photo by Tom Ehrlich (full gallery here)

Charanga Habanera returns to Yoshi's SF on April 9th & 10th. More dates will be added here. It's not listed on the Yoshi's SF calendar as of this post, but has been confirmed. Come back later and click the link to reserve tickets. This is the third CH tour in the last year and a half. Things are looking up!

Meanwhile: The return of legendary timbalero Orestes Vilató to the John Santos Sextet continues at Yoshi's Oakland tonight after generating universal rave reviews Friday. He's Calixto Oviedo's favorite timbalero - that says a lot - but you simply have to see this guy in person. He plays the pailas like a Stradavarius - with indescribable finesse and swing. [Kevin Moore]

                                           photo by Tom Ehrlich (full gallery here)

Books and Videos Coming Wednesday:

Alain Pérez audio, eBook and hard-copy book for Beyond Salsa Bass, Vol. 6

Melón Lewis video for Beyond Salsa Piano, Vol. 6

Alain Pérez video Beyond Salsa Bass, Vol. 6

Timba in Chicago and the Midwest - check out Bill's slick new calendar.

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Covering the final dance competition and the Timbalive concert - click here for the full gallery.

Book News: First Alain Pérez Bass book coming very soon.

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Festival Directors Nick Van Eyck and Serena Wong with El Médico de la Salsa

The SF SalsaRueda Festival was really a great event - having 500+ great and enthusiastic dancers in the crowd really seemed to fire up the musicians. Here's Tom's gallery from Saturday - Part 2, covering Sunday, is still to come.

Rumor Central: As per DJ Melao, Arnaldo Jiménez (ex-Paulito, leader of la Cosmopólita) will be Los Van Van's new bassist.

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Coky García, Carlos Caro, Leo García (photo by Kevin Moore)

After backing up Manolín on Saturday, Timbalive closed out the massive and extraordinary SF Salsa Rueda Festival with two burning sets, highlighted by these percussion solos from Los García: Leo, the leader of the band, Coky, his older brother, who played with the original NG La Banda, back when they were called Nueva Generación, as well as Emiliano Salvador, Opus 13, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Mamborama, their cousin Miguelito, who just arrived, having been a founding member of Havana d'Primera, and guest artist Carlos Caro, the subject of the soon to be released Beyond Salsa Bongó, a former member of Opus 13 and Paulito FG. Enjoy!

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