The very 1st time I have ever interacted with Marcus was when I was promoting Havanisimo event via Myspace for the 1st time! He wrote me a message, correcting me for erroneously calling his band, "Cuban Trio." "Rodney, it’s Cubanacan Trio, not Cuban Trio." Of course, I, having a limited knowledge of the Spanish Language, thought that Cuban and Cubanacan are synonymous. Needless to say, he scolded me gently.

When I met him in person, we hit it off right away. He is a positive person. When I got a chance to listen to his Trio live, I was impressed. I started asking around (Googled as well) about Cubanacan. My God, I had no idea that Cubanacan is such a legend in the Bay Area.

Since then I have great respect for Marcus because not only that he is the founder of Cubanacan, but that also, he is one cool guy. With his newly formed band, I had to ask him for an interview about his life and his new project.

Rodchata: Hey, Marcus, you are one of the veteran Latin Musician in the Bay Area. Tell me a bit of your background, music and where you grew up.

READ THE WHOLE INTERVIEW HERE...

        

No more salsa on Saturdays at La Taza de Cafe. News came late last night from La Taza’s owner himself.

We have held our Havanisimo party every Saturday at this location for the past 9 months and we have made La Taza the ‘go-to’ spot in Oakland for Salsa dancing. But like the song goes ‘todo tiene su final’ and this one came via voice message from La Taza’s owner last night

 

 “Havanisimo will go on”, stated Rodney & Jeison, owners and promoters of Havanisimo Productions.

 

We are obviously disappointed by these news but we feel very good about the future of Havanisimo.

 

We already have a new location for Havanisimo which will replace La Taza in the next few weeks. No need to worry about sound system problems and there's plenty of space to dance.

 

This is a premier club with high quality sound and dance floor, which we know our guests will love as much as we do.

 

In addition we are only 2 weeks away from the Grand Opening of Havanisimo Timba Tuesday.

 

This monthly event will be held at Glas Kat in San Francisco with the first event happening on May 3.

 

We are excited about bringing Havanisimo back to San Francisco which is where we started.

 

To top this off, our biggest venture yet: The Havanisimo Salsa Summer Concert Series will kick off this summer. We will feature top bands and Dj’s from around the globe as well as our very own local talent. Watch out for announcements later.

 

When you love salsa like we do, small things like this won’t keep us from promoting the love of salsa dancing and salsa music for our friends and dance partners.

 

 

A gozar!

- Havanisimo Management.

        

Anejo Productions Presents

Fito Reinoso y Su Ritmo y Armonia and Jesus Diaz y Su QBA to share the same stage for the 1st time!

February 15, 2008
Jelly's Cafe
295 Terry Francois Blvd.
SF, CA 415-495- 3099
www.anejoprod.com

        

Jeison aka El Guapo and Daniel, La Taza's owner, are both celebrating their birthday this Saturday. January 26 @ La Taza De Cafe.



7:30 Cubanacan Trio in the Dining Area
9:30 DJ Waltdigz spinning the best of Timba, salsa, reggaeton, bachata y mas

Only $5.00 All night

Plenty of Parking

Come and give them some love. Let's party!

Starts at 9: 00 PM

La Taza De Cafe
3909 Grand Ave.
Oakland, CA 94610

Check the Havanisimo Myspace: www.myspace.com/lalunaclubs

        

        

Salsa Partnering Level 1 and 2



Level 1 (7-8PM)
- An introduction to salsa. You will learn G and V's system approach to partner dancing. No experience or partner necessary.


Level 2 (8-9pm)
- Combination moves focusing on higher level techniques and concepts in the art of leading and following for social dancing. No partners required.

9:00 TIL 12 midnight
- The legendary DJ Antonio with DJ GoodSho spins your favorite salsa, timba, and more!

Allegro Ballroom
5855 Christie Ave
Emeryville, CA 94608
www.freestylesalsa.com

        

Every Saturday night there is salsa dancing at La Taza de Cafe in the Best side of Oakland, Lake Merrit/Grand. It's located not too far away from the Safeway a bit further down on Grand Ave. Take a flight of steps and you're in.

The Saturday salsa events are provided in part by Havanisimo Productions (founded by Jeison Aguilar and Rodney Aquino) with a variety of guest DJs from week to week.

Typically there are Rueda salsa lessons and Bachata lessons earlier in the night, but the few times I went lessons started at around 8:30 (although they advertise that lessons start at 7:30 - 9:30). Turn-outs have been unpredictable the few times I went. One week had 10+ people, another time just 2, and another 8 or so. I would imagine this is because the offering of lessons were just starting out.

It's rare to see Bachata lessons in the bay area. I only know of three other locations that offer Bachata lessons so the more the better.

What's really interesting is when things start heating up after the lessons. For only $5, you are able to dance to some very upbeat salsa toons until 1:30am. There's a DJ downstairs and on some occasions there's a DJ upstairs. The few times I went it was pretty crowded with people still coming in at 1:00am.

DJ El Guapo (Jeison Aguilar) would appear to be the ringleader of the operation. On special occasions he DJs but typically he is keeping things in order throughout the night.

The salsa music they play is what I'm told is called Timba, it's a bit more upbeat than the typical salsa and the crowd is somewhat different. For starters, everyone dresses very casual there. Guys are usually dressed in tennis shoes but that would be an advantage because when they dance they go into circular motions. With all that moving I bet you need more traction than slippage.

Drinks and food are also highlights at Havanisimo Saturdays at La Taza de Cafe. Mojitos are definitely the biggest selling drink there. Something about the way the owner prepares them makes you wanting more. Food is also quite authentic and original although the portion (for the one appetizer I ate) seems a bit too small for my stomach.

The crowd is really different, in addition to the casual dress. I guess casual dress also means casual personalities as the dancers really gave off the aura that they are there to have fun. At some salsa places you get that snooty feeling that people want to show off, but for here not so. It's a really strange feeling, you would have to go out there to check it out on Saturdays.

Most information on their events can be found at the promoter's Website, www.havanisimo.com or www.myspace.com/lalunaclubs

This review was done by JSmoothSalsa

        

Take a Saturday night this past summer, for example, when a room full of patrons paid $8 each to learn how to salsa. The instructors were the sexy dance duo of Garry Johnson (longtime dance teacher at Allegro Ballroom in Emeryville) and his partner, Viola Gonzales. As the lesson progressed, the warm yellow house at 3909 Grand Ave. (formerly the site of Autumn Moon restaurant) started to come alive. Women in sleek, sexy outfits and guys in cool cotton cabana shirts were pouring into the bar, the back room, the outside patio and two rooms upstairs.

The champagne mojitos started to flow and bodies pressed seductively against one another as the primal beat pumped through the halls. I could sense that something was about to explode—like spontaneous combustion from too much heat. And then it began; couples twirling in tandem to the intoxicating rhythm, as if they were dancing under a star-studded Havana sky. Read more...