Author: Juan Montenegro

MACHITO (1908-1984) is our next deep dive Friday June 16! 20th Century Salsa, Latin Jazz and Afro-Cuban music radio show! Here is the music for this show; Mucho Macho Machito (Clef, 1948-1949) The Complete Columbia Masters (1951, 1952, 1955, 1957 Columbia) Vacation at the Concord (Verve 1958) Kenya (Roulette 1959) Machito at the Crescendo (GNP […]

Pianists Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Hilton Ruiz (1952-2006), percussionists and bandleaders Roberto Roena (1940-2021) Bobby Sanabria and Sabu (1930-1979) singers Eydie Gorme (1928-2013) and Linda Ronstadt, on Latin Explosion! 20th Century Salsa, Latin Jazz and Afro-Cuban music! Friday April 14, 7-9AM, wslr.org, WSLR 96.5FM Sarasota’s Pacifica radio station, and over Pacifica affiliates in Houston, Philadelphia, San […]

Vibist/leader Cal Tjader, Tipica 73 Orchestra, singer Roberto Torres, trumpet Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros, drummer/singer Eugenio Arango (Totico) bandleader Leonardo Timor, on the next LATIN EXPLOSION, a 20th Century Salsa, Latin Jazz and Afro-Cuban music radio show! Friday March 17, 7-9AM, wslr.org and Sarasota’s Pacifica radio affiliate WSLR 96.5FM Stream this show until March 30! Claire […]

IZZY SANABRIA, “Mr Salsa”, will be featured in Sarasota Magazine! Starting in the 1960’s, Izzy did it all…talented illustrator, album cover designer at Alegre and Fania, founder and publisher of Latin NY Magazine, who traveled the world with the Fania All Stars as MC! In 2023 Izzy Sanabria, who retired in Tampa Bay with his […]

Why wait…. WILLIE COLON on Latin Explosion! Salsa musician and social activist. Trombonist, singer, writer, producer and actor! Involved in the politics of New York City. We go back to the beginning with Hector Lavoe, then with Ruben Blades, the SIEMBRA album and others like the ones here. Plus, the “CHEF” movie soundtrack, Charanga 76, […]

Mongo Santamaria, Our Man in Havana, at Montreux, and at the Village Gate! Mongo discovered great young talent to showcase at his concerts! And recorded with veteran singers like La Lupe, Justo Betancourt! Also hear Armando Sanchez y Son de la Loma, Sabu Martinez, and Chicago’s James Sanders & Conjunto and Chevere! 20th Century Salsa, […]

OYE COMO VA, we’ll play the original by Tito Puente, and the Carlos Santana hit! Plus Bobby Sanabria & NYC Ache, Roberto Roena’s Apollo Sound, Armando Sanchez & Son de la Loma, and Arturo Sandoval, this Friday January 20 on Latin Explosion! 20th Century Salsa, Latin Jazz and Afro-Cuban music radio show! wslr.org stream this […]

Heirs of Latin Music’s Great Masters brought the Big 3 Palladium Orchestra to MIami Beach’s “South Beach Jazz Festival” Saturday January 7. Machito Jr. Tito Puente Jr. and Tito Rodriguez Jr. shared the stage backed by a cooking NYC band! 20th Century Salsa, Latin Jazz and Afro-Cuban music radio show. That’s what we do. We […]

Singer Linda Ronstadt, pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, pianist Emiliano Salvador, pianist Hilton Ruiz, their music and stories on the January 6 Latin Explosion, a 20th Century Salsa, Latin Jazz and Afro-Cuban music radio show. 7-9am Eastern, wslr.org, WSLR 96.5FM, Sarasota’s Pacifica affiliate! Stream this one until January 19. Claire Montenegro, producer, Juan Montenegro, […]

I just finished reading “Bebo De Cuba: Bebo Valdes and His World”, a 700 page book by Swedish historian Mats Lundhal (2015), on loan from John Radanovich, author of “WILDMAN OF RHYTHM” the Benny More Story. Thanks John! This is an incredible book! We’ll talk with John about Bebo, son Chucho and grandson Chuchito on […]