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DESDE LA BAHIA CALENDAR: 2008 marks the fifth anniversary of the Desde La Bahia Salsa and Latin Jazz Calendar, a project I began to recognize resident musicians and singers who have contributed to the advancement and appreciation of Salsa, Latin jazz and other genres of Latino music around the San Francisco Bay Area. It has now expanded its focus to include musicians outside our region whose contribution has enriched our corner of the world.

This year we look at elders who dedicated their lives to performing these Afro-Antillean sounds for audiences around the world. They are internationally renown artists who cast their legacies in stone by an adherence to top notch musicality and giving the people their all. Some are still with us, some are not, but their artistic work is timeless.

The photographs featured in this 2008 edition are largely from the collection of Mick Guzman, a Bronx-born Colombian who loves Salsa and Latin jazz. Peter Maiden, Mappy Torres and yours truly, also contributed a photo a piece. Here’s some background on our photo contributors this year.

MIGUEL “MICK” GUZMAN: Mick paid his dues as a U.S. Navy photographer from 1975-79. Stationed at the Alameda Naval Station, he decided to stay in the Bay Area and begin his professional career as a photographer. His first studio was inside La Caridad Del Cobre, a Botanica on 24^th St. in the S.F. Mission District. His photos have appeared in magazines like Nuestro, Essencia, Avance, Spin and Latin Beat. A proud father of two daughters, Michelle and Angela, he currently is an advertising consultant with KTNC TV - Tu Vision. Check him out Myspace.com/mickster49

MARIA “MAPPY” TORRES: Mappy” Torres is a New York based Cubana poet, artesana, cultural activist, and musical producer whose work includes legendary presentations at El Taller Latino Americano (The Latin American Workshop). Her poems have appeared in the magazine Artima(ñ)a and other periodicals and renown is her support of Latin and jazz musicians. Currently she is working on a biography of Graciela, the First Lady of Afro-Cuban Jazz, and a book of poems about jazz musicians. The photo above with Bay Area musician’s Wayne Wallace and John Santos was taken at a descarga jam session she hosted at El Taller in NYC a few years ago.

PETER MAIDEN: It is only fitting that a photo by Peter Maiden be included in this 5^th anniversary edition of the DLB Calendar. His photos graced the first two editions and in this one he shares a photo of Andy Montañez. Check out his work at Maidenfoto.com

SAN FRANCISCO SALSA CONGRESS 2007: Get your dancing shoes ready as the 6^th San Francisco Salsa Congress rolls out the red carpet from Nov.1-4. It all begins with a pre-congress party at Café Cocomo in SF on Thursday, Nov. 1. From there all the events are held at the Oakland Marriot City Convention Center which includes over 50 dance workshops spread out over the weekend along with the Dance Competition Showcase on Sunday.

Presented by Ricardo Sanchez and Michelle Castro and their Pretty Boys & Girls Productions Inc. in association with Albert Torres Productions, this year the music acts include the Orquesta La Verdad, The New Swing Sextet, Johnny Polanco y su Conjunto Amistad and Fruko y sus Tesos. As always expect a long list of DJs to keep the dancers enthralled! Check out www.sfsalsacongress.com for more info and registration.

CORAZÓ N EN FIESTA: It’s a bustling Thursday afternoon and a line of children with their parents stand outside the doors of the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts in San Francisco. The sun is shining and the old Shaff’s furniture store in the Mission District never looked so good as its huge outdoor mural reaches for the sky and its display windows beam a kaleidoscope of colors onto the busy street from the walls inside.

Music instructor Jose Leon is getting his students ready to perform with his Salsa ensemble. It was one of the classes that over 200 children participated in as part of the MAS (Multi-Cultural Arts Summer School) Program. They’re nervous but Jose calms them by saying, “just be ready to play.”

“I was here when the place first opened up in 1977,” he remembers. “I was 14 when I walked in with my trumpet and said ‘this is a wonderful place.’ Now we have several music classes which includes our group, Futuro Picante (Hot Future), and we’re about to start a free percussion class. There’s always a little bit of everything going on here.”

“I think this place is the greatest,” adds noted poet Nina Serrano as she watches the event unfold in the lobby leading to the small theater. “I was one of its founders and it is very exciting for me to see it filled with children, art and creativity. It’s really bloomed and going to project itself well into the future.”

On Friday, Sept. 7, the MCCLA celebrated its 30^th anniversary with an awards gala at the SF War Memorial Performing Arts Center. Founded in 1977 by resident artists and activists as the Palmeto Museum, it has become a space to nurture Latino arts reflecting the traditions and experiences of the Mexican, Chicano, Central and South American, and Caribbean people, who largely make up the SF Mission District.

“Latinos tend to be seen as a monolithic group,” comments Jennie Rodriguez, executive director of the MCCLA, “but there is so much diversity and nuance within us. I’m from Puerto Rico but we have people here from Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Argentina, and Peru. There’s a microcosm here that really speaks to what Latin America is all about.”

Sitting outside the spacious art gallery on the second floor, Rodriguez beams with pride as she talks about her decade as executive director. Sometimes she laughs but gets serious at times as she talks about the tide of cutbacks, criticism and challenges she has had to face during her tenure.

“Back in 2003 we suffered big cuts with about 19% of our budget taken away,” she recalls. “It was bad and we had to cut staff hours, close on Mondays, and eliminate some benefits but it forced us to tighten our belt and become more creative to look for other ways to survive.”

The Mission Cultural Center For Latino Arts was born out of the idealism of the Chicano/Latino Movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. A statement was issued when it was inaugurated that pronounced its purpose: To promote Latino cultural expression, awareness and growth of the Mission District in a manner that is accessible to the community at large.

What it became was an incubator for political and artistic movements that created themes and icons like literary magical realism, Nuevo Canto (Latin American New Song), Day of the Dead celebrations, Frida Kahlo, Che and Indigenous self-determination. The center supported a muralist movement that splashed color on the walls and contributed silk screen posters printed by Rene Castro, now prized collectors items, that were displayed in store from windows and telephone poles.

At their 30^th Anniversary Gala, the MCCLA honored seven longtime supporters and advocates with Awards in Excellence. They include: Galeria De La Raza (Community organization), Tomasita Medal (Cultural & Artistic Service), Jackeline Rago (Music), Francisco Camplis - Danza Xitlali (Performing Arts - Dance), Carlos Baron (Spoken Word - Literature), Michael Roman (Visual Arts), and Loco Bloco (Youth Award).

“We work as a family,” continues Rodriguez, “ and at our receptions and functions we see familiar faces who always support us as a house of arts and culture that also deals with relevant issues be it housing or immigration.”

Another concern for the future of the MCCLA is the changing neighborhood demographics. The microcosm of people it now serves stretches beyond its Latino-base and it’s a proven fact that the general population of California gives the least amount of money to its non-profits in the US.

“It will be great when institutions are supported by the community they serve but that isn’t the case,” concludes Rodriguez. “Sometimes we have to contort ourselves to get the money we need to do the creative work we want to do. We’ve had corporations who didn‘t like the political perspectives of what we were presenting. You don‘t want those kinds of restrictions. We want to be free to express what we want to express.”

PERU VIVO! On Friday August 24 a benefit Salsa concert took place at Café Cocomo in San Francisco for the victims of the 8.0 earthquake in Southern Peru. We have all seen on TV the images of the devastation caused and the need by thousands who lost everything included loved ones. Radio-thons and benefits were organized and the Bay Area Peruvian community, which is estimated at 60,000 in population, mobilized quickly to get the help out.

As soon as he heard the news Salsa bandleader, Pepe Gonzalez, got on the horn and began to organize a benefit concert to help the people and recruited a roster of excellent Peruvian Salsa bands that included Orquesta Bahia, Orquesta Liberacion, Andy y su Orquesta Callao, Julio Bravo y su Orquesta and Pepe y su Orquesta Peru. The management at Café Cocomo was gracious and donated their large dancehall for at event which took place on Fri. Aug. 24.

“We’re very happy with the response we’ve gotten from the community here in the Bay Area,” said Pepe at Café Cocomo the night of the benefit. “All the Spanish-language media came through with great support. “Right now we are going through a tremendous crisis in Peru as a result of this Earthquake. My people need a lot of help and for us as musicians we’re doing our part with all our hearts.”

Pepe admits that when he first heard the news, it brought tears to his eyes. “It’s hard to realize the devastation of an Earthquake of this magnitude so we are trying to raise as much money as possible that I will personally deliver.”

Aside from the humanitarian effort, this benefits also demonstrated the growing dimension of Peruvian Salsa bands which were showcased this evening. It was hard not to be impressed by the talents of the Peruvian musicians who with colleagues from Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the US donated their time for the effort.

Personally it was a night for me of great musical discovery. Orq. Liberacion opened up playing classic Salsa Dura, including a stirring version of Eddie Palmieri’s “Puerto Rico.”

Andy y su Orquesta Callao, featuring lead vocalist/bandleader Andres Alejandro, raised the thermometer up a notch with hot original compositions. Julio Bravo was also there and put the place in a tremendous spin.

“It’s an honor for me to be part of this unforgettable night,” said Julio Bravo prior to his set. “It is great to see our friends coming to help out for a cause that was an uncontrollable force of nature. It is too bad because this was area of Peru that was economically growing very fast as a result of an increase in tourism and the hard work of the people.

As Pepe and his band took the stage for their set toward the end of the evening, it was announced that close to $12,000 had been raised for this humanitarian effort. It did my heart good to see Salseros y Salseras doing their part for those in need in Peru.

KARL PERAZZO: It’s Saturday at the San Jose Jazz Festival and dusk is setting on the Salsa Stage. The Bay Area band, Karabali, led by percussionist Karl Perazzo, has the crowd in a whirl performing the tune, “Que Humanidad.” The band includes some of the SF Bay’s best like Michael Spiro (congas), Bill Ortiz (trumpet), Stephen Senft-Herrera (bass) and Orlando Torriente (vocals). I caught up with Karl after his set to find out more about the band who plays gems from the golden age of Salsa.

KP: We’re working real hard with Michael Spiro and all the cats. We’re just trying to raise the bar some more musically speaking by playing son music conjunto style. We’re trying to uplift it to the level of what modern Salsa is today by mixing a little Timba here and there. The songs are music that inspires me by Johnny Pacheco, Tipica 73, Conjunto Libre and some Cuban stuff. I’m excited about Karabali and plan to record in the future.

KP: No Timbales! This is a dream I’ve had for a long time to start a conjunto with just conga and bongo. And if I’m not mistaken probably the first one around here to do it.

KP: We’ve been taking a little time off. We’ve been hitting the studio secretly and going to hit some TV shows in Sept. Avance is working on its record and we’re continuing to hit the clubs. But we’re working real hard on our new album.

JV: The other day I was looking at an old Sheila E album where you were dressed all colonial and had your colored all kind of ways, do you ever miss those days with Sheila and Prince?

KP: It’s part of my history and upbringing in music and to play with Prine and Sheila E was a phenomenal experience I‘ll never forget. They showed me what to do and what not to do. For the people and for the music!

EL SONERO MAYOR: Since his arrival in the 1980s to the Bay Area as part of the Mariel Boatlift from Cuba, Felix “Fito” Reinoso has established himself as a leading voice in Salsa. His inspired singing on the classic, “San Francisco Tiene Su Propio Son,” off the 1995 “Ritmo y Candela” album for Carlos “Patato” Valdes and Orestes Vilato, demonstrates his wit, wisdom and ability to tell a story with his unique voice and personable delivery.

Right now, Fito is riding high with the release of his latest album, “Comunicació n,” with his band Ritmo y Armonia. A collaborative effort between Cuban - American producer and recording engineer, Ari Rios, who released the album on his own Laughing Tiger records, and Fito, it includes many special guests. From traditional Rumba to hip-shaking Timba, he sings songs that are rhythmically strong with great arrangements and lyrics that have something to say.

“Comunicació n” is the title track of the album,” says Fito in a July interview prior to his CD release party at Yoshi‘s in Oakland. “It’s about how young people communicate today. If you don’t know how to push the buttons on the computer and the internet, it’s like not being able to speak. The song is about how we’ve all changed to adapt to our web pages on My Space.”

Special guests include percussionists Sandy Perez, Isidro Baloi, Carlos Caro and trumpeter Bill Ortiz. The musical director for the CD is Patricio Angulo and includes two jamming’ Omar Sosa arrangements. “Pueblo Mio” features his daughter Genesie on a great rumba duet. What Fito is obvious on this album though is the clarity and commitment to his Cuban roots. “When I was seven years old I was already playing guitar and tres,“ recalls Reinoso.

“In Cuba, I lived in Candelaria and my parents played a style of musica campesina (the music of the country folk) called Punto Guajiro. In that music we do what are called controversias (controversies). It’s about vocal challenges and conversations. If someone says you are going to sing to a glass or a table, you better find some poetry to describe those things. Del son vengo yo (I come from the son)!”

His arrival to the SF Bay coincided with the emergence of now-established artists like Jesus Diaz and Bobi Cespedes, who were young Cubans steeped in Son and Rumba. Fito, Jesus and Bobi can all be seen in the documentary on Francisco Aguabella, “Sworn To The Drum.” Fito paid his dues singing in bands like Charanga, Tumbao y Cuerdas, and others until starting his potent Ritmo y Armonia band.

“It was hard to realize yourself as a professional musician in Cuba. That happened when I arrived here. I’ve learned a lot here but think I have also contributed to bringing a new sound to San Francisco and California.”

JOHN SANTOS: Last November John Santos disbanded his acclaimed Machete Ensemble. Most knew that this was not the end of his career but perhaps an opportunity to stretch out in new directions. Crucial to his momentum forward was a hip replacement operation that would strengthen him physically. After a few months taking care of his health, Santos has re-emerged walking on a cane temporarily but with more vigor than ever.

Santos recently launched a 15-week long “Roots of Latin Jazz” class at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco. For decades he has taught about Afro-Caribbean music whether at a grass roots level or lecturing at conferences and universities. His classroom work began humbly for him at the Precita Community Center and went on from there to the Mission Cultural Center and La Raza Graphics. Now, John uses multi-media to enhance his lesson plans and his geographical viewpoint about Latin jazz.

“There’s no end to it. The subject matter is huge when talking about the roots of Latin jazz and Salsa. It involves the whole history of the Americas and Africa, which in itself is a huge field, as well as European music, and what happened here in the Americas with indigenous peoples. The course goes through the gamut of African music in the Americas. There’s no way you can be born knowing all this stuff or learn it in a short period of time. The most fascinating part for me is that it’s a constant learning experience.”

Along with his teaching gigs, Santos has also released a new CD with his quintet that he titled, “Papa Mambo.” The core group consists of Saul Sierra (bass), Marcos Diaz (piano), Orestes Vilato (timbales) and Santos (congas) but it includes a lot of special guests like Ray Vega, Jerry Medina and others.

“I love working with a smaller group. It’s got its pluses and minuses. Working with a large ensemble like Machete offers a lot more colors for you palate when you’re painting but we did that for a couple of decades and had a great time doing it. But the small group offers a different challenge. It’s wide open and there’s more space. When it comes to playing and writing we find we can play a lot of different style. It’s a lot easier than the big group and economic factor is much better.”

LA VERDAD: For the last couple of years Armando "Tito" Tam, 32, has been working on the debut album for his band, La Verdad. Of Nicaraguan-Chinese descent, the dancer and vocalist is an ambitious business man who sells real estate by day and leads his Salsa Dura band, La Verdad, by night. He dropped hints that he was working with Pablo “Chino” Nuñez on the release and recording it in New York. Many wondered why he was not doing it in the Bay Area and using resident musicians. Some discounted his efforts as a lot of hype. Now, "From a Different Perspective," is out and Tam and his lead singer Carlos Rosario, are showing that the proof is in the pudding.

Exemplary is Tam’s methodical approach to the release. Well thought out from production to marketing, Tam and Rosario, a gifted singer and composer, deliver eight slamming dance hall originals and classics. Frankly speaking, there has yet to be a successful Salsa band to break out of the Bay Area and onto the international arena. But in just the few weeks that "From a Different Perspective" has been out two songs - "Los Titos" and "Nueva York" - are already creating a buzz in Colombia and in Europe. Recently I caught up with Armando who tells us about the creation of La Verdad’s debut release.

AT: The reception for the album has been awesome!! I'm from the Bay Area and sometimes someone does a song that creates a buzz here and there but when you do an album that's getting attention around the world and getting props from artists like Tito Allen, who gave us his blessing, for doing the song "Los Titos," that's crazy! The response has been overwhelming.

AT: I've always been into dancing and used to go to New York a lot because that's the sphere of influence I love. Going back and forth, I got hooked on the soneo (lyric) of the Salsa Dura, and songs from back in the day like "El Mensaje" by Adalberto Santiago and “El Todopoderoso” by Hector Lavoe. When I came back to the Bay I met Carlos Rosario, a real sonero, who had just moved here from Puerto Rico. I proposed to him that we put together a band. He said, 'yeah, but let's do some original music.' So, I decided to call some of my boys in New York City for some advice. Frankie Vasquez is a good friend of mine and is the one who introduced me to Chino Nuñez.

I listened to the production Chino did for Ray Viera and liked the style he has. Not to mention that my favorite sonero (singer) is Hector Lavoe and Chino used to play bongos for him. I went to Chino's house where we put together a concept. I chose the music, most of which was written by Carlos. I've been greatly inspired by Aaron Levinson, who is not necessarily a musician but who put together something that makes people dance. So, I collaborated with my friends in NYC and put together something with Chino that is nice. It was a dream come true to work with him and to have five of my musicians participating in a production done with Grammy-winning quality.

AT: We decided to call it "From a Different Perspective" because it’s not typical. Yeah, there are some sour grapes but who wouldn't take advantage of the opportunity to record in NYC and to sweeten those grapes. In my ten years in the business with La Verdad, I have yet to see a band break out of here. Why not use my expertise in business to put together a good product? Aaron Levinson is a DJ from Philadelphia who put together a band like the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Why can't I? Now I want to travel with this band. Yes, the market is tough these days but every few months I want to perform outside of the Bay Area going to places like New York and Puerto Rico. It's all a process. Nothing happens overnight. We are hardcore for the Bay! We just happened to take a master class in recording in NYC.

AT: Our transition here in the Bay Area has been easy because I‘m a dancer. The hardest thing for a band to do is to make a connection between the dancers and the live music. We aim to do that. I used to dance for a living and was with Will Smith on his “Welcome to Miami” tour. But it wasn’t until I met Larry Harlow who told me, ‘It’s not just a dance. Listen to the lyrics and composition.’ That is when I was reborn. Perfect lyrics and arrangements make a great song!’ I am currently producing a DVD on the making of this album. From writing ideas on napkins, the sessions in the recording studio, to the post production and other things, we want to show a side of this production most people do not get to see. I want to thank my friend Julio Mercedes, who encouraged me and gave me a piece of advice, Aqui En San Francisco los que no hacen tampoco dejan hacer.

DR. WAYNE: The sound of Wayne Wallace’s trombone has been resonating with me since I was a hippie low-rider in the 1970s. Cruising around the Bay Area listening to the Latin rock band SAPO, led by Richard Bean, is when I first heard him on a short-lived LP the band did for Bell Records. But I didn't know it. Later during my college years in the early 1980s, I heard more of Wallace's trombone as musical director with the Pete Escovedo Orchestra.

When I began in radio over 25 years ago, I aspired to be an audio engineer and did remote recordings for KJAZ, where I worked for 12 years. Seeing I was into it, John Santos hired me as sound man for his new band, The Machete Ensemble. The band played every major festival and hosted historical concerts like “La Evolucion De La Musica Afro-Cubana” at Davies Symphony Hall in SF. It was being with Machete that I became a Wallace devotee.

The writing and the improvisational thinking that poured out of Dr. Wayne (so decreed by Latin jazz dean Pete Escovedo), made me realize his exceptional talent but most impressively his vision. At the time he was Cuba crazy having just visited the island for the first time. Composing and arranging using traditional and contemporary Afro-Cuban elements, he was on the cusp of a new chapter in his musical evolution.

I started researching his recording output and found his SF Bay Area Funk connections playing with Con Funk Shun, Narada Michael Walden and Bad Water Bridge. He also played in musical theatre and at the now-defunct Circle Star Theater, the renowned show room known for its revolving stage. There he backed up legends like Sammy Davis Jr., Pearl Bailey, Diane Carroll, and The Nicholas Bros.

ROOTS: Born on May 29, 1952, Wayne Wallace is a native San Franciscan. He grew up in the Fillmore District, first on Steiner St., and then on Bush St. One early musical memory were the jam sessions at The Both And happening around 1970-71.

“The Both And was special," recalls Wallace. "Bobby Hutcherson was teaching theory classes there and conducting jam sessions. James Leary was playing bass with Bobby‘s band at the time and would give him a lift to the gig so that I could get in. When Bobby was playing I was there all five nights just listening and consider those gigs some of the best lessons of my life.”

As a trombonist he can play with a clear buttery tone, wow-wow with a mute when needed or a belt out a gust of notes on a solo but delivered with a complete knowledge of his instrument and its jazz history. He says Ellington as his deepest influence but acknowledges McCoy Tyner as having inspired him too. He has played in Tyner’s big-band and large ensemble presentations around the Bay Area. “The power and intensity in his playing grabbed me as a kid. I had never heard anybody play with such unique style.”

Highlights abound in Wayne‘s career: musical director for the Pete Escovedo Orchestra; live recordings with Manny Oquendo & Libre; collaborative efforts with the Asian American Jazz Orchestra; a long tenure with Conjunto Cespedes and his over 20 year stint with John Santos and The Machete Ensemble where he was co-musical director.

His two albums for Spirit Nectar Records - "Three in One" and "Echoes in Blue" certainly prove his immense talent. But now Wayne is embarking on a new adventure as a record company owner with his Patois Record label.

PATOIS RECORDS: Last year, Wayne did an album titled, "Dedication," that would become the premiere recording for his Patois Record label. The album was a collaborative effort with Ray Lucas, who produced the date and first recorded Wayne as a leader on his Spirit Nectar label. A short time after, he would put out his second and most current release, "The Reckless Search for Beauty."

"The Reckless Search for Beauty" has served to seriously launch him onto the national jazz scene. Working with Kate Smith Promotions, the album charted on Jazzweek.com, an independent jazz tracking service, and is making a serious dent on the market with distribution by Koch International.

Mostly recently Southbay songbird Kat Parra signed with the label and has had her acclaimed, "Birds in Flight," re-released by the label. Currently in pre-production with Wallace, Kat will start recording a new album in June with the working title, "Azucar De Amor."

"Wow! What a whirlwind this has all been!" writes Kat Parra on her MySpace.com page. "I am so excited and honored to be the first artist, after Wayne Wallace, to be signed to Wayne's new record label, Patois Records. This label embodies everything that I believe in music--a family-oriented approach to world music and all the sounds that fall under that umbrella. “

Now Alexa Weber-Morales has a new album out that was released in May. It's called, "Vagabundeo." One of the hot tracks on Wayne's "The Reckless Search for Beauty" is her bilingual take on the Bill Withers tune, "Use Me," where she wails with an inspired delivery. Her own release, "Jazzmerica," was produced by Wallace as is her new release.

You have to applaud anybody that steps up to the plate to start a label in this current transition period from discs to download. He does it with his laid back demeanor and soul intact. As he writes on the label's website: “Patois Records goal is to provide an outlet to artists who might be otherwise overlooked and to promote understanding in the ability to communicate and make music.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO DJ CHATA! Much love to DJ Chata Gutierrez, who along with being the host of her over-30-year radio program, “Con Clave,” on Saturday afternoons on KPOO 89.5 FM in San Francisco, she is also a happening club DJ. Mainly spinning at Café Cocomo around Potrero Hill, Chata was recently awarded Best Dance Club DJ by SF Bay Guardian. In a readers poll conducted by the weekly newspaper, she received hundreds of write-in votes . Congrats to this Bay Area Latino cultural treasure!

THE SONANDO PROJECT: Remember Cuarteto Sonando, a Bay Area band that put out a great CD, "7 Steps To 850," in 2001? Well, the group has evolved and resurfaced with congero Patricio Angulo now the lone survivor. Their latest idea, "Música de su Mente: The Latin Side of Stevie Wonder," highlights a talented cast that includes Bob Crawford (piano), Sam Bevan (bass), Darren Smith (saxes/flute), David Flores (trap drums), and Patricio, paying tribute to one of music's most prolific songwriters. Mixing the rhythmic intricacy of Afro-Cuban and Brazilian styles with the brilliance of Stevie Wonder's chord progressions and melodic ideas is the aim of The Sonando Project. A band to watch in 2007 for their fun-filled fusion of Jazz, Latin and R&B.

2007 YERBA BUENA GARDENS FESTIVAL: Recently Linda Lucero, Executive Director of Yerba Buena Arts & Events, announced highlights for the 2007 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. Lucero says, “I am super-excited about the amazing performers in our 2007 season, which include Moroccan percussionists, Hawaiian Ukelele players, Yiddish Klezmer violinists, Balinese dancers, Shakespearean actors, Cuban musicians, and Japanese shakuhachi players all celebrating our commonalities through music, dance, theater and spoken word.”

The Festival takes place from May 5 through October 28 and hosts over 100 free events at The Yerba Buena Gardens located at Mission St. and 3rd St. in downtown San Francisco.

The Resident Artists for this year are Marcus Shelby and the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble. Shelby received the “Composer Commission 2006 – 2007” and will be making the world premiere of “Harriet Tubman: Bound for the Promised Land,” a secular oratorio for jazz orchestra and vocalists which premieres on May 5. The Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble, directed by John Calloway, perform on August 9 and October 13.

The festival also includes the very popular Music In The Gardens 101 Series of educational and interactive programs especially conceived for musicians and audiences of all ages. This year’s Music In The Gardens 101 Series features blacKMahal’s “The Punjabi Funk Experience ” on May 20, the Venezuela Music Project on June 16, Dr. Loco and Tom Rigney’s “From Tabasco to Salsa” on August 25, and Balinese dance and music with Gamelan Sekar Jaya on September 22.

The Thursday lunchtime concert series are popular with downtown workers and students and this year features the very best of Bay Area musical masters including Maria Marquez on June 7, Carne Cruda on July 26, John Handy & Friends on September 20 and many more.

The Latin Series features Rebeca Mauleon’s Descarga en Yerba Buena on June 30, Candela on July 7, A Tribute to Armando Peraza on September 1 and headlining the Fourth Annual Latin Jazz Festival in the Gardens on September 30 is the award-winning Cuban flutist Orlando "Maraca" Valle.

The Gardens Festival hosts other Festivals and this year includes Israel In The Gardens on June 3, Native Contemporary Arts Festival June 17, Pistahan Filipino Cultural Festival on August 11 and August 12, and many others.

In addition to the free programs in Yerba Buena Gardens, the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and the Museum of the African Diaspora will co-present a new low-cost lecture series: John Santos’ Roots of Latin Jazz and Salsa. Taught by four-time Grammy nominated Bay Area musician, producer and historian John Santos, Roots is designed to give participants a concise yet thorough perspective of the evolution of Latin Jazz and Salsa. Beginning July 3 and running through October 16, the series cost is $240 for 15 weeks.

AVA APPLE: In this edition of DLB, we bring you Ava Apple, a celebrated Bay Area Salsa dancer and instructor who has been honored by the San Francisco Salsa Congress and widely known for her skill. Currently she leads the performing dance ensemble, Latin Symbolics and teaching in SF at the nightclub Roccapulco and at the Metronome Ballroom.

Sitting at the SF Salsa Congress last year with Ava her love of dance just pours out. She has been there all day staffing her table and taking in workshops as well as teaching one on “Lifts and Turns.” In our neck of the Salsa world, she is a legend whose passion for Afro-Caribbean music and dance goes back to Cesar’s Latin Palace in the SF Mission District where she began dancing and subsequently teaching.

“Yes, I’ve attended all five of the Salsa Congresses here in the Bay Area and my teams have performed at each one. I have two teams right now. The pro team is the Latin Symbolics and my newest amateur team is Symbolic Mambo,” she says.

What follows is a Q&A with Ava Apple about Salsa dancing in the City by the Bay.

AA: I attribute the growth of Salsa dance in general to the Salsa Congresses, which goes back to the first Puerto Rican Congress. It is there that we got to meet each other and got way more exposed to different styles, timings, teachers and dancers. The dance scene has really exploded since that first P.R. Congress which was about 9-10 years ago. It changed the world of Salsa dance.

JV: One of the beautiful things you do is that you develop folks by teaching them their first introductory lesson and then helping them advance. How important is it to have proper instruction in Salsa dance?

AA: The great thing about Salsa is that there is still room for all different levels. From those that grew up doing it naturally, to those that didn‘t know anything about the music who studied it and have gone on to become great dancers. Some people don‘t need much instruction, other people need more help. I have so many people that have come up to me over the years and say they are so glad they learned their basics from me. I believe once you have a grasp of the basics you can learn by watching. Then as they pick up more they can go on to other teachers.

AA: There are many different ways to explain it and many ways of dancing on “2”. There is classic “2”, Palladium “2”, Modern “2”, and they are all different. They all break on the “2” and the “6” but on the rest of the counts the beats are in a different place. It’s all good. I’m asked if I prefer on the “1” or the “2”. I’ve danced and taught both styles but currently most of my classes are taught on the “1”. I prefer to look at the style and technique someone dances and not so much the timing. There are beautiful dancers who dance on “1”, “2” and “3”. There’s also dancing on the clave which is kind of on “2” but you’re really trying to hit the beats of the clave. It’s all good. I do it all and I like it all. I don’t discriminate.

AA: I think all those TV shows are great for us as dancers and for Salsa in general. It‘s great promotion and publicity. The moves that some of them do and music choices might not be what we would like to present to the public but it all helps. It gets it out there and then motivates people to come to the clubs or the studios to learn.

Well since I teach at Roccapulco, and it is kind of my home base since I am there every weekend, that is one of my favorites. The next would be the Glas Kat, hosted by Ay Caramba and its great hostess Diana Bowen. We have a lot of great clubs here like the Down Low Lounge, Café Cocomo, and many othes that have stuck in there supporting the Salsa scene.

AA: It seems to be going good. The classes are growing. The clubs are growing. The Bay Area has Salsa dancing 7-nights a week. I don’t even know if NYC has that currently. There’s still good crowds and sometimes there’s two places to go to in one night. So I would say it’s good!

JV: Thanks Ava! Now to help further Salsa etiquette we bring you Ava’s Top Ten!

Take a glimpse into a local dance club on any night and you'll see many confident people moving in perfect time with their partners. A beginner might feel intimidated asking someone to dance-what if I look clumsy. What if my partner gets bored dancing with me? But newcomers should realize that seasoned regulars also experience doubt occasionally.

Jan S. looks self-assured on the floor, but she admits to feeling nervous when paired with a more advanced dancer. She said I'm embarrassed if my partner is much better than I am and wants to do all these hard moves. I feel I should get out of his way. Other people become unnerved by partners who forget their deodorant, or by aggressive types who seem to sprout extra hands that are a little too exploratory.

After talking to a variety of dancers, one realizes that certain awkward situations are universal for beginners, advanced dancers, and people in-between. What do you do with a partner who is completely off the beat? Or with one who seems unaware that you're bumping off other couples like a pinball?

Professional dancer and instructor Ava Apple is sympathetic to these complaints. She has taught dance in the Bay Area for 10 years, has competed in Hustle competitions and currently competes in Latin dance competitions, and keeps up with the local dance scene at the clubs.

She believes that tension caused by awkward situations could be eased with the help of some guidelines. She said, "Sometimes a person is unaware that he or she is making the other person uncomfortable. The other person doesn't know what to do and just suffers silently until the song is over.

After constantly being asked the same questions by students and friends, Ava has compiled a list of tips to help people enjoy their evenings with a minimum of stress. She cautioned that these guidelines are not set in stone: "The important idea is to always use your best judgment and have fun."

(1). Always carry breath mints. When Ava takes her students out dancing, she earns everyone's appreciation by talking along extra mints. "People forget how close they actually get to their partners ".

(2). Don't feel self-conscious about people watching you. Remember: It's fairly dark at clubs, and people may not even be looking at you. They may just be scanning the rest of the club for a dance partner.

(3). Don't try lifts or fancy dips, save these for performances, contests, etc. Copying the professionals will only get you in trouble. Ava recalls the time a dance partner attempted a fancy move at a night club: "He suddenly swooped me off the ground, spun me around, and I kicked another girl on the side of her head. " To avoid future concussions, keep your partner's feet on the floor.

(4). Take extra care to watch for "traffic." Ava noted, "Some men don't watch where they're leading. I've stepped on a lot of feet and bumped into people because my partner wasn't paying attention. Try to tone down your dance style when the floor gets crowded. And ladies, if you feel your shelf about to step on someone's feet, try to lighten your step to soften the blow."

(5). My partner is all hands. How can I stop him from groping me? Stop dancing and walk off the dance floor.

(6). Don't try to teach your partner on the dance floor unless he or she asks for directions. If your partner doesn't follow a particular pattern, try it again. But don't stop and give her directions without her consent!! Followers, only correct a partner if they ask. Leading well, is hard to do, be patient.

(7). Don't act irritated if your partner is at a lower skill level. The point is to enjoy dancing, not make your partner feel inadequate.

(8). Say "no" gracefully. If you don't want to dance when someone asks, say "No, thank you" politely. If you like, add "maybe later." But don't refuse so you can play hard-to-get. Men, don't be pushy. If they seem friendly, ask again later.

(9). The best dancers don't drink alcohol. Some dance steps are difficult enough to perform when you're sober. Don't complicate matters by filling up on daiquiris before stepping onto the floor.

(10). Thank your partner after dancing. Unless the experience was very unpleasant, i.e., he or she was drunk or aggressive, show some courtesy.

THE SF SALSA CONGRESS: Judging from the attendance and the quality of dance performances and music presented I would say the 5th Annual San Francisco Salsa Congress was a rousing success! As many of you know I think Albert Torres is the best thing that has happened to Salsa since chocolate hit milk. Literally traveling around the world promoting Salsa, he is creating a sport, if you will, that combines ballroom dance with Latino dancehall steps. It’s gymnastics, aerobics and acrobatics that requires a healthy body to compete at this level.

But while Torres is the catalyst for making these events happen globally, here in the SF Bay, it is Ricardo Sanchez and Michelle Castro, who organize and coordinate this international event and make it more awesome every year. Both are award-winning dancers who keep Salsa strong in the Southbay with their Pretty Boys and Girls Dance Company. They work tirelessly to make this mega-conference happen.

The Bay Area Salsa Congress began on Thurs. Nov. 17 with a pre-congress party that took place at Cafe Cocomo in SF featuring Karl Perazzo's band, Avance. On Friday morning when I arrived at the Oakland Marriot Hotel hundreds of participants stood in line ready to check in and register. The enthusiasm and buzz was exhilarating as they come dressed in workout attire ready to take in the first dance workshops. From there it’s like a reunion of colleagues hugging and sharing news about what they’ve been up to. Then the dancing begins and the large halls of the Marriot are filled with dancers working to polish their styles with renown teachers. The instructors are experienced and are quite personable as they take on hundreds of students and lead them through the motions with patience and knowledge. Props to Ava Apple, Gabriel Romero and other teachers from the Bay Area who led classes at this years congress.

Musical highlights at the congress abound! I missed The New Swing Sextet on Friday night who I heard rocked the place but did catch Sonora Carruselles on Saturday. They continue to be one of the best dance bands around with great interpretations of NYC classics and swinging new originals. Like Colombian Temptations, they sang, dance and flirted with the girls. “Arranca En Fa,” their first tune, was the string that got the place spinning like a top.

The internationally acclaimed DJ Henry Knowles was there and just returned from Warsaw, Poland where he spun at the Salsa Congress there. He gave me a heads up on a new album that he is producing for the New Swing Sextet that is supposed to drop in Spring as well as several dance crazy compilations he will be assembling for the Fania remastered series.

I was genuinely impressed by all the DJs who spun at the congress. They drew a lot from the past to inspire the dancers and the sizzling mixes on old classics was 100% bailable. We caught up with Bay Area DJ and promoter Fred Flores and got his perspectives on the Salsa Congress, Bay Area scene and DJ’s.

SF DJ FRED FLORES: They call him DJ Fab Freddy on Wednesday nights at the Down Low Lounge in Berkeley. That’s where you’ll find Fred Flores spinning his heart out for the people. His reputation for giving the dancers potent audio fuel is wide spread and perhaps it’s his passion for spinning and gift for booking some of the hottest bands in Northern California that makes him one of the most successful Salsa entrepreneurs in the Bay Area.

FF: Currently the scene is thriving and the SF Salsa Congress shows that. It represents the growth in awareness and knowledge particularly in the youth who are keeping it alive. I’ve just been trying to contribute to it and keep the scene busy.

JV: A great dimensions of the SF Salsa Congress is the great DJ’s who come and spin. How do you see the tug-and-pull on the dance floor between the DJ’s versus a live band?

FF: I don’t think you can compare a band to a DJ because the DJ has all the best artists and orchestras at his or her disposal. At any one time you can hear the very best music from around the world. With a band, no matter how great they may be, you are only going to hear their sound, but if it’s a great sound it is definitely worth it.

JV: For folks that don’t know, The Down Low in Berkeley is the old Mr. E’s nightclub. How’s the spot been doing?

FF: You wouldn’t think that Wednesday night would be a big night but luckily Berkeley has been a hot spot for Salsa for quite a while thanks to Pete Escovedo. We took over that spot six years ago and it is really popular. Local people attend from throughout the Bay Area but especially the Eastbay. As long as we keep the quality up I believe people will continue coming!

JV: From what I understand you don’t lug those coffins anymore and now got a high tech rig to present the music. Tell us what you use to spin these days?

FF: These days I am using a laptop setup with specialized software. With just a laptop and a mixer that talk to each other through a USB cable I am able to play my entire library anywhere I go by simply plugging into the sound system. It’s super light and weighs much less than a turntable coffin and a case full of CD’s.

FF: The future for Salsa music and dance is super bright as long as we keep the Salsa Congresses alive. We need to continue to provide the knowledge and awareness so that people get educated about it. As long as we do that it should be alive and kicking for decades to come. Many thanks to everybody for their support!

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS! 2006 was a year with many unexpected deaths. Friends and heroes were laid to rest and to remember them I hosted a Day of the Dead/Halloween Dance at Yoshi‘s in Oakland. Anthony Blea y su Charanga performed and did two excellent sets with charged up tempos and exceptional musicianship that had the crowd howling! It was a cold Tuesday night (Oct.31) but people came dressed in costume and ready to party with the spirits.

The band was top notch and included Orlando Torriente (lead vocals), Juan Ceballos (flute), Marco Diaz (piano), Saul Sierra (bass), Javier Navarette (congas), Julius Melendez (trumpet), and Anthony Blea (violin/bandleader). They rolled tunes from their CD “Virgin De La Caridad” as well as some great oldies like “Charangueando,” “Goza La Vida,” “Me Pones La Cabeza Mala,” and others.

Trumpeter Julius Melendez, who released a top notch CD, last year titled "Passion and Romance," gets the prize for best costume. He did a take off on lover boy Flavor Flave that he called "Chingo Blingo." Yoshi's owner, Kaz Kazamura, came as a ballerina. I went as the Vampire from Havana wearing my Che beret, a black dangling cape and my little vampiro doll named, Boo.

But much credit needs to be given to Orlando Torriente, who has sang with The Machete Ensemble, Wayne Wallace, Bay Area Latin Jazz Orchestra, Blea y su Charanga and many others. The man is blessed with a powerful set of pipes and a charisma that is a joy to be a around. For Halloween he passed out tootsie pops and kept asking the question, "quien quiere caramalo?"

STOP THE PRESSES! In the last edition of Desde La Bahia, I told you about Maxwell's Lounge and what the nightclub was doing for Salsa in Oakland. Well, since then the Thursday night Salsa nights have ceased due to circumstances beyond the control of promoters Jose Ruiz and Martin Panduro of Sabor Productions.

Without a blink, the duo moved their operation a few blocks away to the Caribe Dance Center, 1408 Webster St., Oakland. The site of a long-standing Thursday night Salsa dance night established by Pedro "Sababu" Romero, the spacious upstairs club flourished in the 1980s-90s. The venue transitioned into a Mexican Regional club called El Reventon in the late 1990s but stopped its operation over a year ago as violence turned away patrons.

Jose and Martin are such good hosts who create a friendly hospitable atmosphere wherever they go. They take care of their patrons and provide some great Salsa bands and DJs to keep the dancers enthralled.

ADIOS JOHN SANTOS & THE MACHETE ENSEMBLE! On Sunday, Nov.12 John Santos & the Machete Ensemble presented an excellent and unforgettable Farewell Concert at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater as part of the San Francisco Jazz Festival. It was stellar with many bright moments. Destani Wolfe and Ray Vega as special guests on "You Don't Know What Love Is" sent chills up my spine. Rebeca Mauleon made an all too brief guest appearance but sounded great on the grand piano. Roberto Borrell danced and brought the house with his rumbero skill. Maria Marquez was superb on a guest vocal. Bill Ortiz is Miles incarnate on trumpet and added a graceful aura to the horn section. Orestes was on fire on timbales with some of the best playing I have heard him do in a long time. However, it was John whose smile said it all as he let his band mates wail and play with a gusto that was magical. Mayor Gavin Newsome awarded him a proclamation that day making it John Santos Day in San Francisco. It was the end of an era and hopefully the beginning of a new one as the members all now go their separate ways. Nevertheless, I have to tell I never saw a group of musicians who were so happy to be breaking up as they paraded out of the auditorium in a rousing comparsa.

VIVA CHIORI SANTIAGO! Chiori Santiago is an award winning Bay Area writer who has covered music and art for countless newspapers. Last year she was diagnosed with kidney cancer and had to undergo costly surgery with limited medical coverage. On Sunday Oct. 22 at La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley, friends and fans held a silent auction and concert to help her cover expenses. Performers included Native American singer Jane de Cuir, Kora player Unity Nguyen, Keenan Webster & The African ensemble Balafo, and the Somei Yoshino Taiko ensemble as well as DJs Sandina, and Iggy, Chiori’s 16 year-old son Ignacio Palmieri (the grandson of Eddie Palmieri).

Chiori Santiago has covered visual art, performance and music in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1986. Her articles and essays have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury News, Smithsonian, Latina, Parenting, World Art, American Craft, Pulse and many other fine publications. She worked as associate editor of The Museum of California, for the Oakland Museum; and is editor of Nikkei Heritage, the magazine of the National Japanese American Historical Society.

In 1998, Chiori Santiago published her first children’s book, Home to Medicine Mountain, with artist Judith Lowry. The book earned an American Book Award and recognition from Steppingstones magazine and the American Library Association.

Santiago won the “Maggie” Award for “Best Column” from the Western States Publishers Association for her writing in Diablo magazine, among numerous other awards. Chiori was a contributor to the book, The Spirit of Oakland: An Anthology, and editor of the book, Voices Of Latin Rock: Music From The Streets, an oral history of San Francisco’s Latin rock scene.

Santiago has appeared as an arts commentator on KQED-TV’s “This Week in Northern California”, a news-in-review program hosted by Belva Davis. She also served as co-host of “The Greenroom”, a live radio program on the arts produced at KPFA, 94.1FM, and was a critic on "Critic's Corner" on KCSM FM 91.

In addition to journalism, Chiori Santiago is recognized for her work with the San Francisco Arts Commission, Mexican Museum, National Japanese American Historical Society, University of California-Berkeley, the Puente Project, and the City of Berkeley.

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