Worse Or Better Than Ever?

November 7, 2008

Quietly I despaired as I scanned the club walking across it. Has Cambridge scene deteriorated so quickly? The pipeline looked thin at all levels with the number of people, who continue with lessons for more than a few weeks, looking smaller than ever. Even the beginners seemed unable to do the simplest basic steps, which really should be doable for many followers after even just one 2-hour lesson.

I rather felt sorry for Joe as he cranked out songs after songs he deemed likely to find favor with people ignorant of Salsa music. I felt sorry for myself as I contemplated a role of overseer of decline and fall of Cambridge Salsa scene. The hoped-for keepers of the torch still remaining had not shown up yet – aside from Jane, who was there presumably assisting with instructions.

After a few dispiriting dances with beginners, I actually found someone new and not at all hopeless to dance with. Right afterwards as I was asking Lorraine for a dance, Joe asked me to take over at the DJ booth. I asked him to play one more.

As I was about to take over, I spotted Steph. Haihan arrived shortly thereafter. Quite a few more experienced people arrived in bunches so by the time I started my first song, the scene was looking much improved – albeit still on the quiet side. By the middle of my second DJ session, I had changed my opinion about the state of Cambridge Salsa scene. On the lead side, it is arguably stronger than ever despite absences of likes of Sergio, Ivan and Cyrille.

Playlist

Con Eso – El Gran Combo
El Pio Pio – Sonora Poncena
Quien Como Tu – Jose Alberto “El Canario”
Pa’ Borojol – Rey Reyes
Lluvia – Willie Rosario (-5%) (1)
Hoja En Blanco – Monchy & Alexandra
Fantasia Cubana – German Villarreal (2)
Sama Thiel – Africando

break (3)

Playa Fa Sho – Toby Love (4)
Sin Negro No Guaguanco – Lebron Brothers
Vive Y Vacila – Ray Barretto*
Volvere– DLG (Dark Latin Groove)* (-5%) (5)
Brujeria – El Gran Combo (6)
Hong Kong Mambo – Tito Puente (DJ Duste remix remixed – shorter of 2 remixes I made)*
Violent’s Guaguanco – Angel Rene & Johnny Rodriguez Orquesta (7)
Busca Lo Tuyo – Eddie Palmieri (-5%)*
Telarana – Jose Curbelo*
Nina Mele – Angel Canales*
Satin And Lace – Tito Rodriguez
Mama Guela – Gilberto Santa Rosa (-5%)
[Haihan’s selection from his collection … Senales De Humo – Juan Luis Guerra]
Cali Pachanguero – Galieo Y Su Banda* (8)
Quien Eres Tu – Francisco Aguabella (9)
Tumba El Quinto – Linda Leida Y La Bahia
Ojos Asi – Shakira* (10)
Arrepentida – Angel Canales* (11)

break (12)

Gotas De Lluvia – El Gran Combo

(1) I tried to arrange song selections so that Haihan could get a nice Salsa and Bachata to dance to before he took over for a little while.
(2) My original expectation was that this would be my last song of the first set. However, I half expected Haihan to dance to this one because he did not get to Steph in time for Lluvia earlier.
(3) Haihan took over for 8 songs or so. The selections were surprisingly challenging. It would be fair to say that my song selections for my second set were influenced by his selections and their reception. Mark was here by this time. No Ivan – I’m now guessing that he’s taking an extended leave – possibly because of adjusting to his new teaching duties or possibly because he has lost interest a la Sergio.
(4) A request from Haihan.
(5) Again this was something of a reaction to Haihan’s choices. It threw off a few people, which in turn further affected my selections later on.
(6) A request – this time from a Colombian (?) girl. This was an alternative to Besame by Maelo Ruiz.
(7) These song selections are rather atypical and reflects what I thought was popular tonight. Rather highbrow stuff.
(8) Another request from the same Colombian girl. An alternate to Kisomba (no idea what was meant by that). I don’t have the full Grupo Niche version of Cali Pachanguero so I played this copy-cat version.
(9) I think the highbrow moment might be waning a little. Or maybe this was placed poorly. Or maybe it simply did not sound exciting.
(10) I was wondering if it was time to change gears once again based on reactions to Quien Eres Tu. I guess I was wrong. I actually did not mind clearing the floor because I wanted to get Steph for the next song. Vish came over to suggest changing the song, but I was in the process of finding the appropriate start point for the next song – to cut about a minute at the start so that it is only slightly over 8 minutes long. I asked Haihan to take over briefly, and he complied despite feeling quite tired and sleepy by then.
(11) Zero to sixty in 5 seconds or something like that.

Total = 26 songs. 2 Bachata. 1 Cha Cha new. 1 Latin Pop new. 22 Salsa including 7 new.

Dancing mood tonight – rushed and impatient after I started dancing with Steph. I thought some of the dances deserved a whack in the head with a lecture, “What were you thinking?” I would give my form tonight a failing grade.