(photos by Leonel Rogier) Tirso Duarte returns to California for the first time since November, 2000 at the 8th annual San Francisco Salsa Rueda Festival at the Hotel Whitcomb in San Francisco, backed by Timbalive (Saturday night). Timbalive will also - as they do each year - play their own show of original material Sunday night to close the festival.

I'll be giving a lecture on Tirso and his piano style on Saturday afternoon (4:30 to 6:00). Here's a youtube video to give you a preview of some (but not all!) of the content:

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Septeto Nacional, a Cuban music institution since 1927, performed to a sold out crowd at Brava Theater in San Francisco on January 17, 2016, playing their exquisite form of son. Six out of the seven were members of Septeto Nacional, but because of visa problems of their tres player, Iván Camblor, band leader, composer and tres player played with the group. Iván, who is originally from Cuba, lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and leads a local son group, Pellejo Seco. Tito González, local Cuban sonero, also sang vocals on a couple of songs.

Click here for the full gallery.

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UPDATE: The Sunday show was sold out and a clinic (with lots of performing) has been added for Monday. Click here for more details.

Septeto Nacional will be in New York at Lehman College on January 16th (Orquesta Broadway opens) and at Brava Theatre in SF on the 17th. Stay tuned for other dates.

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As promised, Tom's second PMG gallery from their recent tour.

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