than usual, the sky cleared in time for GarDel to preside over their two-hour set on schedule.
Eric Hirsh threw up a regal solo in "Boranda," originally a showpiece for another jazzy salsa pianist, Papo Lucca. This song about a drought swells and thunders like a stormcloud; it always seems to sound better on a rainy day.
Hawaiian trumpeter Kyle Santos filled Alberto Carrasquillo's chair for the day.
BUZZ: La Excelencia coming to NC in October
Jack Wolf, the man in the Panama hat, tells me he and Salsa4U have booked the upstart New York salsa band La Excelencia for a concert in Durham in October, on its way out to Asheville's LEAF festival.
The group features Panamanian, Cuban, Mexican, American and Puerto Rican musicians, performing bass, drums, flute, piano, major and minor percussion, vocals and sax. Check out their website for more info. Good luck to them Thursday; I hope we get to hear Rhythm+ in the Triangle in the near future.
They're hoping for 5,000 downloads to help finance release of the whole album, most (if not all) of which has already been laid down in a Richmond recording studio.
How to shoot with no light? I explored this concept up at Balliceaux in Richmond Tuesday night, my first chance in eons to catch up on my Bio Ritmo lore and shoot video of their new songs. Working with silhouettes and sound, you can feel your way; low-light stills fill in the blanks. This is the afrobeat coda to "Seguiras Criticando," with a Manu Dibango-style sax solo by J.C. Kuhl:
Not only is Bio Ritmo playing tons of new material, they're recording--4 songs are already down, and partial tracks for 4 others, under the eye and ear of Grammy-winning producer Aaron Levinson at a local Richmond studio.
Taking stock of personnel changes during the last year (has it really been that long??), I met three new players, some subbing, some permanent. Conguero Gabo Tomasini relocated from Richmond to Brooklyn a few months ago; he plays their (now frequent) NYC gigs, but Nicolai Creatore plays their dirty south gigs. Nick, one of the chefs at Balliceaux, lived in Brazil as a kid, so he's no stranger to Latin/Caribbean rhythms like samba and reggae. He's also played in D.C.'s gogo scene.
Bongocero, not always a regularly-held seat in Bio Ritmo, was manned (in style) by Arnaldo Marrero, a leading Latin DJ in Charlottesville. Robin Lugo, leader of the Virginia Beach band Tumbao Salsero, was also in attendance, and he sat in on bell and bongo during the end-of-show descarga.
Brass has seen the departure of trumpeter Tim Lett, who got married and had a baby (congratulations, Tim). Once a 2-trumpet, 2-trombone section, with nary a saxophone, the brass are now 1-1-1, with the addition of J.C. Kuhl on saxophone. Holding strong are "Mambo" Bob Miller on trumpet, and Toby Whitaker on lone trombone.
Former trombonist Stefan Demetriadis, who left the band in 2005, was among the onlookers at this free show, which drew a packed crowd to see the salsa band whose once-weekly gigs have become a rarity in Richmond. Another ex-homey in the house was Jonny Sullivan, the edgy, meteroic bass player who was part of Ritmo's regenerative spurt back around 2003.
Bio Ritmo's Toby Whitaker
One of the biggest stories of the night for me was Toby Whitaker, the band's dapper, softspoken (offstage) trombonist, who is really coming into his own as a songwriter. Two smokers, "La Muralla" and "Verguenza," stemmed from Toby's pen, featuring dark, urgent sonorities and extremely tasty brass parts. "Verguenza," below, features solos by Mambo Bob, trumpet, and Giustino Riccio, timbales:
The other new tunes I heard were "Majadero," and "La Verdad," both with straightforward, yet amenable dance grooves. Sonero Rei Alvarez is still the band's lyricist. Can't wait to hear all these tunes evolve and most of all, how Levinson will massage the Ritmo sound, after their last two albums engineered by Jon Fausty. Rei says the new CD will include a re-recording of "Lola," from their very first 1996 album, still a staple of their live show.
I fell in love with what was happening with this band in 2003, and my heart still belongs to Bio Ritmo. Though a lot of their energy these days is devoted to side projects, such as the bolero revival band Miramar, it's nice to see that Bio Ritmo, far from slowing down, is sounding as solid as ever. It's been too, too long since they toured down this a'way; anyone in the mood for a Bio Ritmo / Miramar double-header?
Sightreading! Bio Ritmo Setlist, 1/12/10
Timbalero Giustino Riccio composes the setlists and writes copies out by hand for everyone in the band. This one is almost true to life; only the order of the last two songs was reversed: "A La Cha" (as it appears on the CD, Biónico), seems to be written "Allah Cha" here; a play on words on that song's middle eastern vibe?
I wanted to post this video in recognition of World AIDS Day, which was December 1.
Rumor has it that Juan Formell (seen handing a condom to the couple in the final scene) is giving press conferences about a US tour for Los Van Van in 2010.
With the recent visits of Omara Portuondo, who picked up her Latin Grammy in person, and Septeto Nacional Ignacio Piñeiro, which has been wowing East and West Coast audiences, this scenario now seems likely. Link: Jon Pareles' review of Septeto Nacional in the NY Times
This is only the second public performance of "Eric's Timba" (provisional name), music by pianist Eric Hirsh and lyrics by sonero Nelson Delgado.
Azuquita en la cintura, Que sabrosura.
With tricky horn lines and funky rhythm breaks, and a warm, subtle melodic bouquet, this is another remarkable timba original to emerge from North Carolina.
I'm especially proud, therefore, that Nelson gave me a lyrical shoutout just past the 2:30 minute mark, right as the timba is heating up. He has a few words to say about the Triangle at minute 4:30.
I'm told that Gardel is due in the studio July 25 to get some of the new tunes recorded. click on these to see full size
Meanwhile, here's one more video--Nelson again in the lead vocal, covering Cheo Feliciano's "Por Mas Que Viva":
Andy Kleindienst does a little trombone soloing at starting at minute 2:20. This is a good example of GarDel doing the kind of Puerto Rican repertoire they started out with.
I hadn't been to the Eno Fest in a few years, so I was reminded again how good it is. It helped that they invited classy bands, gospel, blues, indie, bluegrass, and of course Latin (bravo). They have the widest variety of food vendors, with choices from the healthy and ethnic to fairway treats, as well as the best craft dealers. The quality and diversity of all the offerings hasn't been beat. There were fun environmentalists there too, walking the walk with their llama sculpture made of recycled trash bags, and by composting visitors' trash.
The only thing less than dazzling, my friends and I agreed, were the choice of T-shirt designs this year. For instance, the spagetti-strap tee, suitable for July heat and style considerations (am I right, ladies?), only came in one design (hawk) and three colors. As someone pointed out, the hawk is a dramatic animal, but this pose, plumply perched on a limb, is not very dramatic. So that seemed like a missed opportunity.
For future reference, Eno Fest designers (and all touring bands, if you're listening): More options in strappy, girly tees, please.
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!
Orquesta GarDel is getting ready to unveil more original tunes this Saturday (5/30) from 6-8 pm at the free Rivermill Outdoor Music Series in Saxapahaw.
This timba tune by trombone leader Andy Kleindienst debuted in April:
Now, keyboardist Eric Hirsh is about to bring his own baby on board. He says he was inspired to write complex, yet catchy horn lines last year after listening to a lot of Bamboleo and Charanga Habanera.
"I wanted to make sure that the rhythm feels distinctly Cuban. It's gotta have that aggressive FUNK," writes Eric.
This spring, GarDel's members collaborated during songwriting rehearsals to tie up loose ends.
"Nelson [Delgado] is really coming into his own as a lyricist," adds Eric. "His thematic concept for the song is very spiritual and philosophical, but in a way that still exhorts everyone to dance and have a good time."
I think we can oblige. UPDATE 5/31:
I made it in time for the debut, but my camera battery gave out. So, no video! Coincidentally, Eric said one of his keyboards was not performing properly, so he was forced to turn it off. (Love the multiple keyboard effects he uses for GarDel and The Beast; that's timbalicious right there.) We agreed that we would re-premiere this work (does it have a title, E?) and publicly document it in the nearest possible future.
That said, my impressions: The Cuban funk is definitely there (hallelujah), and the texture is dark and complicated (what Eric called "a harmonic palette somewhere between an R&B song and modal jazz"). I was dancing during this song but I could feel most people stopping to listen and assess. This was quite different from GarDel's usual Puerto Rican weather, i.e. sun-drenched with occasional thunderstorms. This was a rumbling deep underground. P.S. Almost forgot: there's been a personnel change. Saxophonist Bluford Thompson, a degree candidate in jazz performance and composition at North Carolina Central, is taking over the chair of Wayne Leechford, who has left GarDel to pursue other opportunities. Wayne is a music veteran in the Triangle who has given lots of love to Latin music fans over the years. We wish him well, and issue a warm welcome to Blu; it should be an interesting bench this year as he joins reedsman Tim Smith.
I just found out LATIN BROTHERS from Cali, Colombia are playing at DISCO RODEO TONIGHT!!! This is not a rumor; I spoke to vocalist/percussionist Jorge Tello on the phone. [Jorge says he is the son of former Latin Brothers singer Joseito Martinez.]
Tonight, in Raleigh, Grupo Niche is also playing (at Ambis on Atlantic Ave). What the...? I have no idea what the Goddess Karma is up to, but it is Colombian night tonight.
To sweeten the pot, some locals (Andy Kleindienst, Mitch Butler, Alberto Carrasquillo) are filling in some spots with the Colombian bands at Disco Rodeo . Cumbia band Sonora Dinamita opens for Latin Brothers. UPDATE 5/23:
Here's Alberto Carrasquillo and James Armstrong (of Winston-Salem) blowing their horns with La Sonora Dinamita: West End Mambo's Cesar Oviedo played bass and arranged the NC musicians for this show.
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW...
Lovely, long-legged Tatiana Giraldo, one of the singers in La Sonora Dinamita's next generation:
She was joined by vocalists Any Velez (in blue) and Luis Milanes, whose brother Nestor Milanes handled keyboards for both bands.
Both bands have older roots, but are franchises currently owned and managed by Jessie Lozano, age 28. The young promoter played timbales in both sets.
"It's a good combination, people like to hear these two bands together," says Any (pronounced "Anni").
I agree, although the sound system at Disco Rodeo was sonidero-style, heavy on the bass. Setting one's phone on vibrate was a redundant proposition. I didn't think this made for the best live music setting, but I did like the crowd. Laid-back, young, unagressive, a cool cumbia scene, really dance-oriented. A lot of gum chewing dancers, and people politely stepping back to make room for other dancers, even in front of the stage.
You can see some cool dancing in this clip, as Jorge Tello sings "Dime Que Paso":
Sonero Charlie Cajares (below, left), billed as "El Abogado de la Salsa," sounded fantastic as he led the Latin Brothers into their set. I would love to hear this guy sing again, in any weather, especially with a more finely balanced sound system.
Here's a sample of "Buscandote" with Charlie ripping his soneos from the headlines. Piano solo by Nestor at 3:00, then our own Andy Kleindienst plays a monster trombone solo at 5:30!
With a jerryrigged band, the two vocalists gave these standards a strong pulse. The final tune, one of my favorites, "Las Caleñas son (como las flores)" really had the funky swing of Colombia. I didn't want to go home, but the show seemed to run up against Disco Rodeo closing time; management turned the lights on 20 minutes before they wrapped up their set.
One should say that this cumbia scene deserves a cleaner club than Disco Rodeo. A steam cleaner could lose his mind trying to remove the patina from the carpet in there (not that there's any risk of that happening). There is not a surface in the room that does not feel sticky, and the bathrooms are always a disgrace by the end of the night. Considering the price of admission ($25-60 not uncommon) and beer ($5 for a can of Budweiser), something doesn't smell right. I didn't see any inappropriate behavior whatsoever, no fights, no d&d, so you can't "blame" the fans for management neglect.
To the frustrations one can add that Disco Rodeo does nothing to publicize their Latin events to non-Spanish-speaking audiences or media, and they don't even have a website. They know on which side their bread is buttered. People come out anyway and pay their hard-earned money to hear their music and to dance with their friends. I can totally understand that. Venue demerits aside, this is a dance scene I'd like to go to again.
All videos posted with the band's permission.
Click on any photo to see more from the show at my flickr page.
Corrections: Jorge Tello is the son of Joseito Martinez. I incorrectly stated both of their names earlier; the post has been updated to reflect these corrections.
Word is that the Fania catalog has been sold by Emusica, supposedly to a group called Red Planet Records. People in the industry claim to have confirmed this with Emusica chief Giora Breil, with an official public announcement due in a few weeks. What the sale means for the remastering and reissuing of the classic salsa label and its subsidiaries such as Vaya and Cotique, a project Emusica began in 2006, is uncertain. No details of the current deal are known, but according to Billboard, Emusica acquired the Fania assets for a reported $10 million in 2005.
Post-Oquendo y Libre
Also hitting the ground running is the rumor that Charlie Santiago will be the guest timbalero to fill Manny Oquendo's position in Libre for the tribute concert at the Bronx Museum on May 30. Said spokesman Mike Reyes,
"As long as the public desires to hear quality music and the members of Libre want to continue in honor of Manny, the band will continue to play. Manny's chair will rotate from a cast of "special" invitees. The first set of gigs (NYC, Mexico, Chicago) will involve Charlie Santiago."
Here is a clip of Charlie in action; the first timbalero to solo is Andy Alfonso, who hands off the pailas to Charlie. Thanks to Edgar Omar Arteaga for sending the link.
You know you love Shakori for the free spirited fashion:
This was the scene 'on the ground' as The Beast played yesterday, making the most of a choice spot in the Saturday lineup.
As promised, Eric Hirsh's new arrangements featuring guests Andy Kleindienst and Tim Smith on horns were exciting. Pierce Freelon tells me that--get ready now, hold on to your seats--Orquesta GarDel is coming in the studio to record the track you see here, "Translation," in which Tim and Andy rip a few moñas:
Salsa Xtreme is a fairly new Latin party, bringing salsa, merengue, bachata, et al., back to Wednesday nights. Empresario Cesar Merlos, dancer, DJ and former club manager, goes back far enough to remember this longtime Chapel Hill tradition.
Bio Ritmo sets up shop at the new Durham venue Casbah on Friday, December 3 for a vinyl release party of their new 45rpm single. Yours truly, Santa Salsera, will be spinning dance music between sets. 
I'll be guest hosting WXDU 88.7 FM's Sunday Morning Jazz Show this week, from 10 am - 12 noon.
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