The San José Jazz Festival has by far its best lineup ever this year, with Pedrito Martínez, Conjunto Chappottín, Calixto Oviedo, Jerry González and the Fort Apache Band, Jimmy Bosch, Wayne Wallace, Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Pasión Habanera, Jesús Díaz y su QBA ... it goes on and on.

Meanwhile, trumpeter/musical director Josiel Pérez and promoter Peggy Jo Oliva have created a new group called AC Jazz Project that - its name notwithstanding - sounds like very hot timba to me. Josiel and bassist Yosmel Montejo played the US several times with Maraca y Otra Visión, and the drummer is none other than the great Calixto Oviedo, of NG La Banda and Beyond Salsa fame (all right - mostly of NG La Banda fame ...).They're already booked for Yoshi's on August 30. The band also features Fermin Sifontes, Joel Núñez, Santiago Santiuste, lead vocalist Julio César Bouza Hernández and Christian Arturo Gutiérrez .

Also, Havana d'Primera is confirmed for Yoshi's SF on Aug 1 and 2. We'll have much more on this soon. Also, Roberto Roena has put together a group to replace Pupy y Los Que Son Son at Stern Grove on July 20. [Kevin Moore]

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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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Tom saved some of his most colorful and dramatic shots for this final installment. An amazing tour and SF Jazz's new facility is an amazing venue. Pedrito Martínez will be there in early June.

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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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