Que Pasa

Latin Beat Magazine, Oct, 1999 by Rudy Mangual

From September 15 through October 15 the city of Los Angeles is proud to celebrate Latino Heritage Month. This year's festivities were spearheaded by The 3rd Annual Con Ritmo y Sabor Latin Jazz Festival held at the California Plaza's Watercourt in downtown. A total of over twenty activities will take place as part of this year's celebration. Still pending are La Feria Concert, Carnival & Food Festival on October 9 & 10, to be held in Griffith Park, and the V.I.P. Closing Ceremonies on October 15 at the Skirball Cultural Center featuring a tribute to Placido Domingo and the screening of La Otra Conquista. For additional event information contact Festival Los Angeles at 800-756-1900.

Havanafama Theatrical Company is proud to announce the opening of the comedy stage presentation of Dracula, an original adaptation of Roberto Antinoo and directed by Juan Roca. For over a decade in Los Angeles, Havanafama has been bringing Latin American theater to our city.

Thousands of moviegoers are expected to attend the Los Angeles International Film Festival, which is scheduled for October 1st through the 10th at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. Over 50 films from the United States, Latin America, Spain and the Caribbean will be showcased.

"The purpose of the festival is to create a greater understanding of Latino culture, while assisting the under-represented Latino filmmaker in Hollywood," actor and festival director Edward James Olmos said. "Our goal is to do for Latino films what Sundance did for the independents." Seminars and panels are free and open to the public. Details (213) 469-9066

The J. Paul Getty Center is currently presenting an exhibition of rare drawings titled "Juanes to Goya: Spanish Drawings 1560-1825 (De Juanes a Goya: Dibujo Español 1560-1825) The exhibition extends until November 28, 1999. Other activities during the month of October include Music & Presentations in the Cinema, The World Festival of Sacred Music - The Americas, to be held October 9 through the 17th, and Adam and Laila del Monte: Flamenco Fusion, on Friday, October 29, 1999.

Live Salsa music and dancing can be enjoyed almost every night in our city from Monday's Cuban Jam Sessions at El Floridita Restaurant in Hollywood to Tuesday's Hot Salsa Night at St. Marks Restaurant & Nightclub in Venice. A newcomer to the scene is La Isla del Mambo Restaurant and Nightclub on Melrose Ave. on the Westside. They feature live music Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, as well as Cuban Mayan Cuisine, seven days a week. Rudy Regalado y Chevere is one of the bands being featured weekly.

The Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City celebrates Salsa Nights on Fridays, featuring some of Los Angeles' top local bands, Johnny Polanco y su Conjunto Amistad, Son Mayor, and Son y Clave among many others. New bands working around town include La Palabra and Cartaya & The Enclave. Oscar Cartaya's group The Enclave have been performing at Gabah on Friday nights located on Melrose Ave. The group has an urban Latin flavor with a fat rhythm & blues sound. They perform compositions with both English and Spanish lyrics, all very dance-friendly and party-oriented. The Conga Room on Wilshire Blvd. presents live music Thursdays through Sundays nights. Upcoming special events include New York Salsa Diva India & her Orchestra on Friday, October 8, direct from Cuba the group Irakere on Friday, October 15, and Compay Segundo from the Buena Vista Social Club fame on Thursday, November 11.

Support your local musicians and all other artistic venues around your town. Peace