Road Trip: Poncho Sanchez in Roanoke SATURDAY (1/28)

Nobody throws a mid-winter Latin party like The Jefferson Center, a reclaimed school turned multi-use arts complex in Roanoke, Virginia.

This Saturday (1/28), the annual event starts in the Shaftman Performance Hall, with an 8 pm concert of conguero Poncho Sanchez and trumpeter Terence Blanchard. Long-time collaborators, the two recently teamed up to make Chano y Dizzy, an homage to Latin jazz' ancestors Chano Pozo and Dizzy Gillespie, released on the Concord label last fall.



According to my email exchange with Poncho's manager, the tour personnel will be as follows:

Poncho Sanchez Congas/Band Leader
Francisco Torres Trombone/Musical Director
Ron Blake Trumpet
Joseph De Leon Jr Timbales
Robert Hardt Sax
Andy Langham Piano
Rene Camacho Bass
Angel Rodriguez Bongos

Special Guest: Terence Blanchard Trumpet

Larry Sanchez Production/Sound Engineer

As an after party, some of our friends from Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and the Triangle will perform, as West End Mambo lights up Fitzpatrick Hall. There's a cash bar and gorgeous parquet wood floor for dancers to enjoy in this ballroom, which is right next door to Shaftman in the Jefferson Center.


Same party last year: Dancers dig Fitzpatrick Hall, 2011

Salsa dancers from 'Noke and the surrounding college towns usually turn out for this Latin Dance Party, now in its 9th year; past afterparty bands have included Richmond's Bio Ritmo and D.C.'s Sin Miedo. Poncho Sanchez/Terence Blanchard concert ticket holders get discounted admission to the Latin Dance Party, but they are separate admissions so folks can attend either or both.

West End Mambo is led by husband-and-wife team Cesar Oviedo (pianist) and vocalist Maria Vasquez. She has the range to cover some Celia Cruz tunes, among the band's strong Fania and Latin American fare. I got up with Cesar a few days ago for an updated band lineup, and it is heavy with local Triangle favorites:

Alberto Carrasquillo (trumpet)
Ricardo James (trumpet)
Steve Blake (sax)
Andres Leon (bass)
Atiba Rorie (congas/vocals)
Billy Marrero (timbales)
Maria Vasquez (lead vocals)
Cesar Oviedo (piano/vocals)

Kudos to the Jefferson Center's programmers for pairing these two signature events, honoring both the concert experience and the dance imperative of "our Latin thing." It's going to get heated.

LINKS:

Jefferson Center website

Bomba & Plena Evening in Cary SATURDAY (11/19)

This last-minute add to the calendar:

The Triangle's first-ever festival of bomba and plena, distinctive music and dance styles native to Puerto Rico, takes place TONIGHT, Saturday (11/19), from 6:30-10:30 pm at the Herbert C. Young Community Center in Cary.

The evening, celebrating "The Discovery of Puerto Rico," is sponsored by the Associación de Puertorriqueños Unidos de NC.


Bomba dancers led by Miriam Rivas at a 2009 rehearsal.

Featured performers include Baile Boricua NC, the graceful and energetic dance troupe led by Miriam Rivas, folkloric drumming by Kuumba Arts, and live music by Caribe Vibe, the sextet ensemble of Andres Leon and Billy Marrero, with special guests Jaime Roman and Lou Ramos.

I didin't find a schedule online, but Caribe Vibe says their first set will start at 8 pm. The guys say they will be playing "a little bit of everything!" so expect a wide tropical mix. Here's a video of Caribe Vibe I made back in October:



The early evening event (6:30-10:30 pm) is family friendly, with admission $6 for adults, $4 children under 12, and free for children 6 and under.


LINKS:

Assoc. of PR Unidos NC - calendar page

FREE CONCERT: Ilan Bar-Lavi Trio Saturday (11/19)

The young, unusual Latin jazz trio of Ilan Bar-Lavi plays a free concert in Chapel Hill this Saturday (11/19) at 5 pm in the FedEx UNC Global Education Center's Nelson Mandela Auditorium. The concert will close out this year's NC Latin American Film Festival.

This video by Martin Cohen at Congahead.com opens with a Bar-Lavi guitar solo:



The Israeli-Mexican guitarist is a 20-something graduate of Berklee School of Music; his own brand of avant-garde jazz blends his Latin and Middle Eastern roots.

LINKS:

Berklee Podcast: Ilan Bar-Lavi '09
UNC Global Event Calendar page
Presenter Event page

Bon Voyage, Kairaba: Last Show of 2011 THIS FRIDAY (11/18)

Diali Cissokho & Kairaba's show at Tallula's tonight, 9:30 pm - midnight, is noteworthy for a couple of reasons:

A.
This hot West African dance band, based in Carrboro, has been in the studio recently recording its FIRST CD. Door proceeds tonight ($5) go directly toward production costs to release it in early 2012.

B.
In a few weeks, the entire band heads to Senegal and Mali, where they will spend the next couple of months touring, studying, and generally getting in touch with the Motherland. So, this will be their LAST NORTH CAROLINA SHOW of 2011.

C.
Talulla's, with it's warm wood interior, is a SWEET VENUE for grooving, acoustic music. Located at 456 W. Franklin, next to the Carolina Brewery.



LINKS:

Facebook event page: Kairaba at Talulla's Friday (11/18), 9:30 pm - midnight, $5

Desert Blues: TINARIWEN This Sunday (11/13)

Tinariwen means "deserts" in Tomashek, the language of the Tuareg, a nomadic people who inhabit the Sahel regions of Northern and West Africa. It's also the name of a Tuareg band from Mali that makes hypnotic, guitar-driven "desert blues" their calling card. They play this Sunday (11/13) at The Cat's Cradle; intoxicating, Swiss singer/songwriter Sophie Hunger opens the 8 pm show.


Tinariwen on tour last month in Los Angeles. Photo (c) Timothy Norris.

Formed originally in 1979, Tinariwen broke out as an international touring band ten years ago, and has since produced five albums. Their latest, Tassili, takes its name from an Algerian region of spare beauty where they recorded outdoors and an impromptu tent studio. As that method suggests, they are returning to acoustic roots on this album. Here's a documentary about the process:



A bit more plugged in, here's a nice little rocker from their last album Imidiwan: Companions (2008):



Sit around the virtual campfire this Sunday (11/13) at Cat's Cradle; advance tix $22, day of show $25.

LINKS:

Cat's Cradle, Sunday, November 13, 8 pm TINARIWEN
Tinariwen artist website
Sophie Hunger artist myspace (opener)

Live Salsa at The Depot SATURDAY 11/5

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 with Saludos 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.


Saludos Compay @ Museum of Natural Science, 2009

LINKS:

Triangle Salsa Meetup event page: Saturday, Nov. 5 - Saludos Compay
Saludos Compay artist website
The Depot in Hillsborough venue website

Ivory Coast's Dobet Gnahore FRIDAY (11/4)

Dobet Gnahore. Photo (c) Michel De Bock courtesy of Rock Paper Scissors.

Seriously...have I just never noticed before, or is the Triangle awash in opportunities to hear African music right now?

NEXT on the roster: Ivory Coasts's Dobet Gnahore. She's strikingly gorgeous, an experienced professional dancer, singer and musician, and she speaks French (so therefore, local interviews and press coverage have been limited). Music style is contemporary, with influences from Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Ghana, Congo, etc. She's the daughter of Ivorian percussionist Boni Gnahore, and has three solo albums to her credit. Musically and personally, she has paired up with French guitarist Colin Laroche de Félin.

ARTIST WEBSITE in English HERE




WHEN/WHERE: This FRIDAY (11/4) at Stewart Theater, 8 pm.

Indypick blurb here.

EVENT LINK: http://www.ncsu.edu/centerstage/currentseason/dobet.html

Tickets run $24-28 at Stewart Theater (NCSU still has the lowest precios populares among the area's elite arts series). Discounts apply if you are faculty, staff, or student at NCSU.

PARKING NOTE: because of some construction/campus street closings, Cates Ave. is blocked for about one block between Talley Student Center and the parking deck, but do not be deterred. You can access the usual FREE parking deck via PULLEN ROAD.


Coming soon: Touareg desert bluesmen, Tinariwen, at the Cat's Cradle, Sunday, Nov.13.