That’s right! San Diego is gaining a new salsa dance venue and the Grand Opening is set for Tue Sept 14, 2010 at the Keating Hotel. The event will also be a celebration of Mexican Independence featuring Orquesta Tabaco y Ron and Oddy Pena y su Bachata Magic.
There will be multiple dance shows and a free salsa lesson beginning at 8:30pm courtesy of Ooh La La Dance Dance Company. If you plan on going make sure you get there before 10pm to get in free, otherwise it’s $10.00.
If you haven’t been to the Keating Hotel before it’s easy to find with access through the Merk restaurant on 818 5th Street, next to Croces.
Join us as we celebrate one final time at the old Cafe Sevilla location. The event starts at 8pm and this time there will be a LIVE BAND to enjoy beginning at 10pm.
Thank you to everyone that submitted their video entries. If you still need to purchase your passes for the 2010 San Diego Salsa Bachata Festival don’t procrastinate, get yours today before they sell out of tickets and hotel rooms!
For many Latin Americans, tradition plays a huge role in the development of not just the culture but also the music that comes from that culture. This is clearly evident in the work of Cuban Son Band Septeto Nacional. Since 1927 the Cuban band has worked tirelessly to keep the traditional Cuban son alive and little has changed for the 4th generation of the band that currently tours today. San Diego will be able to experience true, authentic Cuban Son at their upcoming Anthology concert here in Little Italy on September 3rd. Recently I was lucky enough to talk with Francisco Oropesa from the group about the history and tradition of Septeto Nacional. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did.
Ritmo Bello: Francisco Oropesa, it’s great to finally sit down with you to talk about the legendary Septeto Nacional. Okay, let’s begin. Can you give my Ritmo Bello readers some background on the band’s origin and the original leader, Ignacio Pineiro?
Septeto Nacional: The Septeto Nacional was officially founded on December 13, 1927, by Don Ignacio Piñeiro at 56 Pocito Street in the neighborhood of Pueblo Nuevo, in Havana, Cuba. Additional founding members were Juan de La Cruz Iznaga, Francisco Solares, Jose Manuel Incharte, Alberto Villalón, Bienvenido León y Abelardo Barroso. Another early member was Lázaro Herrera. He became the first trumpeter to record Cuban son in the newer septet format. Prior to this, the group was a sextet, as were the vast majority of son groups in Cuba at the time. The addition of the trumpet was a major innovation in the development of Cuban son.
Ritmo Bello: What exactly does ‘septeto” refer to, the group members themselves or the instruments? What’s the history behind the name?
Septeto Nacional: Septeto (Septet) refers to the number of muscians in the group (seven musicians, each with an instrument). Ignacio Pineiro played a significant role in changing the number of musicians in the son format to seven from the original six.
Ritmo Bello: Most folks may not be familiar with the difference between modern salsa music and Cuban Son. How would you describe the differences and what do you see as the advantages of one music form over the other?
Septeto Nacional: First, the son is played with acoustic instruments. Some of the early instruments are no longer used as frequently, such as the Marímbula (used as a bass – constructed of several metal strips attached to a box) and the Botija (a jug – like those found in the Kentucky black jug bands).
The son played by Septeto Nacional is special. Ignacio Piñeiro’s unique arrangements and compositions are infused with many of the African derived music traditions found in Cuba, such as Rumba (the Rumba complex includes: Guanguancó, Yambú and Colombia) and Abakuá. He created and enriched his music with all these elements.
Ritmo Bello: Although Septeto Nacional is known for its rich musical history I’m sure you have an opportunity to make new music. How and where do you find inspiration for creating new music?
Septeto Nacional: The most important objective for our group is to keep the original repertoire and preserve the Rumba style Ignacio Piñeiro brought to the son.
When we make new music, we’re inspired by our excellent musicians and composers. However, we always make sure to conserve the traditional character and brand handed down by Ignacio Piñeiro.
Ritmo Bello: As a history buff I always like to see the greater picture and understand how music has evolved through certain events. How has the Cuban revolution in 1959 affected music coming from Cuba such as Cuban Son?
Septeto Nacional: In our case, the group has not been affected. We have always received our country’s full support. We tour and perform a great deal and through this, we receive much admiration and respect in Cuba and throughout the world. We are proud to be the ambassadors of Cuban Folklore, a title we’ve held since 1929, and represent our traditional music at the highest levels.
Ritmo Bello: Can you tell me a little about the albums that Septeto Nacional has released to date?
Septeto Nacional: A vast number of recordings have been made since 1927. Between 1959 and 2010, more than 20 albums have been released. Some of the latest and most significant recordings are: Poetas del Son (Chant du Monde label – Grammy nominated, 2002), El Sabor de la Tradición (Ferment 2005), Noche de Conga (Egrem 2007), Desafiando al Destino (Bis Music 2009).
Ritmo Bello: Are there current plans for new CD releases coming up soon?
Septeto Nacional: Our latest album is titled Sin Rumba, No Hay Son from Harmonia Mundi/World Village Records. We’re launching it on this U.S. tour. The official release date is September 14th. The CD has 14 great tracks. We hope our fans enjoy it and that it’s a success on the global market
Ritmo Bello: What song from your group best epitomizes true Cuban Son in your opinion?
Septeto Nacional: Indisputably, there are many songs from Piñeiro that exemplify the Septeto Nacional. However, in my opinion, the most universal is Échale salsita (throw a little salsa on it!). The term “salsa”, the blanket word we use today to describe tropical/Latin music, can be traced to this son composition.
Ritmo Bello: What type of awards has the group received over the years on account of Cuban Son music? Which ones are you most proud of receiving?
Septeto Nacional: I think the most significant awards the Septeto Nacional has received are the gold medals from the Seville World’s Fair in 1929 and the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933. Equally as important, the group is also a recipient of the Cuban Cultural Heritage Award of Distinction. We’re proud and honored to be so recognized.
Ritmo Bello: What are you future plans concerning your music?
Septeto Nacional: To continue the worldwide promotion of Ignacio Piñeiro’s music, identified globally as Cuban Folklore.
Ritmo Bello: As a salsa dancer I have to ask, what do you think about the growth and popularity of dancing to salsa, Cuban Son or other types of Latin music?
Septeto Nacional: In many countries we see salsa dancers dancing on rhythmic elements of the Cuban Son. We also see many people come to Cuba to learn popular dance, some of them have dance academies that exist in different countries. I think it’s great to see so many young people eager to learn how to dance to this music we all love. Cubans breathe their music and dance (both in popular and folkloric forms). It’s a constant presence in our lives, from morning to night. Cubans live it every minute of the day – in their homes, on the streets, festivals, clubs – music, dance and art are a constant presence in Cuba. It’s a part of our lives from the time we’re born. We know and understand all Latin rhythms and trends from all parts of Latin America.
Septeto Nacional: The audience can expect to listen and dance to the best Cuban traditional music, the most authentic and best preserved Cuban son in the style of Ignacio Piñeiro.
Ritmo Bello: Is there anything else you’d like to share with the San Diego salsa and Latin dance community that we haven’t covered yet?
Septeto Nacional: We hope the San Diego public enjoys our music and our interpretive quality. We’re the 4th generation of Septeto Nacional and have played over 500 concerts in over 36 countries over the past 10 years.
Ritmo Bello: Do you have contact information in case anyone from the Ritmo Bello audience wants to contact you?
Septeto Nacional: They can contact us by email at echalesalsita@cubarte.cult.cu or by phone in Cuba 535-2829003 or 537-8635736. Ask for Frank or Ricardo.
Ritmo Bello: Francisco, on behalf of the San Diego salsa dance community and Ritmo Bello thank you for your time! It has been an honor to talk to you today.
Septeto Nacional: Many thanks to you and the Ritmo Bello audience. We hope to see all of you at the Anthology Jazz Club shows.
San Diego’s newest high end venue for Salsa and Latin dancing located in downtown La Jolla below George’s on the Cove is now open for dancing! Tikul Coastal Mexican cuisine now offers Salsa , Bachata, Cha cha cha and merengue on their menu each saturday night for the month of August and possibly beyond.
Apart from being a great new alternative for your Saturday night salsa dancing, the venue is FREE all night long.
If you’ve never been to Tikul check out this video about the new dance venue:
Tikul has a spacious outdoor patio area and ocean views from the west side of the complex complete with nice wood dance floors. The club is hosted by Salsa Inferno under DJ Tony Caligagan, a longtime friend of Ritmo Bello.
Café Sevilla and Alma Marketing are once again hosting a yacht party here in San Diego but this one is sure to top all the ones we’ve seen in the past! Rumor has it that Sevilla on the Bay may break some records this time around and it will be sure to be a great time during this 3 hour cruise.
The theme for this party is a dress in all white, Caribbean style (yes this means you should wear all white lest you stand out for the wrong reasons). As we’ve seen in the past, this yacht party will feature 3 floors of music including Johnny Polanco y Su Conjunto Amistad (a live salsa band), hip hop, and Danos Island Sounds (a Caribbean Steel Drum band). I interviewed Johnny Polanco on Ritmo Bello last year and you can learn more about him in that interview (he is a great stand up guy).
For those of you that attended past yacht parties hosted by Café Sevilla, you know that the event is a fun mix of salsa dancing, hip hop, top 40, and live music. I’ve included some videos below for everyone else to be able to get a preview of the Sevilla on the Bay yacht party and why you should not miss this event:
The 4th Annual San Diego Salsa Bachata Festival 2010 is September 16 – 20 and Ritmo Bello is giving away a full access VIP pass! The Full access VIP event pass will give you access to all evening and day shows, competitions, and social dancing including the pre-party Thursday September 16th. The passes are normally $200 but here is your chance to get one FREE. This year we are doing something a little different to determine who will win the VIP pass and we’ll be using YouTube to help make that decision.
To be considered for the full event pass simply:
1. Create a 2 minute or less YouTube video
2. that explains why you choose to dance and why you would love to attend the Festival, all at no cost to you
3. and makes mention of Ritmo Bello in the video submission.
The winner will be chosen based on:
1. Creativity
2. Message clarity and relevance
3. Motivation and inspiration
4. Overall impact
To be eligible for the contest please submit your YouTube video link to bello_jf@ritmobello.com by Friday, August 20th, 2010. The winner will be announced on RitmoBello.com Monday, August 23rd, 2010.
Good luck to all of you and don’t forget to submit your YouTube videos by the deadline!
After 22 years, Café Sevilla is trading their subterranean salsa dance venue on Fourth Avenue for a larger, more heavily trafficked Fifth Avenue location.
Although I love the current location for Café Sevilla, I have to admit the changes sound good. The new location between J and K streets will boast a larger dining room and tapas bar than the current location. Even better is the expanded room for live entertainment as the club will take advantage of the 3,000 more square feet they will gain in the move.
I think the new location on Fifth Avenue will help the restaurant and bar attract a whole new group of people who have yet to experience Café Sevilla. As a dancer I’m going to appreciate the same great Café Sevilla but with lots more room to go out and dance. As I find out more information about these changes I’ll let you know. Until then let’s keep enjoying the current location on Fourth Avenue and join us on August 4th for the San Diego Salsa and Latin Dancing Meetup Group’s next 1st Wednesday Event.
Congratulations to San Diego local salsa dancer Christina Santana as she advances to the top 10 of So You Think You Can Dance. Below is a video of her recent 2nd successful audition:
You can learn more about this great local dancer in this interview that was conducted recently on the set of So You Think You Can Dance:
Make sure to watch and support our San Diego salsa dancer on So You Think You Can Dance!
The event is open to everyone so feel free to come alone or bring any friends. We’ll meet downstairs at 8pm in the VIP area of club that will be reserved for our group. Just look for the Meetup.com signs. Valerie will give a free salsa lesson starting at 8:30pm.
Hope you are all doing well. Just a quick reminder that our 1st Wednesday’s of the Month with Meetup.com event falls on May 5th which incidentally is Cinco de Mayo!
The event will be similar to those we’ve held in the past except that in honor of Cinco de Mayo Cafe Sevilla has extended drink specials on Tequila shots and Margaritas.
The event is open to everyone so feel free to come alone or bring any friends. We’ll meet downstairs at 8pm in the VIP area of club that will be reserved for our group. Just look for the Meetup.com signs. Valerie will give a free salsa lesson starting at 8:30pm.
For full details and to RSVP please check out the special event page here on the San Diego Salsa and Latin Dancing Meetup group. If you have additional questions feel free to contact me on Twitter @RitmoBello. See you all Wednesday May 5th!
This is a little different but very cool. Dimelo! Records now has a Congo USB Flash Drive that is actually shaped like a Conga drum! The drive has capacity to hold up to 2GB of memory and is ideal for transporting your personal data, documents, photos, Jpeg’s, and or MP3’s.
The drive works with any system supporting USB 1.1 or 2.0 standard protocols Including LCD TV’s, Set Top Boxes, Receivers, Digital Instruments, Keyboards and or Computer Operating Systems:Windows 2000, ME, XP, Vista, Windows 7, MAC OS 8.8, OS 9 and OS X.
What’s really cool is that Dimelo! Records includes 20 Free Salsa MP3s Pre-loaded On The Conga USB Drive. You get samples of the best In Latin Music with Dimelo! Records recording artists: Chino Espinoza, Lucky 7 Mambo, La Charanga Cubana, Orq. Tabaco Y Ron, and Johnny Polanco. You can buy the Original Conga USB Flash Drive online at Dimelo! Records. Check it out!
That’s right! For those of you that went to Gilberto Santa Rosa’s and Oscar D’Leon’s concerts here in the past you are in for a treat. Both professional salsa soneros will be in concert together at Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort. The show is being produced by Eddie Rodriguez for LatinWorks Music and tickets are already on sale for this event.
To get a glimpse of what this show will be like check out these YouTube videos of each performer from when they visited San Diego:
A Time to Dance Studio is actually selling tickets for a special price of $40 for 2 tickets. You can find out information about this special ticket pricing on the special RSVP page here. See you all at the Gilberto Santa Rosa and Oscar D’Leon concert!
Although the San Diego Salsa Bachata Festival is not until later this year if you’ve been to the event in the past you know the rooms and tickets sell really fast. Angel Rivera, one of the main producers for the event, recently released this informative video that explains how you can obtain rooms and tickets. It also does a really nice job of showcasing the myriad of changes that are in store for this year’s festival including the new venue at the Town & Country Resort Hotel and Convention center and the new focus on bachata.
Salsa dancers sometimes hit roadblocks in their dance development that may seem insurmountable. Due to physical or even mental constraints, many dancers have been challenged as they learn the dance. Many times how they respond to their challenges serves as inspiration for us all.
One individual in particular epitomizes this in his own development as a salsa dancer. Dancing salsa with one leg and a crutch, Reinaldo Ojeda shows us all that even the most challenging constraints can be overcome. Below is a short interview of Reinaldo Ojedo, a truly exceptional salsa dancer.
Ritmo Bello: Reinaldo, thanks for agreeing to sit down for this interview. Let’s begin. Being a salsa dancer with one leg really sets you apart from anyone else in the world as a dancer. What sorts of challenges did you face when you were first learning to dance salsa?
Reinaldo Ojeda: My biggest challenge was the disability itself I suffered at birth due to my umbilical cord . It caused trouble in my left leg and the cord cut off the flow of blood causing the leg to die in the my mother’s womb. My family treated me as a normal child nonetheless and I played with my brothers and cousins at my grandparents house growing up. We always met during weekends to share a luncheon or a birthday and I grew accustomed to playing soccer and other games with them up to the age of 5 using a crutch. As I got older I realized other kids not part of our family would look at me differently and question my abilities to play with them. By the time I was 7 though I had grown in confidence and even played soccer at my school as part of the team. It was during this time that my mother taught me to dance and I was always around my family who were all musically inclined. My uncles and Grandfather Carlos Cabrera had a band were they sang boleros and I was able to get exposure to all types of music like salsa, meringue, etc.
Ritmo Bello: What motivated you to begin salsa dancing?
Reinaldo Ojeda: My love of dancing came about a few years ago with my brother when we were frequenting a bar in Bogota called THE BRIDGE PA¨ALLA. One day a few salsa dancers appeared, dancing very nicely and introducing me to the dance. At that time I did not think I had talent for it until the owner of the bar Arvey Walteros proposed that I try to learn the dance and perform in front of his customers. I took on the challenge and was a hit not just at his bar in Bogota but in other places I performed. The experience opened my thoughts to other things I could with my life including something different like dancing.
Ritmo Bello: As a Colombian American I know that Colombian salsa dancing has a huge impact worldwide through cities such as Cali. Being from Colombia, can you describe how Colombian salsa dancing has influenced your development as a dancer?
Reinaldo Ojeda: Salsa dancing in Colombia is best known not only as a quick dance but also for the technical side of it as well. Its been difficult for me to keep my speed and technical dance moves up to what is known in Colombia, but I’ve worked hard to not fall behind. I perform at the best salsa academy in Cali, Swing Latino, on a monthly basis doing salsa cabaret shows. I take pride showing my skills and demonstrating to people in Cali that salsa dancers from other parts of the country like Bogota have their own salsa talent.
Ritmo Bello:What advice can you give to someone who may be disabled but wants to learn how to dance salsa as you did?
Reinaldo Ojeda: In life we all have some sort of disability whether its physical or mental. This is true even with the most ‘perfect’ of people. In many ways the real disability though is a mental one that prevents us to do things even if we can physically. There are examples of people like me who have worked hard to do things in life despite disability such as the Mexican singer Toni Melendez who even though has no hands still plays guitar with his feet. I think you need to look at these good examples that God has sent to the world to show that disabilities don’t necessarily have to limit us.
Ritmo Bello: What has been your best memory from your salsa dance experiences?
Reinaldo Ojeda: My best experiences have been through traveling to other countries like Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Nicaragua, the United State, Italy and other places I never though I would visit and show the world that there exist a reality beyond my disability. Through my travels I’ve also been able to show that Colombia is not all bad as some may think and that we also have a joyful culture in Colombia.
Ritmo Bello: I understand you are actually a Gold medalist in the Para Olympics. Can you tell me a little about that experience and how it’s impacted your salsa dancing?
Reinaldo Ojeda: Well for swimming I was part of the Colombian swim team and I feel fortunate to be able to participate in that. As we say in Colombia you should always be “echando pal ante” or striving to move forward and this experience has helped push my salsa dancing development. With the support of my parents, my wife Claudia Patricia and my daughter Nicol Saray I feel that they have been my heartfelt motivation to pursue this and dancing.
Ritmo Bello: Do you have any plans of visiting San Diego, California in the near future? Perhaps to go to the upcoming San Diego Salsa Bachata Festival in September?
Reinaldo Ojeda: I don’t have any current plans at the moment. I would like to attend the San Diego Salsa Bachata festival and I’m currently looking into finding funding to allow me to perform at that event.
Ritmo Bello: What advice can you give to people that are new to salsa dancing?
Reinaldo Ojeda: Learning how to dance is not always easy but with work its rewarding to know that you can get to a high level of proficiency. People can get to the level of dance where they can even perform like me with that hard work and dedication taking them to levels they may not have even thought possible.
Ritmo Bello:Do you have contact information in case anyone from the Ritmo Bello audience wants to contact you?
Reinaldo Ojeda: Sure. If anyone wants to reach me they can communicate with me in Bogota, Colombia through:
They can also visit YouTube and type in my name, Reinaldo Ojeda, to find lots of videos of my dancing like the ones appearing in this interview.
Ritmo Bello: Reinaldo, Thank you for your time and everything you to do inspire salsa dancers worldwide.
Reinaldo Ojeda: Thanks to Ritmo Bello for giving me the opportunity to do this interview. I want to send a very special greeting to all my fans in Colombia and worldwide, that God bless them always. Remember that salsa is life!
