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PRE-SHOW POST | AFTER-SHOW POST This summer I marked the 60th Anniversary of Fania Records’ founding with a salsa tribute session in Episode 35 . Episode 44 is Part 2 of the tribute. It was fun building that playlist but there were many outtakes due to the limitations of a two-hour show. A lot of material deserves to be covered when attempting to present Fania as the protagonist of an exciting new musical period that lasted several decades, so the omission of several songs set the stage for Part 2 in the next episode of Encanto Tropical. Ready for cueing are about 25 more songs form the Fania universe, and this includes tracks from the Alegre, Inca, Cotique, and Tico catalogs since Fania acquired these labels as it grew in size and power during its heyday. Fania was also the parent company of sub-labels such as Vaya and International. (Fania itself is currently owned by Concord Music .) Three Examples Three songs stand out as necessary inclusions because they were not in the Part 1 tribute. Following are some brief descriptions for context. 'Pancho Cristal' Los Durísimos, Ricardo Ray & Bobby Cruz Alegre Records, 1968 The virtuoso pianist Ricardo Ray and singer Bobby Cruz are among the most iconic duos in the world of salsa. They produced a string of albums with anthems that, while not always dancer-friendly, resonated with hard-core fans. Their mark in the annals of the ‘salsa’ explosion of the mid 1960s to mid 1970s include a unique sound of masterful compositions, arrangements, and piano — with alluring lyrics.  The 1968 album Los Durísimos , although not particularly rare or collectible, released first on the Alegre label and then on Tico, is a personal favourite. Both labels were appropriated by what became the “Motown” of the emerging ‘salsa’ industry, Fania Records; thus, the album is part of the Fania universe and qualifies for consideration in any tribute marking its jubilee.  On the album there is a particularly special track named after an esteemed Cuban producer of Latin music in the pre-salsa era whose role in historical recordings cannot be underestimated. 'Pancho Cristal' is a fiery tune and among my favourites to play when harking back to proto- salsa dura .  'Alacrán (Tumbando de Caña)' Soy Boricua, Bobby Valentin Fania Records, 1972 Ranked 25th in a recent list of the 50 greatest salsa albums of all time by Rolling Stone magazine , Bobby Valentin’s ‘Soy Boricua’ (1972) certainly deserves recognition — although by nature all such ‘greatest’ lists are subjective. Regardless, it’s a personal favourite and listening to it recently was a pleasant stroll down memory lane.  Valentin, a composer, bassist, recorded the album when he returned to Puerto Rico after enjoying early success in New York first as a sideman then as a band director. It was a landmark album for the Fania Records label but soon after he would produce future albums on the Bronco label after a period of imprisonment.  Known as El Rey del Bajo , or the King of the Bass, Bobby Valentin is still with us, and his mark on Fania Records and salsa at large is without question.  A seminal album, a number of hit songs grace Soy Boricua ; a fine one is 'Alacrán (Tumbando de Caña)', with a great introduction then a fantastic buildup which includes explosive instrumentation and vocals. 'Ametralladora' Yo Soy Latino, Larry Harlow Fania Records, 1983 There were few core members of the New York Latin music community in the 1970s who were not of hispanic/latino heritage. One of them was pianist Larry Harlow, known as El   Judio Maravilloso (“The Marvelous Jew”), but he had iconic status and was untouchable having proven his chops as a master interpreter of Afro-Cuban genres, as he had studied in Cuba in the 1950s, and his orchestra was the second to sign with the Fania label.  Harlow was a pivotal component in Fania’s rise over the years and certainly played a major role at live concerts by the Fania All-Stars. When Fania’s reach and influence started to wane in the 1980s, Larry Harlow was still showing his musical prowess. The 1983 release Yo Soy Latino is of special note. Included is the track 'Ametralladora' (Spanish for machine gun). The lyrics evoke a tough and adamant attitude, touching on themes of aggression and love. These mingle into confident machoism, calling to a pistol-armed man who covets a certain woman that the singer has a better weapon — a machine gun — and will certainly win her over instead. The lyrics juxtapose with a powerful piece of music with intense instrumentation, including fine percussion and electric guitar. Some of the music on Encanto Tropical 44 The programming of these three songs among a total of two dozen or so will be my focus as we travel fifty-plus years back in time to when New York City neighborhoods, or barrios,  were buzzing with pan-Caribbean innovations of Cuban-derived music, interpreted and arranged anew by a mixture of mostly Puerto Rican musicians — but also involved were Cubans who had left their country, as well as other nationalities, such as Dominicans. Together their raw sound steeped in barrio life was different in tone and context from the extravagance and high-life of the previous decade, and would eventually be promoted under the loosely defined commercial buzz word 'salsa'. Fania and its associates were key in the term’s acclimatization.  In simple terms, Fania helped put 'salsa' on the musical map, as I have mentioned before, and although Fania’s success was marred by controversy, it deserves recognition. While Episode 44 aims to spotlight some of Fania’s greatest anthems, lesser-known works will also be included. Naturally, the entire selection process is subjective in nature — the featured songs are just part of my personal view on how to mark this 60th anniversary and to be taken with a pinch of salt. I hope listeners can enjoy it. < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

AFTER-SHOW POST | PRE-SHOW POST Episode 44 can be replayed at the bottom of this page (26 tracks, 2:00:57). A tribute session celebrating the 60th anniversary of Fania Records was posted earlier this year ( Episode 35 ). Despite its length of move than 2 hours, I felt I had not included enough songs. Besides, there were so many outtakes from my original shortlist of tunes. Doing a second tribute thus seemed absolutely necessary. Here it is: Part 2. See the pre-broadcast post for context. Artists Artists included are listed below. Full attribution is given on the show.   Angel Canales Baby Gonzalez, Orquesta Riviera Bobby Valentin Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco Chamaco Ramirez Cheo Feliciano Chino Rodriguez y La Consagración Chivirico Davila Fania All Stars Frankie Dante y Su Orquesta Flamboyan Hector Lavoe Impacto Crea Ismael Miranda con Orchestra Harlow Ismael Rivera Julio Castro & Orquesta La Masacre Justo Betancourt Larry Harlow Latin Tempo Markolino Dimond The Lebron Brothers Ray Barretto Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound Ricardo "Richie" Ray & Bobby Cruz Ruben Blades The list of artists spans several labels in the Fania universe, as it was a parent company with sub-labels it either established or acquired, such as Alegre, Cotique, Tico, International, and Vaya. Note that some of the artists featured here were not exclusively on Fania, but the songs selected for the show are from the Fania discography. Some of the music on Encanto Tropical 44 Fania Records is owned by Concord Records .  REPLAY EPISODE 44 < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

PRE-EVENT POST | AFTER-EVENT POST Coming up is the Taiwan Salsa Carnival in Taipei on the weekend of Nov 22-24.  LINEUP There is a great lineup of artists who together with social dancers and workshop participants will make exciting memories over this weekend. There are so many to mention... Along with DJs Tienyu, James, and Ellen (and more), there are performers/instructors Alien Ramirez, Frankie Martinez, Eric Rodriguez, Ari, Arieh Alexander, Darling Saeko, Patty Lin, Hide & Peko, Johnathan & Busra, Ozlem & Diego, Romantic Babulu, and more. Not to be missed! Get your tickets here . Organized by CopaTaiwan THEMES This year's event has daily dress code themes to enliven the fun: "Stylish Glasses" on Friday, "Luxury" on Saturday, and "Elegant" on Sunday. Let's go! Venue & Workshops The venue building, Nu Zone Exhibition Center, is a beautiful setting chosen by the event organizer Calvin Wang as the meeting point for social dancers, performers, DJs, and dance instructors from around the world. It has separate dance halls for salsa and bachata. The packed workshop schedules on both days will be followed by dancing late into the night. DJing, PRESENTing at Taiwan Salsa Carnival 2024 I will be selecting tunes in the Salsa Room on Friday and Saturday night. It will be my fifth time joining this great event in Taipei. I have not been there since the pandemic, so there will be some great reunions! In addition to deejaying I will deliver a presentation on Sunday titled "Salsa in Context". My aim is to provide insight for non-Spanish speakers who may not know the meaning of the lyrics while dancing or listening to salsa songs. UNDERSTANDING Salsa LYRICS In Japan it has always struck me as a fascinating dynamic that social dancers can pair up and display great technique when dancing to the musicality of songs without understanding the lyrics, as they are in Spanish. But this observation is non-judgmental. Clearly, salsa is for everyone. Dance is an international language crossing all borders. It unites people as a medium for peace, understanding, and building joyful moments on the dance floor -- and beyond. Not understanding the words of a song is, of course, not a problem. However, I believe that being able to understand salsa lyrics can take dancers to a higher level. While some songs are trivial and simple in meaning, others have great depth showing social, historical, and cultural context. You might say that cultivating knowledge about your chosen artistic expression is just as important as developing the techniques for expression within it. CONNECTING with Salsa Besides, there is a background story to everything. No matter the field of study or art form, discovering context, history, connections, and relevance promotes intellectual growth, artistic expression, and further connection to your driving passion. The premise is that dancers can find appreciation and a deeper connection with songs they understand, offering greater potential for their interpretational experience — both physical and mental — when engaging their body movement to a song.  This led me to researching and curating songs for a project titled “Salsa in Context”. I recently wrote about context in Cheo Feliciano’s anthem, ‘Anacaona’ (composed by Tite Curet Alonso) , and this served as the impetus for my presentation at the Taiwan Salsa Carnival, where I will detail several songs and even look at salsa as a whole when it comes to context as a template. I am looking forward to giving this talk -- not only in my role as a salsa DJ but also as an academic at a Japanese university, and I strive for a certain standard. However; authoring a presentation on salsa at an academic standard has its challenges, as salsa musicology contains pitfalls, sources may sometimes conflict, and oral history -- although valuable -- may not be entirely reliable. I wish all attendees to be satisfied, including veteran dancers and knowledgeable instructors in attendance... SCHEDULE [ This post was published before going to Taipei. Read the post-event post here . ] Encanto Tropical 45 On a related note is the next episode of Encanto Tropical, which will feature songs prepared for both DJing and presenting at the Taiwan Salsa Carnival 2024. Episode 45 “In the bag for Taipei” broadcasts on Nov. 21st on World Salsa Radio (see bottom for broadcast info). See you in Taipei soon! < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

PRE-EVENT POST | POST-EVENT POST Salsa is for everyone, and it shows.  Across the planet, wherever salsa dancers go — at least in main cities — it seems you can find a local salsa scene, however big or small. This speaks volumes of the universal appeal of the music style rooted in the Caribbean which flourished in New York, Cali, Caracas (and elsewhere) and then gained momentum to spread across the globe, in part by the Latin diaspora but also by local musicians who got hooked on the salsa sound. You cannot go very far when exploring context in salsa songs before being amazed by all the incredible information and depths of meaning involved Among the salsa-loving communities spanning the globe are dancers who pair up at events to share their interpretation of the music, with body movements in varying degrees of complexity and timing. Go to any salsa dance event and you can witness the passion and joy apparent in dancers as they find ways to connect with the music played by the DJ or live band.  A view of the dance floor at the 2024 Taiwan Salsa Carnival The joy, appeal, inclusivity, and inspiration that salsa music offers is impressive. When we consider the musical components which inspire salsa dancers, we can recognize the accessibility that polyrhythm, melody, phrasing, and syncopation have. What is interesting, however, is the role that lyrics play in the sound of salsa as a whole. The lyrics are, by default — with few exceptions — sung in Spanish, a language inaccessible to most dancers you may see at an event in Berlin, London, Istanbul, Nairobi, Tokyo, Taipei, Montréal, San Francisco, or (your city here).  Yet the lyrics are an integral component of a salsa song. They are intended to be more than just a sound like that of an instrument to juxtapose or work in tandem with other instruments. They are the carefully composed ideas, observations, or pronouncements that are heart-fully expressed by vocalists, and often the central force of the song. It is in the lyrics where we find a message, however simple, poignant, or profound it may be. Furthermore, beyond the words and phrases which make up the song composition, there is a background story to that composition, with roots in varying degrees of social, cultural, and historical contexts, giving it even deeper meanings to explore. Dancing to "Balafon" (Calle Vapor) and "El Aguacatólogo" (Manny Martinez) at 2024 Taiwan Salsa Carnival We can note then that salsa music has powerful appeal and can be enjoyed immensely without understanding a word of the lyrics — and of course, that is fine. No one can say that you cannot dance to your heart’s content or physically interpret salsa in your own unique way without understanding the lyrics. However, one might add that there is much to be appreciated when you actually know the meaning of a salsa song. In fact, knowing a song’s message allows a dancer to appreciate it more and to find inspiration for physically interpreting it with more feeling.  Simply put, context matters. This blog contains a few posts about songs that have already been discussed with regard to context.  Cheo Feliciano’s “Anacaona” (1974) is particularly interesting for its historical background as well as its relevant message today ;  “Pueblo Latino” by Spanish Harlem Orchestra (2002) is important for the cultural identity it celebrates ; “Volare” by Cortijo y Su Combo (1960) is interesting for its interpretation of a popular Italian song at a time when the term "salsa" was not in use to describe a musical style . Salsa in Context You cannot go very far when exploring context in salsa songs before being amazed by all the incredible information and depths of meaning involved. This is what inspired me to deliver an introductory presentation titled "Salsa in Context" at the 2024 Taiwan Salsa Carnival (Nov 22-24), where I also selected tunes for the dance floor on Friday and Saturday night. The event featured many international attendees, including performers, instructors and DJs. It was an absolutely fantastic experience; however, it was also a great opportunity to have an audience to share some ideas about context in salsa. I kept it simple and had modest expectations in the form of an introductory presentation because I don't claim to be an expert; I just wish to share what I can. Presenting 'Salsa in Context' at the 2024 Taiwan Salsa Carnival Thirteen songs were spotlighted, some in more detail than others. All the songs contain fascinating context to raise awareness about the importance of meaning and the background story in salsa. First, I presented the relevance of two songs, one by Ray Sepulveda with Johnny Rivera, and one by Jimmy Saa. "No vale la pena" is what started me thinking about context, as this song was incredibly popular in Japan when I started deejaying, and it was intriguing how dancers would joyfully react to what they must have assumed was just a cheerful, romantic song. While the song indeed had an upbeat vibe, the message in the lyrics could not have been more contrasting, with lines such as "it's not worth falling in love" and "love gives you life, but it also takes your life away". "No vale la pena" -- the Spanish lyrics and the English translation The song "Si Dios Quiere" by Jimmy Saa has always been a personal favorite, but it was not until I went over the lyrics carefully that I grew even fonder of the song. It has a deep connection with me. The video below is illustrative as a live performance, but the studio version is better. Live version: Studio version: "Si Dios Quiere" -- the Spanish lyrics and the English translation Additionally, eight songs were discussed briefly, covering a range of contexts, each represented by their album covers, pictured below. Anacaona, Cheo Feliciano Indestructible, Ray Barretto Rebelion, Joe Arroyo Sujetate la Lengua, Eddie Palmieri Otra Oportunidad, Jimmy Bosch Juanito Alimaña, Hector Lavoe Salao, Grupo Niche El Mundo al Revés, Tromboranga Focus on “La Profe” The main spotlight was on the song “La Profe” by Manny Martinez. It is very impressionable, not just for dancing but also as an entertaining and well-crafted music video. “La Profe” was a good choice of material to focus on at this early stage in my exploration of context in salsa, while I leave more profound songs for later. Manny Martinez spent most of his childhood in Puerto Rico but resided in New York and San Francisco before moving recently to Cali, Colombia, where in the last two years he has found the space and time to focus on music. He is most well-known for the groundbreaking album Azabache (2000) which he co-produced with his brother. Several solo albums followed, most recently In the Zone  (2024). Fortunately, he agreed to an interview on short-notice just before my trip to Taipei. I was keen to listen to his insight behind three of the songs included in the latest album, one of which is "La Profe". Click below to watch the interview. Main points of the interview Salsa can be enjoyed regardless of whether you understand a song’s meaning. A song's lyrics represent a composer’s observation of life and is part of a story-telling art form. A deeper appreciation of a song can be achieved by understanding its meaning. Cultural, social, and historical contexts are areas to look into as well. Three songs from Manny Martinez's latest album In the Zone (2024) are provided with a background story and some context. The song "La Profe" ("The Teacher") was inspired by the Van Halen song "Hot Teacher". The wit, meaning, and context of "La Profe" can be better appreciated by watching the music video. "El Aguacatólogo" ("The Avocado Expert") was the result of Manny's wife commenting on how good he was at knowing which avocados were perfectly ripe; also relevant are the charm and appeal of street vendors hawking their products: both his local avocado-seller where he currently lives as well as the neighborhood bread-seller from his childhood in Puerto Rico. "Los Buenos Somos Más" ("There Are More of us Good People") was a phrase he overheard a salsa DJ saying, and the song reiterates the point that despite the general negativity around us, we should be confident that everything will be fine because there are more good people than bad people. Community, Awareness, and More Knowing the meaning of a song and understanding its context are avenues to enrich the dancing experience, develop a dancer’s artistic expression, and deepen their connection with the salsa community — not only in the present but also in the past. That is to say, acknowledging the forerunners of this global community we now belong to is also significant. This belonging obliges recognition of those who passed the music down to us. Such recognition could extend further into the past, to the crossroads of 19th century Cuba where the rich musical traditions of Africa and Spain/Europe were set to meet. This may culminate perhaps even with a spiritual experience, where some wisdom develops a deeper appreciation of Afro-Caribbean music that promotes respect, awareness, and peace both on and off the dance floor.  Conclusion While salsa music evidently has universal appeal within an inclusive, global community, it is noteworthy that many of its enthusiasts probably do not understand the meaning of the songs they are dancing to. This is not a critical judgement; it is just an observation. However, as explained in my presentation at the 2024 Taiwan Salsa Carnival, being aware of a song’s meaning and context can elevate a dancer’s experience — spotlighting Manny Martinez’s song "La Profe" is a simple example. Acknowledgements Heartfelt thanks to Manny Martinez for his talents, insights, and sharing time with me. Thanks as well to the Taiwan Salsa Carnival, and especially its organizer, Calvin Wang, for providing support and a setting for my presentation.  Manny Martinez Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube Taiwan Salsa Carnival Instagram | Facebook < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

Episode 40 highlights salsa songs with a great solo section, whether with piano or other instrument types like strings, brass, percussion, and bass. Replay below (2:05:07, 24 tracks). I will guess that most DJs and salsa enthusiasts are in agreement that songs with a solo part have special appeal compared with those without a solo. It is certainly a thrill to hear a musician given some time during a song to add their personal flair on the instrument of their choice. At times, a solo comes across as the work of a genius. This episode of Encanto TropicaI contains 24 such tracks which especially ring true for me -- I emphasize the selection is highly personal in nature and not meant to be authoritative. Surely, there are hundreds of amazing salsa songs with 'fabulous' solos. While the most common kind of solo in salsa might be with the piano, I wanted to also include solos with other instruments, such as the trombone, trumpet, saxophone, congas, bongos, contrabass, violin, cuatro/tres and electric guitar. Featured artists include Larry Harlow, Mongo Santamaria, Alfredo de la Fe, Israel Lopez 'Cachao' and José Mangual Jr, to name only a few well-known salsa musicians. Some of the music on Encanto Tropical 40 There is so much material to work with that I can easily imagine a Part 2 on this theme. Stay tuned. In the meantime, I hope listeners can enjoy these 24 tracks -- some of which are commonly known, but others may not be. Full attribution is provided on the show. Replay below. Pa' gozar! REPLAY EPISODE 40 < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

Episode 17 is available for replay -- see below for the link (2hrs 11mins, 21 tracks). The guest is DJ Bongohead, whose roles in the Latin music industry go way beyond just deejaying. He is a very knowledgeable writer, curator, researcher and record label co-owner. See the pre-show post for Bongohead's introduction on Encanto Tropical. Show Highlights: Introductory salsa session: ~15:29 featuring 3 tracks by El Super Combo Los Diamantes, Julian Y Su Combo, and Estrellas de Chocolate. Spotlight 1 (New salsa releases): 15:30~ featuring CSAN-II, Donny Reyes Feat. La Maxima 79, and Pablo Perez "El Alcalde de La Salsa" Guest Showcase: Interview with Bongohead, Part 1: 30:38~ featuring Chapuseaux Y Damirón and Conjunto Siglo 21 Spotlight 2 (Latin music by Japanese artists) 51:19~ featuring Orquesta del Sol, Sayaka Y Su Palma Habanera. and Aya Nakano & Central Guest Showcase: Interview with Bongohead, Part 2: 1:07:01~ featuring Bio Ritmo, Orquesta El Macabeo Guest Showcase: Interview with Bongohead, Part 3: 1:25:19~ featuring Ola Fresca Spotlight 3 (Covers of Cuban music): 1:34:44~ featuring Abraham Rodriguez Jr, La Maxima 79, and Rafael "Pollo" Brito and Edwin Pulgar. Spotlight 4 (Guest showcase - song selection): 1:52:29~ featuring Frankie Figueroa, Joe Acosta, and Los Dementes Concluding track: 2:06:50~ featuring Chano Pozo Replay Episode 17 < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

Latest upload: an all-salsa mix recorded live at my gig at "Mambongo!" special event last Saturday in Tokyo. Listen online (MixCloud) below! The live recording was edited a bit to remove all the bachata --- so it’s over three hours of non-stop salsa, with a tinge of color added to the sound quality from the pre-amp included in my DJ setup. Listen on MixCloud.... Replay Recorded on Dec 3, 2022. Mambongo! Much gratitude to the Mambongo event organizers who hold their monthly salsa social on the 1st Saturday at Studio Pepe 2 in Roppongi, Tokyo. Check out their Facebook or website for upcoming events. MORE MIXES Check more mixes on my Mixes page or on my MixCloud ( Latin / African / Other ). < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

Coming soon on Encanto Tropical... Episode 17 features DJ Bongohead as the guest! Tune in on December 8 for an exclusive interview. The prolific writer Pablo Yglesias, aka Bongohead, regularly demonstrates his vast knowledge of the history and scope of Latin music in his posts on Instagram . Also significant is his work as curator, not just in media (poster and album cover art for exhibition purposes), but also in reissued albums and compilations, most recently for VampiSoul (Munster Records). In addition, he stays busy as a regular DJ and in co-managing the record label Peace and Rhythm . Although Bongohead and I have never met in person, it has been a pleasure knowing him for a few years now. While our communication is limited to email chats, I am always humbled by his generosity in sharing his deep knowledge of the Latin music scene. It's rather impressive the many roles he assumes, so it's a pleasure to have him as a guest on Encanto Tropical! Examples of Bongohead's activities in the world of Latin music are listed below. DJ Bongohead: Links 1 Album Contributor List of contributions on Discogs.com 2 Record Label Co-Founder/Co-Manager Peace & Rhythm Records 3 Gallery Exhibit Curator Visual Clave Gallery 4 BlogGER On Joe Bataan On Latin album cover art "Y qué se sepa?" 5 DJ Gladys & Palmera mix 6 INSTAGRAMMER @bongohead_peaceandrhythm Episode 17 will deviate from the usual format. Instead of a 30 minute mix to open the episode, we will start almost immediately with the guest interview, since it is about 25 minutes in length -- this will be split over several parts, interspersed with relevant choices in music, such as songs from compilations that Bongohead has been involved with. In his talk, Bongohead generously provides a lot of interesting information and details! In addition -- as is the custom for the guest on Encanto Tropical -- he selects three special tracks for us to listen to. Encanto Tropical comprises four spotlights which form the main part of the show: New salsa releases Latin music by Japanese artists Covers of classic Cuban songs Guest Showcase See the Program Description for more information about the structure of the show, especially the spotlights. Tune into World Salsa Radio for Episode 17 of Encanto Tropical with Bongohead on December 8th! < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

It’s been two years, but I’m back in the Kansai region for the winter break with three nights behind the decks! Come say hi in Kobe, Kyoto, or Osaka… Check the Facebook Event page links for more information. Dec 30 Fri (Kobe) Latin Lounge: Year-End Party in NISHINOMIYA Feat. Yacel Sagarra (live Cuban music) Casablanca Nishinomiya 兵庫県西宮市西波止町1−2 コンパス西宮ビーチリゾート 2階 Tel 080-8808-5376 ¥1000 17:00-22:00 (Live 20:00 & 21:00) > Event Information Jan 6 Fri (Kyoto) Latin Digs: All-Vinyl Lounge Session Feat. Craft beer and sake! Hachi Record Shop & Bar 京都市下京区平居町19 Tel 075-746-7694 ¥500 18:00-22:00 > Event Information Jan 7 Sat (Osaka) Pegao Social NY Special Feat. Kanae (Lesson) / DJ Shigeru Voxx 大阪市西区江戸堀1-15-30 B1 Tel 06-6225-2100 2500円 (Lesson & 1 Drink) 16:00-20:00 > Event Information < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

It's been a little while since I did a show, but I'm back with Episode 19 of Encanto Tropical for World Salsa Radio . Replay at the bottom of this page. Episode19 is an eclectic salsa mix -- on the playlist are some old and new songs which are a bit left-field -- but the highlight is "Danza para los difuntos", an exquisite instrumental track by bassist Rubim de Toledo from Edmonton, Canada. There is also one non-salsa track from the Cuban-American pianist, Enrique Chia, about halfway through the session. Playlist 1. Conjunto Imagen - Estamos en Salsa 2. Pazcual Villaronga - Bongo habla otra vez 3. Grupo Galé - Parece Mentira 4. Bobby Valentín - Me Abandonaste 5. Michi Sarmiento y su Combo - Corazon de Araña Negra 6. Alfredo Linares y Su Sonora - Boogaloo Girl 7. Ray Pérez y Perucho Torcat - Lengua de hacha 8. 5 En Clave feat. Tato Peña - La Temeridad 9. Joseph Torres Y Orquesta Curaré - Yo Te Curaré 10. Rubim de Toledo - Baile para los Difuntos 11. Afia Mala & Orquesta Aragon - Lonlon Vanvan (Edit Version) 12. Manyoma Brothers - La Flor de los Lindos Campos (feat. Adalberto Santiago) 13. Pedro Lázaro Ordóñez Padrón (Papucho) & Manana Club - A la Rumba 14. Enrique Chia - Siempre En Mi Corazon 15. Cuban Masters - Toca la Flauta Fajardo 16. La Maxima 79 - El Pasillito 17. Orquesta Capri - Guaguanco de Los Indios 18. Conjunto Mamborama - Tu Por Aqui, Yo Por Alla 19. Jomed - Montuno Norteño 20. Belisario López y Su Charanga - Caña Y Coco 21. Massimo Scalici & Manfredi Caputo - Suavecito 22. German Medina & Nell Figueroa - La Cuna Del Son 23. Chelosaoko - Baila Mi Ritmo 24. El Trabuco Venezolano - Yo Soy La Rumba 25. Tony Ávila - Timbiriche 26. Irving Manuel - Todo Se Derrumbó 27. Tommy Olivencia - Tu No Haces Falta Replay Episode 19 < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

Coming up is Episode 20 featuring the dancer Rumbera la Andaluza as guest. Up to now, guests on my show have been musicians, DJs, and dance instructors. This is to be expected, but I think a dancer’s perspective is great to spotlight, as well. A frequent traveler to dance events around Europe and a keen audience member of salsa radio shows and live streams, Rumbera la Andaluza embodies the same level of dedication to salsa that my past guests show, too. Tune in to hear her thoughts* and of course her selection of 3 songs in Spotlight 4 for the show! *NOTE: the interview is in Spanish, but an English transcript is provided on the highlights page. Other spotlights feature new salsa releases, songs by Japanese musicians, and cover versions of classic Cuban songs. This is all material I’m happy to research and share with listeners of the show. The show starts with a short mix of songs taken from the playlist of my recent live stream for El Parche Cucarron -- with many thanks to the organizers, especially Carlito Lopez, for having me on April 1. Episode 20 of Encanto Tropical broadcasts on April 13th. Join me and see you in the chat! < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

Coming up... today! I am marking my birthday with a fundraiser for Médecins San Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). It will be great fun with salsa and DJ mates. Five great DJs are joining me for a 6-hour live stream on Facebook: DJ Eddie Hunt (UK) DJ Hong (USA) DJ Atsushi A-Chango (Japan) DJ Mosquetero (Spain) DJ Nik (USA) The kick off is at 19:00 (Japan time) with my set. Join us and say hi in the chat! 03:00 PT / 05:00 COL / 06:00 ET / 11:00 BT / 12:00 CET For more information, including international times, check the event page . Donations for MSF are welcome on the Donation page . MSF is a great charity doing very important work around the world. It is a non-profit organization providing humanitarian medical assistance in crisis zones -- it is currently operating in more than 70 areas. Its many dedicated doctors, nurses, and staff need our support. It runs almost entirely on donations, so let's make a difference. Please donate. Check the MSF website to learn more. < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >