Friday night at Lula was such a fun evening. The vibe was awesome and everyone was ready to dance the night away.
The evening started at 9pm with our lessons. Tracie and Mark taught the beginner lesson and Evan and I did the intermediate lesson. Although the space was small and the classes were packed as usual it was still so much fun to see everyone learning and practicing their turn pattern.
At about 10:30pm the band came on. The name of the band is Conjunto La-ca-lú and this was the first time I have seen them perform. They were awesome. Crisp sound, plenty of energy and great unity. Here is a bit about them:
Conjunto La-ca-lú is one of Toronto’s newest salsa bands. Rooted in the Cuban sonora tradition, this group couples a dynamic three-trumpet horn section with a rhythm section featuring Afro-Cuban hand percussion, piano, bass, and tres. This particular instrumentation allows the group to achieve a classic sound while being sufficiently versatile to appeal to the myriad tastes of their contemporary audience. Conjunto La-ca-lú’s repertoire borrows heavily from its predecessors—such as Conjunto Clasico—yet also includes a number of original arrangements of salsa and pop standards as well as a growing catalogue of original compositions. Conjunto La-ca-lú! is co-directed by pianist Sean Bellaviti and percussionist Luis “Luisito” Orbegoso, and features some of this city’s most talented and hard working musicians.
The band had 3 sets which went on to almost 2am. Needless to say it was great to see familiar faces and to meet new students and TDS friends.
Our next outing is Saturday Feb 21st at 9:45pm at Peridot Resto Lounge at 81 Bloor St E at Yonge. Can’t wait to see you all there!
