Tercer Divisa Nacional @ Ritmo Latino Fest

Raleigh rockeros Tercer Divisa Nacional had a lonely 12:30 spot atop the program at Cary's Festival Ritmo Latino this year. Nonetheless, they rocked it out for the first few festival goers huddled in the heat at the Sertoma bandshell in Bond Park.





Now a quartet, Tercer Divisa Nacional has changed its membership in recent times, but not its m.o.: politically conscious, blues and metal-influenced, Mexico City-style rock. They label themselves "rock 'n' roll urbano," a reference to the Distrito Federal origins of half its members, but "rock en español" also fits--depending on what that says to you. The band follows much more in the tradition of nationally known Mexican rock bands like Maldita Vecindad and El Tri, rather than the internationalized pop sounds of a Juanes or a Carlos Santana.







So what's new? As recently as 2009, the band had swollen to 7 members, all male. Now, its four-member core is halfsies damas y caballeros. That's no coincidence: Cyndra, a trained jazz singer, is married to drummer and co-founder Luis "El Italiano," while bassist/ co-founder David is romantic partners with lead guitarist Meagan. While they are all flamboyant salsa dancers in the street-flavored DF style (which one rarely sees anymore amid the flush of mambo and rueda schools), you won't hear any of that in Divisa Nacional; what they play is more like a form of immigration blues, empowered by joyous rock energy.



I had something else to do midday, but arrived back at the festival around 6ish see what headliner Tropic Orchestra has been up to these days. There have been some changes to the lineup; "new" was Cesar Oviedo on piano, Cesar Cordero on congas, and Abdala Saghir on timbales. The repertoire was pretty much unchanged; there was a merengue I don't recall hearing before (but might have), and a 'stone soup' cha cha chá, throwing together progressions and coros from a bunch of familiar danzones and boogaloos. Their usual salsa standards included "Rebelion," "La Murga," and "Todo Tieno Su Final." There was an initial delay for soundcheck, pushing the dance over until 7 pm; the PA system was a bit loud and distorting, but salsa dancers had their usual good time.


Tropic Orchestra

Check out these adorable little kids, dressed up and ready to perform with one of the folkloric dance ensembles at the Festival. Preciosura!

Ritmo Latino Fest in Cary TODAY (8/7)

From 12 noon - 6:30pm this Sunday (8/7), Diamante's 7th annual Festival Ritmo Latino comes to Bond Park, 801 High House Road in Cary. Rain or shine, the festival is FREE and open to the public:



Here are times and highlights from the Main Stage music lineup in Sertoma Amphitheatre:

12:30 - 1:30 Tercer Divisa Nacional (rock & roll urbano)
2:00 - 3:00 Mickey Mills & Steel (reggae)
4:00 - 5:00 La Tropa de Tierra Caliente (regional mex)
5:30 - 6:30 Tropic Orchestra (salsa)

The "Ritmo Lounge" will feature various folkloric dance groups, the Christian rock band Sin Reservas at 3 pm, and Franco Gallardo Mariachi at 5 pm. Other attractions include food vendors, an opening ceremony and color guard, and children's activities. A free kids' soccer clinic with the Carolina Railhawks takes place from 2 - 4 pm.

EVENT LINK:

http://www.diamanteinc.org/Ritmo_Latino_2011.php

Review: Los Amigos Bring the Sexy to Carrboro (2/25)

Although the Cradle wasn't completely sold out, the front of the house was jammed tight with pogo-ing, flagwaving fans by the time I got to Los Amigos Invisibles, about half an hour in to their show. Caught the tail end of this salsa tune on my way in:



A local Venezuelan delegation had brought them a cake that afternoon in honor of the band's twentieth anniversary. All the Amigos were there, except Jose Torres (whom I interviewed for their 2004 Zinga Son record); he had to go home to Spain unexpectedly, so a good pal of DJ Afro's was filling in on bass. Like Los Lobos, another idiosyncratic Latin fusion band, Los Amigos have kept the same close-knit core all these years.





LAI live is like a blender mixing música popular, from the hip to the corny, into a psychedelic milkshake. Before you've fully processed that snippet of an old bolero, they're off to quoting familiar funk hooks, bouncey Europop choruses and organ riffs from sporting events, all swirling in and around their own songs in a non-stop flow.





I got some facetime with DJ Afro after the show, and we talked about vinyl collecting and Venezuelan salsa rarities. He still does a podcast, DJ Afro y su rumba barata, which is broadcast in Caracas, Panama and Mexico City. We agreed that there should be a wiki database for music, similar to the IMDb for movies. Fellow music nerds, any ideas on how to make that happen?



This is my longest clip, a merengue marathon including the song "El Baile del Sobón" from Arepa 3000:

Alex Cuba TUESDAY @ Berkeley Cafe

A really unusual Cuban-born touring artist will chase away the Thanksgiving week doldrums at the Berkeley Cafe: singer/songwriter Alex Cuba, just awarded Best New Artist Latin Grammy.

Here's the link to my writeup in the INDY for Alex Cuba's appearance at the Berkeley Cafe this Tuesday (11/23); see also the N&O feature on Alex Cuba.

I first came to know Alexis Puentes [aka "Alex Cuba"] via the Puentes Brothers' Morumba Cubana, a rootsy little album of Cuban son that turned up one day at the radio station WXDU around 2004. Canadian emigres, the brothers Alex and Adonis Puentes were doing fun, original material that draws not only on traditional Cuban son, but trova, the native Cuban and Latin American tradition of folk. I seem to recall some American swing mixed in there as well. This album fell into the "pleasant surprise" category.

It wasn't until recently that I realized that Alex and Adonis--now on quite different solo paths, are actually (fraternal) twins. There's enough difference in their look, sound, and personal style that this never hit me as obvious. Naturally, there's a great resonance between them, too.

Adonis blew me away with his shrewdly cynical, yet bumpin' dance tune "Commerciante" on his 2005 solo album Vida. With the coro, "yo no soy músico, soy comerciante (I'm not a musician, I'm a businessman)," the song is both a resignation to, and a protest of, the pressure on artists to produce "hits." Adonis' sound is much more traditionally Cuban, informed by newer dance grooves of timba and salsa but hewing close to the acoustic aesthetic of traditional son. His vocal style reminds me of elegant, jazzy sonero Issac Delgado. Adonis was tapped as a vocalist recently, along with Ruben Blades, for the Lincoln Center free revival concert of Larry Harlow's La Raza Latina: A Salsa Suite.

I would have pegged Alex for the younger brother, because his style, both audio and visual, is much more contemporary and fused with urban and pop fashion. Whereas the cleanshaven Adonis strikes me as a plainspoken craftsmen, Alex, with his trademark fro and arching sideburns, cuts the figure of a flamboyant hipster. Both of them have the songwriting knack and a strong, clear voice. Trova is generally written in a much more personal first-person voice than son, so in a way this is a good starting point for pop fusions, something Alex in his solo career has exploited well.



I really liked Alex's last album, Agua del Pozo, because it congenially strayed from Cuban tradition without falling into a generic Latin pop sound. The new one, self-titled, I've only heard on the website, and while it sounds a little poppier to me than the last one, I can't give it a full review yet. If it's any indication of which direction he's going musically, Alex also helped craft Nelly Furtado's first Spanish-language album, Mi Plan, which also one a Latin Grammy this year.



Alex plays a mean Gibson, and I'm curious to see what the touring band sounds like, and how much of the show will be acoustic vs. electric.



LINKS:

Alex Cuba @ Berkeley Cafe this Tuesday (venue link)

Alex Cuba (artist website)

OZOMATLI Tonight @ UNC Memorial Hall

Quintessential L.A. Latin rockers Ozomatli bounce in to Memorial Hall tonight, with a fresh, exuberant new album and street cred intact. Fire Away is everything you love about Ozomatli, but boppier and more politically engaged than ever.



Smart music never felt better. Their anthem to equal marriage rights, "Gay Vatos In Love," hits up nostalgic 60s R&B, while other tunes put fresh twists on Ozomatli's global grab bag of samba, ska, salsa, cumbia, punk, ranchera and world rhythms.

"Are you living out your dreams, or simply coasting?" asks the heart-racing "Malagasy Shock," based on a real-life, near-death experience the band experienced recently. [READ MORE at Nat Geo's album preview]

Los Angeles celebrates "Ozomatli Day" on April 23, but Chapel Hill gets its shock treatment TONIGHT, Friday (10/1) at 8 pm at UNC Memorial Hall.

Tickets start at $18, with discounts for UNC students. Box office: www.carolinaperformingarts.org or (919) 843-3333.

LINKS:

Carolina Performing Arts event page
Ozomatli artist website

Don't Go Changing: Cristian Cañaveral @ Buku

70s soft rock got Cristian Cañaveral's set off to a nostalgic start last night at Buku. Singing Spanish lyrics to Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are," without a hint of irony, set the mood for an evening of lovely, digestible, R&B-infused Latin pop.



The built-out combo, with piano, electric guitar, Latin percussion and drumset, gives welcome dimension to Cristian's acoustic-guitar-driven originals.

It was mayhem on the dance floor until 2 am, following the live set, with DJ Salsa Mike spinning the traditional tropical mix. Mike's next party, Salsa Brava, will be next Saturday (10/2) at Carmen's.

Live Music & Salsa Party @ Buku Tonight

Soy tu cantante: Cristian Cañaveral @ Mosaic

Singer/songwriter Cristian Cañaveral has burst onto the Triangle scene lately, making a lot of new fans at the Ritmo Latino Festival in August. Since then he's been a popular draw at small, live music venues such as Mosaic Wine Lounge, where his next gig will be this Monday (9/27) 9-11 pm; no cover.

Below, from his last concert there, Cristian sings an original on the patio (low light, sound only):



With a decidedly romantic timbre to his voice, and Latin pop sensibilities drawing on the bolero tradition, the 22-year-old appears to have a lot of commercial potential.

Performing sometimes as a solo or trio act, he also works with a backing band that rocks more formidably, featuring Venezuelan core musicians from the local scene: pianist Andres Leon, percussionist Josue Bracho Quintero, and others.

Check out the Cristian Cañaveral Live Band TONIGHT, Saturday (9/25) at the Buku Loco party in Raleigh. Live music from 10 to 11:30 pm, followed by dance party with DJ Salsa Mike.

LINKS:

Facebook event page: Buku Loco TONIGHT

Facebook event page: Mosaic Live MONDAY

RAZPA Tonight in Chapel Hill

Last-Minute Calendar Add:

Bad boys of Spanish rock RAZPA are back in the Hill tonight, Friday (9/11), at the Dead Mule Club on Franklin St. Show is 9-2am, no cover.


Video credit: betsybetsybetsy

If you head to Chapel Hill, you can catch Saludos Compay on your way at Caffe Driade; see calendar for details.

FIESTA Preview & Updates...

It's here, La Fiesta del Pueblo, the largest 2-day Latino festival in the Carolinas. It will take place this Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 29-30, at the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh in the same indoor/outdoor exhibition spaces used last year, in and around the Jim Graham Building. Admission is $5, and admission to the soccer tournament in the Dorton Arena will be an additional $2.



Full Stage Schedule for La Fiesta del Pueblo HERE

Headliners include "hurricane" salseros Orquesta GarDel, Peruvian rocker Santino and punta/soca band Kazzabe. I'm working on my preview of the musical highlights, so check back later today!


UPDATE added Friday night:

Buzz: I just got word from an alert tipster that Santino will be backed by Raleigh rockers Wrecking Season. (Thanks, Melinda!) I just checked out their myspace, and that's some sweet rockin' goodness! I can totally hear Santino with this, returning to his hard rocking roots with Peruvian hair band Fragil.



SANTINO performs Saturday 7pm and Sunday 4:30 pm


UPDATE added Sunday am:

Saturday headliners Orquesta GarDel really upped the ante, adding twists to their old arrangements and throwing a bolero into their set for vocalist Nelson Delgado. Pianist/keyboardist Eric Hirsh played around with new synth tones, adding celeste for example to "Boranda" (evoking memories of Charlie Palmieri's Alegre sessions). Some new, killer horn lines with bari sax jumped out at me on charts I've heard repeatedly. That was a real delight. Always giving us something new to listen to. The funk of "Eric's Timba" (still untitled) resounded with the old school dancers; it was great to see el pueblo dancing, mingling and having a good time.





La Tropa de Tierra Caliente--of Durham--have steadily improved their game as well since I saw them at last year's La Ley fest. This techno banda from the "hot regions" of Guerrero and Michoacan runs on valve trombones, synth tuba and aftershave. A male vocal trio harmonizes and bounces in a massive front line with the live brass, sandwiched by sythmeisters and backed by a lonely drumset on the back bandstand. Witness the energy:



With a quieter kind of attention, rapt crowds at the Cafe Teatro devoured the Colombian harp mastery of Pávelid Castañeda Sr., a real find at La Fiesta this year. (Brava to Fiesta programmer Margarita Correa-McAvoy who always manages to add new talent to the roster.)

A transplant to this area from Long Island with his own folk group Los Llaneros, Pávelid currently plays three days a week for afternoon tea at the Umstead in Cary. Pávelid is a long-time music educator and, if I'm not mistaken, the father of another amazing harpist who is making waves in the Latin jazz world: Edmar Castañeda. I heard Edmar play an unforgettable rendition of "Obsesion" with Cándido Camero and a Cuban ensemble led by Sonny Bravo at the NYC Blue Note in 2007. The manzana doesn't fall far from the tree! Pávelid did a one-man arrangement of Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va" (yes, the one made famous by Santana) that filled the senses. Colombian harp is a rare specialty in these parts, here's hoping we will hear him playing out in the Triangle more often.



Until I can get the full name of this 16-year-old musician in the Andean folk group Amerikantu, I'm going to dub him The Charango Kid. [His name is Jacob Cortez.] Big talent. His father Cesar Cortez plays guitar (far left) and the group is led by artist and musician David Sovero (center):



Sunday picks: 12:45 Mariachi Los Galleros, 1:30 Grupo Sarengue, 3:15 Bravo Norteño, 4:15 Kazzabe, 4:30 Santino.

Full Stage Schedule for La Fiesta del Pueblo HERE

Triangle, we got sabor!

One that got away: El Tri

Why doesn't Disco Rodeo have a website? Because they can pack the place without bothering to let the gringos know that El Tri is in town. I hear...I hear, they played there last night.

I really should listen to the radio more often. Mexican acts promote through three main means: Hispanic media (Que Pasa newspaper, La Ley 96.9 FM), physical postering at tiendas, and word of mouth. Zero web presence. Perhaps I need to increase my word of mouth presence; get a stringer on the street who, for a nominal subscription fee, would keep Onda Carolina up to date. This is one information gap Lisa and I intended to bridge, or at least make inroads, when we started the blog. But it takes time to chase down information at tiendas every week.

It would be nice to somehow make more connections between the two entertainment economies, the Hispanic word-of-mouth market, and the "mainstream" one where the threshold of expectation is that there will at least be an internet presence, maybe even a Facebook page. Mainstream promoters are often interested in breaking into this market, but it's a communications gap as well as, often, a cultural one.

Easier said than done. Still, this is a good reminder to keep trying harder.

Venue-surfing the Carrboro Music Fest

Carrboro Music Festival (9/28) was the best way I've spent a Sunday in a long time.

What a great concept for a festival: instead of herding people into a narrow, fallow tract, the town of Carrboro transforms their whole downtown grid into a living, breathing festival space. They get local bands to play, all day and evening long, at over 20 indoor and outdoor venues within strolling distance. They do it on a Sunday, when parking is eased, and the coup de grace: they make it free. Streets and sidewalks are full of people venue-surfing, giving the pleasant sensation of urban bustle in an area with the geographic footprint of a village. Music lures into courtyards, concert halls, grassy knolls and parking lots. Real kitchens and bars offer food and drink (especially drink) fit for grown-ups. It's a truly civilized, all-ages show.

I won't describe every song in the jukebox, but blog-relevant: I did catch Razpa's set. They were very well-received, I looked around and saw lots of heads bopping, feet moving. Nice crowd. Particularly inspired by the guitar-driven cumbia, Manu Chao cover "Desaparecido," a Mick Jagger lookalike did noodly dance steps, with a tall can of Clamato Chelada in one hand and a cigarette in the other. That about sums it up.

The party really got started, for me, at twilight, when I got to Tyler's Parking Lot in time for a quick cuddle (figuratively speaking) with the Tim Smith band, before my dance date with Saludos Compay. Tim, aka Mr. Goodvibes, will give you a contact-high on life with his jazzy flute, sax of plenty, and that remarkably floating falsetto voice. Orquesta GarDel's Peter Kimosh shares bass duties here, a most excellent foundation for the reggae-inspired groove, and Robert Cantrell brings his Afro-Cuban skills to the congas.

As dusk fell behind the porch-like bandstand with a rustic American flag mural painted on the wall behind it, dancers coagulated in the yard in anticipation of Saludos Compay. I was heartened to see Robert Cantrell keep his seat behind the drums, adding weight to the trio's backbone, Pablo Valencia, Erich Lieth and Chuck Nolan. Though tiny (as Latin bands go), without timbales or vast horn choir, Saludos Compay generates an authentic dance groove by hewing close to the simple, time-tested formula of Cuban son montuno, with some of cumbia's rasping bounce.

Rather than edgy, hard and urban salsa, this rural dance music springs from the tilled earth. A perfect fit for the freespirited Orange/Chatham milieu. Dancers sprawled like wheeling cogs across the courtyard, reverberating to the hypnotic, primal pace of son. It's been awhile since I caught a full-blown dance set by Saludos Compay, and it was nice to be reminded why they have one of the most dedicated followings in the Triangle.

Join their e-list to get schedule updates via the band's website. Saludos Company will occupy the dance tent at Shakori Hills late Saturday night during the Grassroots Festival (10/11).

Dance Seen: The Mansion

The Tree House, Havana, Patio Loco, El Chilango--these are all names that summon up nostagia for Triangle salsa dancers. They are some of our favorite by-gone haunts in the Chapel Hill scene. It's always had a smalltown flavor, with a lively traffic of youthful dancers and the emphasis on fun and participation rather than an obsession with technique.

I was pleasantly surprised (well, not too surprised) last Friday night to discover that the Latin spirit parties on in Chapel Hill, at The Mansion 462, located next to the Carolina Brewery on the far end of Franklin Street. Their monthly Latin party (3rd Fridays) features an early live music set by Razpa, from 10-11-ish, followed by a deejay spinning copious salsa, with bachata, merengue and tropical mixed in. Sound levels were comfortable for the relatively cozy space, so I had earplugs handy but realized I could take them out after awhile. Kudos to the management's powers of sanity and restraint.

Razpa is a "rock" band but they thread Latin rhythms through their tunes, making it possible to dance to fuel-injected cumbia or salsa with heavy metal breakdowns (highly recommended for what ails you). It may not be for purists, but then Chapel Hill has never been about that. As they used to say on Salsa Carolina's advertising: "Where no one will ask you where you're from, only if you'd like to dance."

The Mansion's atmosphere is elegant, without being cold or overly formal, with wood floors that make for fine dancing, and Persian rugs hanging around the walls. There's a $5 cover for Latin nights. I recommend you go early to catch Razpa, they seemed to rock a little harder there, where they are in their element. Definitely a band worth hearing, and the venue deserves encouragement for taking a chance on live music.

TODAY: Rock en español ¡RADIO ALERT!

According to NPR previews, a story on "rock en español in North Carolina" will be featured today on All Things Considered!

When: Wednesday, 9/17
Local airtime: 4:30-6:30 on WUNC, 91.5 FM

NPR will not post the day's All Things Considered stories on their website until after 4 p.m. today, but then, you should be able to get it as a download or podcast.

UPDATE: The story has been posted on the NPR web site and includes audio of a full show by the band Eva Fina and an interview with the band La Rua.

Dos Poetas Mexicanos

Here's another Rockrigo video that is so achingly sweet, I just have to share it (gracias a Jorge of Tercer Divisa Nacional). The song is called, "Distante Instante":



A little eerie how he talks about his own death. A fellow named Sergio García made that negative-image video 10 years posthumously, in 1995.

Besides having a simon-&-garfunkelesque vibe, Rockrigo's simple poetic style reminds me a lot of ranchera singer/songwriter Cuco Sánchez (1921-2000). His less boisterous songs like "La Cama de Piedra" and "Anillo de Compromiso" would make good side-by-side comparisons here, but this was the most interesting live footage I could find:



The song is "Fallaste Corazon," I don't know what movie this is from. It appears Cuco wrote it sometime in the early '50s, and this looks like Mexican movie footage from that time period. However, the song shows up in a lot of different films on IMDb and was also the name of a 1968 telenovela Cuco appeared in.

On second thought...look at that poofy hairstyle on the barmaid! And the soundstage...I'm betting on 1968 tv.

Yeah, we're with the band ...

The entire Onda Carolina staff (yes, both of us) turned out last night on the CCB plaza in Durham to see Razpa's funky latin rock. I became and instant fan. To prove it, we had to get our picture taken with the band (isn't that what true fans do?)



I'm the dorky one. (Thanks to Juan Manuel Cortez for use of the photo).

I had hoped to grab some video of the band to post but upon arrival I discovered I'd forgotten to put the memory card back into my camera, so I was limited to the paltry internal memory. So all you get is a mediocre shot of the band:



You can catch Razpa on September 19 at Mansion 462 in Chapel Hill and September 28 at the Carrboro Music Festival.

Shakori Schedule Announced (Oct. 9-12)

The biannual festival at Shakori Hills, a broad-ranging celebration of roots music, has announced its Oct. 9-12 schedule. From bluegrass to booty funk, clogging to zydeco, jazz to indie rock, they've got it; everything you need to know is up-to-date at their website, www.shakorihills.org.

Latin headliners Plena Libre bring something new to the festival this year. Puerto Rico's top plena band specializes in a hot, plugged-in adaptation of the pandereta-driven rhythm of the island's southern coast. Their salsa will raise the dead, also. There are two chances to catch them, in the Dance Tent on Thursday evening, and at the Meadow Stage Friday night.

For salsa lovers, Chapel Hill band Saludos Compay take the late shift in the Dance Tent on Saturday. A joyful vocal trio playing Afro-Cuban rhythms, they are likely to appear in their expanded version with 5 or 6 members, to feed the dance frenzy; details as they become available.

Triangle rock band Tercer Divisa Nacional follows in the tradition of "cactus" rock, aka rock mexicano or rock urbano, which expresses themes of city life and political solidarity with Mexico's urban poor. Tercer Divisa carries this forward with lyrics about the migrant experience and human rights. Even the band's name refers to the income generated from transnational migrants, which is Mexico's "third" largest source of domestic revenue.

"He who puts bread on the table deserves dignity and respect," cries out the lead singer at the end of "700 millas," in this recent performance at Durham's Broad Street Cafe:



Tercer Divisa pays reverence to Black Sabbath with a Spanish cover of "Paranoid," but also Mexican bands like Heavy Nopal and Rockdrigo Gonzalez, a charismatic folk rocker who was killed in the 1985 Mexico City earthquake. Here is Rockdrigo, a nasal-voiced John Lennon figure known as "El Profeta del Nopal," doing his cult classic about losing a lover in the subway:



See Tercer Divisa Nacional at the Meadow Stage on Saturday afternoon.

What to do: Razpa on the Plaza in Durham this Saturday

It pains me somewhat that I'm unable to make it up to D.C. this evening for the free Julieta Venegas concert at the Kennedy Center. Asi es la vida. Instead, maybe I can make it to downtown Durham this Saturday for a free show by Latin rockers Razpa. The show will be at the CCB Plaza (corner of Corcoran and Parrish streets) at 5:30 pm.. You can see what Sylvia has to say about Razpa in this post, or check out the official p.r.:

Razpa is a five-piece Latin rock band based in Chapel Hill that uses heavy grooves and commanding musicianship to spread an impassioned message about social inequalities, injustices and human emotions. Mixing elements of cumbia, salsa, reggae and samba with rock and roll, Razpa brings a high-energy, danceable sound with a razor-sharp edge. Formed in 2006 as a project to bring a fresh sound to the famed Chapel Hill music scene, Razpa is quickly becoming a fan favorite in both the English and Spanish–speaking live music circles. Combining mostly original songs with a handful of covers, a live Razpa delivers dynamic and infectious music.

Razpa will be appearing with Durham-based band Red Collar.

La Fiesta: Day Two Highlights

A lot of positive changes to the festival this year: among them, the return of visual artists and real craftspeople, including the epic, mythologizing canvases of painter Cornelio Campos, black-and-white photos by Pulitzer prize-winning documentarian José Galvez, and indigenous beading and thread art. I heard one exhibitor saying, he hopes to set up a working atelier next year, which would be a great expansion of the La Fiesta del Pueblo's educational dimension.

Also in the wholesome improvements category, the best merch this year was at the Compare Foods booth, where people stood in long lines to receive free recycled shopping bags and fresh produce. Besides promoting healthy nutrition, it was an education to non-Caribbeans in unfamiliar tree fruits and root vegetables, from dusky, sweet-smelling tamarindo pods to the hairy, coconut-sized malanga.

Attendance had really picked up on Sunday; looking forward to hearing the figures from El Pueblo once they have them tallied, but it appears to have been a good year.

I talked to one married couple on Saturday, a Puerto Rican in the spiffiest red hat and white sneakers, and his wife who proudly displayed her Panamanian colors on a T-shirt, both glowing with dance sweat.

"We love it. We've been coming here for 15 years!"

I didn't get a chance to ask their names, because the music called them back to the dancefloor. That's our fiesta, I thought, the essence of our Carolina Latin thing.

I had a chance to hear more of Santino on Sunday, when he packed the Cafe Teatro. Notwithstanding his successes in L.A.'s entertainment industry (high-profile placements in film and TV soundtracks), he obviously has his sights set on connecting with more diverse live audiences. No one's got better fundamental skills to do it, but the very uniqueness of his voice makes it hard to imagine a market niche that could hold him.





Like the Peruvian second coming of Freddie Mercury, Santino's voice is too soaring for the processed pablum that dominates commercial Latin pop. His solo sound, a blend of his classic rock roots (Fragil) and Peru's multicultural, indigenous influences, is full of personal conviction, aided by his onstage presence, which was even more unleashed and intense than I've seen it before.



The headliners at the outdoor stage, Los Silver Stars from Honduras, were obviously a hit. They're a young band, with a vivacious dancer who showed off a lot of her punta and dancehall moves. I didn't spend lots of time outside, to fully review this band, but the music was fun, people were dancing, and it was something different for the Fiesta's tropical lineup.

On the other hand, there wasn't much music for salseros on Sunday, and it seemed like fewer folks from the salsa/mambo scene turned out that day as a result. Trio Saludos Compay played a short set (half an hour) inside. Slower son montunos like "El Manisero" were more of a listening affair, while others like (Las Chicas del Can cover) "Juana la Cubana" resulted in a little dancing. The Cubans also gathered for a procession for La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre, handing out lyric sheets for her Veneración and carrying a figurine that came from Cuba as someone's family heirloom in the 60s. I also met a couple of Cubans who had just arrived via raft 5 months ago. A doctor and a nurse in Cuba, they are just getting settled in our area, learning English and getting entry-level service jobs at places like Walmart, before they can work on recertification in the medical field.

Food? I tried an arepa and some platano; delicious of course. It was a good Fiesta, congrats to Margarita McAvoy and El Pueblo for keeping it real, diverse and on message.

La Fiesta: Day One Highlights

Unlike past years, most of the Fiesta del Pueblo is indoors at the N.C. Fairgrounds this year. At first, it was a bit disappointing not to be outside (could have left my sunscreen and straw hat at home), but in a way it made the Fiesta seem bigger and easier to navigate, because it was all concentrated in a smaller space.

It seemed like the cultural element was a bigger deal in the booths and crafts vendors this year, which was nice to see. For instance, there's a little Rincón Cubano set up, with a domino table and a bunch of Cubans just hanging out, talking with you about their culture and handing out free shots of cafe Cubano.

Tomorrow (Sunday): the Cubans are having a domino tournament at 1:00; come one, come all.

Among the vendors, there was some pretty, hand-made stuff for sale, like Colombian hats and Andean embroidered tops, as well as lots of chavo gear, beaded necklaces and athletic wear displaying national colors and religious emblems. Pride and protection. Speaking of T-shirts, La Firma's musicians all wore the same one that amused with the saying: "Legally Latin."

To eat: I had a plate of picadillo with rice, beans and mariquitos (platano chips) from Carmen's, which was good and priceworthy, at $5; the pupusas next door looked great too. I recommend the lemonade vendor just outside the Jim Graham building, this vendor (who had a long, thin braid down his back) had a great way of shaking up the lemonade to activate the pulp, and not oversweetening it.

I'm told that Sunday the Main Stage moves outside, it was all under cover today due to rain threat. While it is just not as nice to hear music inside the cattle exhibition hall, on the upside, there was a nice temporary dance floor installed which paid dividends for the salseros, merengueros, etc. Yes, people were getting down. Pablo Antonio y La Firma (from D.C. and environs) closed out the night, I think I remember them from last year, a Dominican-led large band that does mostly merengue, so their merengue sounds right (with a real tambora player) and their salsa is respectable. Timbalero (a Haitian dude, I'm told) played a real cool solo in the Oscar D'Leon cover "Lloraras". This band had a good rapport with dancers.

I missed a few sets I might have liked to see, like Charanga Carolina, but, musically the day was satisfying and filled with discoveries.

Besides the cultural gem Costa Colombiana (about which, more to follow), rock was the big news at the Fiesta today. North Carolina bands Tercer Divisa Nacional, Razpa and Braco (Winston-Salem) all came out swinging, not to mention visitors Santino, from Peru via L.A., and (gospel rock) El Trio de Hoy, from Massachusetts and Miami.

I missed Tercer Divisa Nacional's set, but hung out and talked with them afterwards; last I heard them play was at Shakori Hills, where they will return in October. Their Mexican-style blues-rock reminds me of El Tri, with conscious lyrics about human rights and immigration, delivered with a frank, rebellious attitude. Leaders David and Luis I've known for many years, as fellow denizens of the salsa scene, and let me tell you: a dynamic duo, these guys always bring the party. A lot of impish, youthful energy fills the band's ranks; I look forward to seeing more of them.

Razpa takes the blue ribbon in this pie contest, a 6-piece of nothing-but guitars and percussion which suits this Triangle indie rock atmosphere. They have focused their sound considerably since I saw them last, over a year ago (maybe 2 years?), at Carmen's, when they were full of talent and good ideas, but a little all over the place. Zac Adelman (drumset) and Levy Vargas (bass) lead the group, Chris Calix is the guitar wunderkind, but that's not to sleight fellow guitarist Alex Mesplede, a talented Latin rock veteran in the Triangle, though still a young man. Multi-percussionist Brevan Hampden, the hammer for any nail, was filling in on congas, and a back-up singer Jorge Guerrero provided vocal harmony and hand percussion.

They've been gigging around Chapel Hill quite a bit, at places like The Mansion and Jack Sprat, and it's great to finally see some original Latin rockers breaking in to the college circuit. No longer a diamond in the rough, Razpa has polished up their act and begun to flash fire. This isn't salsa, and you don't need an introduction. I think they've really fulfilled a fantasy of mine, which is to have a creative, native Latin rock band that doesn't need translation. If you're looking for a band to see, just go check it out.

Braco and Santino rocked hard, drew crowds and deserve their props. Red ribbons all around.

But the wonder of the evening was, well...surprise, the Christian rock band, Trio de Hoy. Is Trio a play on the holy Trinity? I don't know, because there are five of them. They were so talented, as instrumentalists, and so guided by some obvious spirit, it was hard not to take the Lord's name in vain. Wow. The rumors go around that they started out at Berklee School of Music; not so. That the two classical guitarists, the acrobatic bassist, and power drummer must be classically trained. Nada de eso. They are all pastors' sons, family-trained, formally untutored. Jaw drop. Is this some kind of missionary gimmick?! Believe what you want. But Trio de Hoy is musicianship I haven't seen since Paco de Lucia was in town.

Trio de Hoy: playing again at La Fiesta Sunday at 4 p.m. in the Cafe Teatro. Do not miss; make you wanna shout.

Santino's Two Sides, Revisited

More on the lineup for La Fiesta del Pueblo...

This is my favorite pull quote from the Indyweek interview I did with Santino in August, 2006:

"I'm not going to deny that it was a very crazy rock 'n' roll life. The chicks and all that stuff, I really don't focus on all of that. I'm not a sexual object. I'm a Gemini."

--Santino in Indy Weekly, 8/2/06

If there are two sides to Santino, the Peruvian heavy metal rocker vs. craftsman of a more cosmopolitan Latin pop, I'm going to have a hard time choosing. The latest from the Santino camp is that his album, Indiocumentado, has been released by Milan/Time Warner, and they are pushing a new video single, "Nadie Es Como Tu" (his Sting cover of "Every Breath You Take").

Personally, I'm more entranced by the videos of Santino singing with Fragil, the band that catapulted him to fame in Peru as a teenager. I can't tell if this is recent reunion footage (?) or vintage '90s TV--and maybe that's a good thing:



Living in L.A., Santino's solo stuff now incorporates gypsy violins, reggaeton, rap, ska, dance, salsa/tropical and of course Andean sounds. His recent incarnation, and likely about what you will experience at La Fiesta, looks more like this:



He really is a Gemini.