Ring In The New

On the 31st, Debby, I, and two close friends brought in the new year as well as the coming decade appropriately by dancing the night away at Berkeley's Freight and Salvage to the rhythms of Louie Romero and Mazacote (a great traditional salsa band). It never ceases to amaze me how this brilliant 12 piece band can remain so tightly in sync while combining a variety of beats into one coherent musical voice. Mazacote was followed by the all-female Afro-Cuban band , Maqueque, led by Jane Bunnett (Canadian) and five home-grown Cuban musicians who lit-up the music hall with virtuosity and an energy that will carry us well into the days to come. Sadly, as a result of the ongoing draconian policies with regard to Cuba, most of the musicians were obliged to leave the country shortly after the concert. On a more upbeat note, the spirit of the Afro-Cuban fusion, the symbolism of the all-woman ensemble, and the diversity of the assembled revelers served to remind us that the winds of the future are blowing a friendly breeze into the arid landscape of recent years and, in so doing, announce the ensuing decade as one of inclusive, paradigm shifting, and hopeful change.