Delayed by nearly two years, Lolo, the long-awaited new release by Soneros All Stars is now available at on-line retailers such as iTunes and Spotify. Lolo contains six songs, and each one is eminently satisfying from the dancer's point of view. Three are new songs written for the album, and three are updated versions from previous Soneros All Stars releases. Yanesito's journey from traditional sonero to modern timbero is reflected in his arrangements. They are firmly rooted in son, but there is nothing traditional about them. Click here for the full review. 

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Saturday, March 29, 2014 has been designated International Rueda De Casino Multi Flash Mob Day by Rueda enthusiasts - teams of Rueda dancers in at least 168 cities worldwide will be performing simultaneously. To learn more about where and when as well as whom to contact for more information, you can visit tha global coordinating web page. 

Dos y Mas (Arturo Stable and Elio Villafranca, two Jazz artists originally from Cuba with intriguing discographies) gave an excellent performance in Chicago at the Old Town School of Folk Music on March 19.  You can read a review and view a photo gallery here. 

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Check out Peter Maiden's Full Photo Gallery here (or click on the photo above)

PMO = (Lo Mejor) Para Mis Oidos.... What a night! Standing room only at Café Cócomo celebrating Pacific Mambo Orchestra's first San Francisco appearance after their Grammy(R) win for Best Tropical Album. A full on smorgasbord of MAMBO and SALSA... free dance lesson by Jake Jacobs, the PMO joined by special guests Karl Perrazo (timbalero of Santana fame) and Armando Cordoba (Avance), special performances by 4 different dance groups, some crazy latina working me for half an hour asking for her money back because she had no room to dance (que pasó con el apoyo latina? - había una pila, pero una pila, de parejas bailando) DJ Hong and just an overall great feeling through the whole night. 

The PMO extended crew was also in full force -- the stamp police Christina Chang helping me make sure no one snuck in through the front exit doors (also thanks for the painting pics Christine) -- as people posed with directors Christian Tumalan (piano) and Steffen Kuehn (lead trumpet) and the band with their special autographed photos. Also a shout out to PMO F.O.H. sound engineer Jimmy Goings for the amazing sound.

PMO co-director Christian Tumalan

PMO co-director Steffen Kuehn

Also in the house...very cool and incredibly talented artist by the name of Nataliya Tyaglo, who donated a painting she made right there, live during the show. The painting was auctioned for $1200... way to go Nataliya! Check out the painting below...

Live art courtesy of Nataliya Tyaglo

Some of the PMO horns with Steffen Kuehn (top left) - Tony Peebles, Aaron Lington, Jamie Dubberly, Jeff Cressman 

The next PMO show is Saturday, April 19 at the SF Salsa Festival 2014 (Westin San Francisco Market Street). 

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After doing a well received run of concerts in San Francisco, New York, New Jersey and Virginia, one of our favorite Timba singers, "El Poeta de la Rumba" Mayito Rivera of Los Van Van fame has collaborated with 2013 Grammy® winner Marlow Rosado on his new album with La Riqueña (Marlow's salsa orchestra). The singer recorded at Marlow's new Miami recording facility "Pink Chaos Productions". His new record also counts with the participation of puertorican salsa legend Richie Ray, Fania All-Star Larry Harlow and the recent winner of the Premio Lo Nuestro, the dominican singer Alex Matos. Stay tuned for more info on this new record...

Después de ejecutar varios conciertos muy bien recibidos en San Francisco, Nueva York, Nueva Jersey y Virginia, el destacado cantante de timba cubana "El Poeta de la Rumba" Mario "Mayito" Rivera ha participado en un nuevo tema de la próxima producción del pianista y director salsero Marlow Rosado (y la Riqueña), ganador del Grammy® 2013 . La voz del estelar cantante se grabó en Miami, en el nuevo estudio del Sr. Rosado llamado "Pink Chaos Productions".  El disco cuenta con otros artistas invitados como la leyenda boricua Richie Ray, el Fania All-Star Larry Harlow, y además el reciente ganador del Premio Lo Nuestro, el cantante dominicano Alex Matos. Te brindaremos más información sobre este nuevo disco tan pronto sea posible...

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