I’ve never been much of a dancer. For many years, I thought of Salsa as an exotic ritual that happened far away in Miami. But I have always been a record collector, so when the Fania label began reissuing their “classic” Salsa albums from the 1970s, I took notice. The old school gangster-themed covers caught my attention, but it was the music that exploded out of my stereo. Intricate rhythms played by some of the best musicians you’ll hear in any genre, horn patterns that burst from the mix, and fabulous vocals, especially those of Hector Lavoe, a Puerto Rican transplant to the New York Citybased Fania scene.
Check out the Lavoe albums with Willie Colon, (especially “Cosa Nuestra,” “Wanted By FBI” and my favorite, “Lo Mato”) and Johnny Pacheco albums with salsa queen Celia Cruz to get primed for TXST Salsa Night at the Cheatham Street Warehouse, Sunday night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.. The Latin Music Studies department at Texas State produces some of the most exciting live music in Central Texas. Plus you can get a free dance lesson.
Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos is hosting an altar building workshop on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Mention of Dia de Los Muertos conjures dancing skeletons and sugar skulls, but these colorful altars part scrap-book and part museum display - are just as much a part of honoring relatives. Centro will provide materials and supplies to decorate your photos and mementos of loved ones.
