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Dear Salsa Sabios:

Save the date of Sunday, April 19 for the Grand Opening of Casual Salsa Sundays. The Opening begins with dance lessons from 4-5 pm followed by a Salsa Sabios presentation by Nancy Alonso of WPFW on the life and career of Puerto Rico’s most prolific salsa composer Tite Curet Alonso from 5-6 pm. A CD with some of his greatest hits will be given to the first 20 people to participate in the Salsa Sabios session.

Open dancing from 6-10 pm. Cover charge is $5.00 and $10 for lessons. The meeting place is located on L St. NW between Connecticut and 17th Streets. The Red Line Metro L St station is on the same block. More details on Monday.

Dear DC Salsa Sabios:

On Saturday, December 20 this group will have its holiday celebration at Juste Lounge. It is in conjunction with the DC Salsa Meet Up, so there will be lots of "meeuply" love. We will resume our salsa education functions in January 2009.

Please mark your calendars and we will be back in touch with further details.

Felices Fiestas!

Eileen Torres and Roxana Ayona

Dear Salsa Sabios Members:

Eileen has made arrangements to show us the film Cha Cha Cha Boom (Columbia Pictures, 1956) which has recently resurfaced after decades of obscurity. It is the only Hollywood feature film to showcase Perez Prado in a featured, leading role (and one of only two Hollywood features in which he appeared). It also marks the only Hollywood feature film appearance by Mexican bandleader Luis Arcaraz, and the only film appearance by the popular West Coast band of Manny Lopez.

While not "Palladium dancers," there are some fantastic dancers in here, most of which were local LA-dancers dancing the very same routines you would have seen them do at Virginia's (L.A. Night Club) or at Chico Sesma's "Latin Holiday" events at the Hollywood Palladium. Additionally, the featured dance team of Dante DePaulo and Sylvia Lewis were considered two of the best 'later-generation' Hollywood dancers with great back stories themselves.

What has been forgotten is that Mambo ALSO featured prominently in the legendary rock-themed film, "Rock Around the Clock" also released by Columbia in 1956. It marks a rare screen appearance by the West Coast band of Tony Martinez and features the amazingly talented pianist Eddie Cano! We will see Mambo excerpts of this movie too.

Jim Byers of WPFW’s Latin Flavor Show will introduce the films, provide commentary and answer questions after the screening.

Doors open for dinner at 5 pm, Eileen & Jim Byers arrive at 6:30 pm for dinner

Screening begins at 7 pm sharp
Dance Lesson 8:30-9:30 Beginners Level-Salsa On 1
Dancing to DJ Joe Falero 9:30-2:00 am
PRICES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

For DC Salsa Sabios Meet Up members who RSVP by Friday, October 17 at Noon, your names will be placed on a guest list to have complimentary entrance until 10 pm. No need to bring print out. Otherwise:

Free before 10 pm with this print out
$5 after 10 pm with this print out
$10 after 10 pm without print out

DIRECTIONS
From DC: Take Wisconsin and pass the Hyatt on your left and go three lights. Turn left on Cordell and go two blocks. Juste is the second building from the corner on the right.

From Maryland: Take Wisconsin and pass National Institutes of Health. Veer right on Woodmont Ave at the Welcome to Bethesda sign, go two lights. Make a right on Cordell. Juste is the second building from the corner on the right.

Or continue on Wisconsin Ave. and pass Doubletree hotel on right. The light just past the hotel is Cordell Ave. Make a right on Cordell. Juste is the second building from the corner on the right.

Please let us know if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you then.

Kind regards,

Eileen Torres and Roxana Ayona

Celebrating a Historic Anniversary---the 37 Year Anniversary of a Salsa Music Milestone
On Thursday, August 26, 1971 salsa history was made at the famous Cheetah Night Club in New York City. On that night the Fania All Stars performed together for the second time. (The first time was at the Red Garter in 1968). The event was filmed. The footage from that night was used to produce an innovative documentary titled “Our Latin Thing” also known as “Nuestra Cosa Latina”. According to the Venezuelan Salsa Scholar, Cesar Miguel Rendon, “the authentic Fania All Stars were born at the Cheetah event”.

Performing that night were musical director, Johnny Pacheco, Ray Barretto, Ricardo Ray, Larry Harlow, Willie Colon, Bobby Valentin, Roberto Roena, Orestes Vilato, Barry Rogers, Reynaldo Jorge, Hector “Bomberito’ Zarzuela, Larry Spencer, Roberto Rodriguez, Yomo Toro, Hector Lavoe, Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez, Ismael Miranda, Adalberto Santiago, Cheo Feliciano, Bobby Cruz & Santos Colon.

On Thursday, August 21, 2008 at Zanzibar on the Waterfront, almost 37 years after this historic event, we will celebrate the contributions of salsa DJs. All DJs in attendance will receive an award for their efforts to bring the finest music to the salsa community. It is also Salsa Sabios Night so we will begin with a DJ panel from 7-8 pm.

All those that RSVP to attend the panel will receive a souvenir booklet with information about the panel’s favorite artists, singers, soneros and songs. It will also contain little known salsa facts under the heading Did You Know That… It will become a good resource for those on the quest to attain salsa knowledge.

MORE…

The winners of the Salsa Sabios Music Contest will be presented with awards

It is Puerto Rican Night and the Metro Rican Meet Up Official Event
And DC Salsa Sabios welcomes the Kick A$$ Professionals Meet Up and Salsaholics of Fredericksburg Meet Up Groups

Expect the Salsa Sabios “Tabernacle Choir”*
*The Salsa Sabios “Tabernacle Choir” is an impromptu group that gathers at Zanzibar and spontaneously sings along to the classics with joy and fervor.

NEXT SALSA SABIOS EVENT-Thursday, September 18, 2008- “El Sonero Mayor”-Ismael Rivera by DJ Bruno

Eileen Torres

The April edition of Salsa Sabios this Wednesday at Zanzibar features the life and career of Tito Rodriguez-1/3 of the Palladium Big Three. Special guest Jim Byers of WPFW 89.3 FM Latin Flavor will recount the life if this mambo legend. Jim is the foremost expert on music from the Palladium Era in the DC metropolitan area. Jim will use video and music clips to highlight his points. Salsa Sabios begins at 7:00 pm. Cover is $5.00 before 10 pm and includes dancing until 12:30 am to two DJs. DJ Bruno ?El Unico? and DJ Carlos ?El Casique? provide salsa, cha-cha, merengue and an occasional bolero. Come early for $2.00 margaritas until 7 pm and order a light dinner from the menu at the bar. Jeans acceptable at no extra charge. 700 Water St SW WDC 20024 202 554-9100.

Hope To See You There!!

Eileen, Tony and Wanda