photo by Peter Maiden

Last night produced another torrid show from Salsa Mayor - this time at SF Cócomo. We'll have scads of great photos from Peter Maiden and Tom Ehrlich soon. Those crazy enough to go to both shows reported that Aragón at Yoshi's Oakland was nearly sold out and had absolutely exquisite, tear-inducingly beautiful sound. No such claims were made about Cócomo's sound system, but Oakland's trickles of nostalgic tears were countered by a raging river of testoserone across the Bay. Aragón continues tonight and tomorrow. Meanwhile Salsa Mayor heads to Bellingham tonight and Seattle  Sunday, then back to SF Monday night for a clinic and a new show added Wednesday Night at Oakland's House of Music, and then on to The Reef  in Long Beach (Los Angeles) Thursday. (Click "continue reading" for 2 more photos). [Kevin Moore]

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Maykel Blanco y Salsa Mayor at Moe's Alley - Santa Cruz - photo by Tom Ehrlich

Okay - these guys are really hot! This was one of the two bands I had never seen live so I'm still pretty bowled over, learning people's names, etc. Fortunately, Michelle White has built a truly EPIC Salsa Mayor section over the last few years - with monstrous quantities of lyrics, concert reports, video, photos et al., so check that out for details and I'll just give you my first impressions. 

So, yeah, really hot. The rhythm section is incredibly disciplined, well rehearsed, and just plain fierce - even by Havana standards. They have 14 members: bass, two keyboards, drums/timbales, congas, güiro, 2 trumpets, 2 bones, and 4 singers. All four singers are very strong and one guy is just off the hook - and as dancers, the whole band is the best to come through here - probably ever. They have this amazing, rippling, wave-like set of moves that they all do (even the bassist while he's playing). These guys have perfected every visual and musical detail and their rapid ascendance to the top tiers of the Havana scene now makes perfect sense. More veteran SM fans than I have also pointed out that this particular incarnation of the band is probably the best they've had. More photos coming soon. In the meantime, get your fix here ... and here ... or check out one of our six video interviews or twelve concert videos.

Bay Area: Tonight, Friday, at Cócomo: There's some stiff competition, but to be honest, if you miss this band, you're going to be very sorry when your friends come to you drooling about it. The Cócomo show is unlikely to start before 10:00, so if you're rich (haha) you can probably catch Aragón's first show and not miss any of Salsa Mayor. Aragón also plays Saturday and Sunday. Salsa Mayor returns for a lecture at Mission Cultural Center on Oct. 17th.

Washington State: Tomorrow, Saturday in Bellingham's Blue Horse Gallery, and Sunday in Seattle at Club Sur.

Los Angeles: Thursday October 20 at The Reef in Long Beach.

Miami: Club Aché on Saturday, October 22.

more ticket links

Full tour, including five dates/cities in France in November. [Kevin Moore]

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Tiempo Libre really tore it up in Santa Cruz last night! Ultra-agressive timba in the extreme. Pututi III is incredible and the whole club, even by Kuumbwa standards, was absolutely on fire. The bassist Tebelio was also insanely good tonight. Make it to the clinic on Saturday and the concert on Sunday if you can. It's not obvious from this photo, but from a straight-on view, the new trumpet player, (who was also the founding trumpet player), Raúl Rodríguez, is a dead ringer for Paul Shaffer.

Click here for Tom's gallery - more coming.

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Last weekend at the incredible Yerba Buena free concert series, the John Santos Sextet opened for, and then sat in with, the Pedrito Martínez Group. Yerba Buena is trying to increase their Facebook friend list to help in their latest grant project - please follow the link and support this great free concert series.

            ***click here for full gallery***

Pedrito's group has a completely new and absolutely brilliant approach to timba! It's like a timba conjunto - congas, bongó, piano, bass, and for gigs like this one, they add Román Díaz playing 3 batás, and two  horns. The need for a kick drum is covered by the thumps of the electric bass and a large, miked cajón that Pedrito sits on as he plays congas.

Like Arsenio's or Chappottín's conjuntos, the only metal percussion is the bongosero's bell, so the overall volume level is much lower, allowing the nuances of the exquisite vocal harmonies and hand percussion to come through much more clearly, but without sacrificing any of the intensity. The music and arrangements are pure, creative, original timba - ALL timba - no smorgasbord of danzón, reguetón and chachachá filler tracks - every single song has gear changes, melodic cuerpos, great coros and mambos, funky, song-specific piano tumbaos, world-class lead vocals by Pedrito and Ariacne, and the best 3- and 4-part coros I've heard from any timba band.

Pedrito says they're going into the studio in October. Go see this band at Guantanamera if you're in New York and ask your local clubs to book them - this is the most excited I've been about a new timba band since HdP. [Kevin Moore]

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