4th of July Events, San Francisco

4th of July Weekend: Check Out These Hot Events!!

Friday July 4th:

Roccapulco 4th of July DJ Night:

Salsa Lesson with Ava And rodolfo.  Get your dancing shoes to Roccapulco for a Night of Dj's Tony'o' Luis, Caballero- DJ bosco.

Cigar Bar and Grill- Featuring Mazacote

The Cigar Bar & Grill is a leading San Francisco venue to hear live music. We are committed to providing mainstream & Latin Jazz from leading Bay Area Musicians. Don't miss out on a truly unique San Francisco music experience! 850 Montgomery Street, San Francisco.

Montero's with Julio Bravo

1106 Solano Ave. Albany, CA 94706 Tel:(510)-524-1270 Cover Charge $13.00

Saturday July 5th:

Filmore Jazz Festival Louie Romero y su Groupo Mazacote on the Ellis Street Stage

Mazacote is the hard-swinging, old-school salsa group led by legendary percussionist Louie Romero, who came to fans’ attention as the longtime timbales player for famed salsero "El Cantante" Hector Lavoe. Louie is also renowned for his work with Willie Colón, Rubén Blades, Celia Cruz, Ron Carter, and other salsa and jazz stars in his native New York.

Based in San Francisco, Mazacote plays a crowd-pleasing, high-energy mixture of classic salsa favorites and original latin jazz tunes. It’s no wonder that Latin Beat magazine called Mazacote "one of the premier salsa ensembles in Northern California." Find out more at www.fillmorejazzfestival.com

Cafe Cocomo Live salsa with Charanson

Doors open at 7:30pm, Salsa Lesson with Salsa by Jake at 8pm, dj ivette fuentes "La Coqui" at 9pm.  Cover charge $20.00 at the door.  If you arrive before 10pm and receive a complimentary drink!

Stanford Jazz presents…John Calloway Quintet

Multi-instrumentalist John Calloway is a cornerstone of the Bay Area Latin jazz scene. Adept at flute, piano, and percussion, Calloway was a founding member of John Santos’s Machete Ensemble and has collaborated with a who’s-who of local Latin jazz innovators, including Pete Escovedo, Jesus Diaz, Rebeca Mauleon, and Wayne Wallace. He’s also performed with legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Israel “Cachao” Lopez. Starts at 8:00 pm. Tickets: $14-28 For more info: http://www.stanfordjazz.org

Sunday July 6th:

Jelly's Havana Cafe-Julio Bravo y su Orquesta Salsabor

Julio Bravo Live with DJ Antonio at Jelly's Cafe. Doors open at 4pm.  Cover Charge $10.00. The Peruvian born singer, composer, and bandleader's unique interpretations and distinctive style are the band's trademarks. Featuring a bevy of talented musicians and a distinct blend of vocal styles, this orchestra delivers a captivating, high energy show.

Tito Garcia y Su Orquesta Internacional, Cafe Cocomo

Live Tito Garcia y Su Orquesta International

Saturday June 30th

Cafe Cocomo

10 pm Start Time

650 Indiana St.

San Francisco , CA

LESSON:
SALSA BY JAKE
8PM

DJ MENDY
9PM

BAND 10PM

$20
(INCLUDES FREE DRINK TICKET TILL 10PM)

About Tito Garcia y Su Orquesta Internacional:

Ernesto "Tito" Garcia has been playing music professionally since 1971. During these last 20 or so years he has experienced the incredible and thoroughly inspiring evolution of the West Coast Salsa scene in the Bay Area. "Tito Garcia y su Orquesta Internacional" has taken full advantage of the multi-cultural or "international" array of musicians in this area and thus the name of "Internacional". "Tito Garcia y su Orquesta Internacional" plays Salsa in the traditional format of the pioneers of this music and adds their own West Coast "tinge".

Salsa Lessons at Club Montero's, Albany

Salsa Lessons at Club Montero’s

Club Montero’s

1106 Solano Ave. Albany, CA 94706
Tel:(510)-524-1270
Dress Code: Evening Attire

• *2 hardwood dance floors
• *2 full bars
• *Social lounge, outdoor patio and 3 bathrooms
• *Romantic waterfall and candle lit rooms.
• *Live salsa, flamenco and international music.
• *Salsa Dance Lessons
• *Professional quality sound system
• *Complete dinner menu
• *Easy and abundant parking
• *18 and over ID required.
• *Dress Code Enforced

Thursdays Intermediate Salsa Lessons @ 8:00pm
Fridays Beginning Salsa Lessons @ 8:30pm
Saturdays Beginning Salsa Lessons @ 8:30pm

World Salsa Championships Broadcast, salsa dance SF, San Francisco salsa news

World Salsa Championships Broadcast

For the first time in the history ESPN2 network will Broadcast World Salsa Championships. Broadcasts will begin May 27, 2008 at 9:00pm EST.

ORLANDO, Florida, May 27 – The Salsa Seven Inc., the company producing the World Salsa Championships for the ESPN television network, today announced that the TV channel will begin broadcasting the most anticipated dance competition of the year.

Broadcast of the 3rd Salsa World Championships, held last December at Walt Disney World's(R) Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida. Dancers from 34 countries compete at this major international competition, where they put their artistic skills to the test in the following categories: Salsa Group, Salsa Individual, and Salsa Group/Cabaret. The championship's grand prize is $80,000. Contestants from Australia, Colombia, Mexico, United States, Puerto Rico and Venezuela will be defending their titles.

On ESPN2, available nationwide in the U.S. to more than 90 million homes.

Event broadcasts will begin Tuesday, May 27,at 9:00 p.m. EST (eastern standard time);6:00 p.m. Pacific time.

For the third consecutive year, the Third Annual Salsa World Championships have been produced by Rob Beiner, famed producer and winner of 12 Emmy Awards. Beiner has produced or directed more than 2,000 sports and Entertainment broadcasts for leading TV networks such as ABC Sports, CBS, NBC Sports, USA Network and ESPN. Beiner considers salsa competitions to be a new sport or "dance-sport", due to the rigors of training and the skills the dancers must demonstrate in order to qualify for a world event he calls "the Salsa Olympics".

For more information, go to: www.worldsalsachampionships.com

The 4th Annual World Salsa Championships will be celebrated at the Disney's Wide World of Sports from December 3-6,2008.

Double Header at Jellys Sunday, salsa dance SF, San Francisco salsa dancing

Double Header at Jelly's Havana Cafe

Sunday May 25th

Featuring: Mazacote AND Anthony Blea Y Su Charanga w/ DJ Waltdigz

doors open at 4:00

Bands start at 5.00 cover $15

About Anthony Blea Y Su Charanga:

Combining the traditional Charanga instrumentation (violin, flute) with a driving horn section, Anthony Blea y su Charanga will satisfy any true music lover's fantasy. Complimenting Anthony's prodigious skills are the finest musicians to be had in the Bay-Area.

About Mazacote:

Mazacote is the hard-swinging, old-school salsa group led by legendary percussionist Louie Romero, who came to fans’ attention as the longtime timbales player for famed salsero "El Cantante" Hector Lavoe.  Based in San Francisco, Mazacote plays a crowd-pleasing, high-energy mixture of classic salsa favorites and original latin jazz tunes.

N'Klabe Live at Roccapulco, salsa music San Francisco, SF salsa bands

N'klabe Live Saturday May 24th at Roccapulco

Tickets $35.00

3140 Mission Street, 94110, San Francisco,CA

Salsa Lesson at 8:30pm

Check out this young group at Roccapulco.  They are burning up the hearts of young latin women everywhere with their smooth salsa beats. N'Klabe comes directly from Puerto Rico, but they are quickly on the rise here in the states.  Don't miss this performance.

Salsa Team Dance Competition at Roccapulco, SF salsa dance, San Francisc salsa dancing

Read the Review

"Team Salsa Dance Competition at Roccapulco"

First of all, a warning – one of the competition organizers announced a sad news: if the group participation remains at such a dismal level as we've seen last year and does not increase to the level of a true competition – 5,6 groups or more – this event that has been a staple for Bay Area salseros will not survive beyond its 10^th year.

The turnout is consistently good, dancers like this type of gatherings where they can strut their stuff and watch their peers, where their efforts can be showcased and appreciated. It's not like we lack salsa groups – their proliferation has been highjacking social dance scene for years. So what's the explanation for such a poor participation? Fear of competition? Insecurity?

Well, whatever the reason, it's up to us if we want to keep this yearly event. Most dancers are reluctant to get down to the nitty-gritty of business and organize something so if someone is willing to do it for us, the least we could do is show up. Here's something group leaders need to chew on: your group members crave strutting their stuff so if you don't want to lose them, you must give them that chance. Besides, you get exposure and attract students. We've got 2 more years to drum up the participation or this competition is history.

There were more 4 groups in professional division this year. 2 were from the same Salsamania "family", but all the competitors were so close it made for an interesting spectacle. If you followed the Bay Area salsa scene and this competition in particular, you would notice how the dancers' skills improved over the years.

The amateur division, in particular, is breathing on the backs of their pro competitors. Last year's winners, Son de Mania, already transferred to the pro division and eventually their junior team, Proecto Mania, might follow in their elders' footsteps. Out of 3 participating amateur groups they placed second, but mistakes were made and it was a close call between them and Con Afinke, third place winners, who were much better than last year.

The first place winners, Ricasensacion, "inherited" and capitalized on their pro team's winning routine that catapulted Ricasalsa to the top a few years ago. The secret? Choice of playful and original music that allowed for creative interpretation and acting. Ricasensacion's performance was not as strong and technique wasn't perfect, but this is a perfect example how the right music, originality and choreography can set you apart from the crowd.

That point became even more obvious in pro team competition. Bay area salseros have (had?) a tendency to value technique over everything else. Ricasalsa's interesting routines were underappreciated due to poor styling and presentation. These opinions were successfully challenged and raised a few eyebrows this year when Salsamania's tight routine with strong accents did not bring them the first place in spite of nearly perfect technique. Instead, Ricasalsa's interpretation of an old Jewish song Bei mir bist du schön written in the 30s and then recorded by Don Swan & His Orchestra & Jack Costanzo, took the prize. It was reminiscent of old mambo dance routines of that era. If only they added puffy sleeves…J

Moreover, creative thinking allows to showcase the groups' abilities and hide deficiencies. Too hard to synchronize perfectly? Create a non-synchronized routine. Don't give your dancers something they can't handle, a simple creative dance without mistakes is better than terror on the performers' faces running through the song and afraid to stumble.

Son de Mania's performance was case in point and Afinkao, who improved their performance skills, beat them to the third place.

So, for the first time, both amateur and pro division trophies belong to the Ricasalsa family – at least, until next year.

Maya SalsaLoca
San Francisco

Avance at Café Cocomos, salsa dancing San Francisco, Live salsa bands SF

When

Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 7:45 PM

Where

Cafe Cocomos
650 Indiana Street
San Francisco , CA 94107
415-824-6910

Who should come

Los Salseros que le gusta la rumba!

Why

Avance originates and consits of the hottest and newest talents of the San Francisco Bay Area has come to know. Four electrifying bilingual singers, a sizzling horn section and one of the best rhythm sections on the west coast. You put this all together and you get a new and unique sound that crosses the language barrier: Spanish and English.

Event fee

USD15.00 per person

It's time to go to Cafe Cocomos!! Let's get together for another salsa night at Cocomos with AVANCE. Salsa lesson by Jake @ 8:00 pm Band start @ 10:00 Pm.

Come and join us for beginner's and intermediate lessons. Beginners and experienced dancers welcome! Bring a friend

Cocomos is always jam-packed by the time the band starts. So come early if you can and grab a table.

Nos Vemos @ Café Cocomos