***Click Here for the Rest of the Tour Dates***

ACAS played two sold out shows at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley with several new members and several new pieces, including a tremendous timba original (Se fue y me dijo) and a show-stopping medley of classic Puerto Rican plenas. Alto songo featured a fascinating set of improvised décimas in Controversia Cubana style--featuring vocalist Emilio Suárez and De Marcos, who has become a formidable lead vocalist in his own right, incorporating subtle blues and hiphop inflections at various points. Bay Area master John Santos introduced the show and sat in for a fiery conga solo.

***Click Here for Tom's Freight & Salvage gallery***

Juan de Marcos and Emilio Suárez

New pianist and rumba dancer Orlando Cardoso

Laura González, Caleb Michel and Tony Perigo

Gliceria González and Juan De Marcos González

Gliceria Abreu

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Part 2 covers the groups Tom photographed on Sunday, August 13, 2017. The groups include Jazz by 5, Manny Martínez y La Rebeldia, Lili Hernández Orchestra Featuring Calixto Oviedo, Daymé Arocena and Bay Area Salsa All-Stars Featuring Jimmy Bosch.

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Yeni Valdés - among the most imitated Cuban vocalists since Celia Cruz - was the first woman in two of Cuba's greatest bands - NG La Banda and Los Van Van, singing with the latter for 16 years. She now lives in Santa Cruz, California with her husband, Erick Barbería, a batá master who played with the legendary Papo Angarica and a multi-talented timbero equally at home with lead vocals and all the percussion instruments. They'll be playing in a star studded show produced by DJ Asho and featuring Timbalive, DJ Walt Digz, DJ Melao and DJ Danis la Clave next Friday, October 13th. Here's are links for venue information and tickets. And here's the press release in downloadable format.

Erick Barbería

DJ Asho

DJ Walt Digz

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Finally! A timba tour that's actually happening! See you there!

Here's the link for Tuesday, Oct. 24th at Moe's Alley in Santa Cruz. For Roccapulco SF tickets tomorrow, Saturday call 415-940-0001.

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