7:30pm
23A Knight’s Hill
London,
SE27 0HS
Tickets: £8 early bird/£10 here
£12 OTD
All Fiesta – no Siesta. The Portico is a great space with a dance-friendly floor!!
We begin 2023 with a live set from Sarabanda on Saturday January 14
Pianist Sara McGuinness sought out musicians with a passion for Cuban music to form Sarabanda and the result is a powerful sextet with a big sound.
Sarabanda is a musical collective that unfailingly fills the dance floor with their glorious mix of Cuban rhythms. Sliding effortlessly between classic, vibrant Cuban Salsa and Son – with serious sabor – by way of cha cha cha, mambo, and the latest hot timba, salsa and Latin jazz … including son from the 40s and 50s with a nod to Buena Vista Social Club.
The collective’s obvious love of the music they play is evident in the passionate and exuberant arrangements of both original material and Cuban classics. It also features a host of wonderful musicians steeped in Cuban music and Salsa including bassist Jimmy Martinez and percussionists Emeris Solis, Bill Bland and Alejandro Martinez, all led by Sara who has rightly earned a mighty reputation in both the salsa and African music scenes.
The all-comers salsa dance class kicks off at 7.30 – led by the wonderful Yamile from Colombia – before the club night gets into gear at 8.30 for 100% Lean Latin through until midnight with Sarabanda and top-notch El Swing DJs keeping the dance floor bubbling.
The Salsa DJ Dream Team: (on rotation): Johnny G, Dave Hucker, Carey Lyseight and Gerry Lyseight have hosted some of London’s most legendary club nights: Sol Y Sombra, Salsa Fusión, Latin Swing at Wessex House, Mambo Inn, Villa Stefano, as well as lighting up Notting Hill Carnival with the Latin Rave Sound System.
