Alma Del Barrio Salsa Festival

Alma Del Barrio and KXLU 88.9 FM will celebrate its 43rd anniversary with another free Salsa Music Festival at the Loyola Marymount University campus. The festival will feature live music, food trucks, vendors, salsa lessons, and a large dance floor. Local acts slated to appear include:

Changüí Majadero: This five-piece Changüí band, dedicated to preserving the music and culture of Changüí, enchants audiences with authentic Cuban Son from Cuba. With its traditional folk rhythm and melody from Guantanamo, Changüí Majadero attracts people to dance by delivering stunning vocals, fiery bongo solos, marimbula-bass thump, driving guayo and maracas, and blazing tres-cubano solos.

Boogaloo Assassins: A Los Angeles-based 11-piece Latin band with a sound and style inspired by the Latin Boogaloo, Latin Soul, Salsa, and Latin Funk records of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Boogaloo Assassins self-released vinyl debut “OLD LOVE DIES HARD” (2013) spawned the 7-inch underground cross-over hit single “No No No”, receiving both regular club and radio airplay around the globe; from BBC Radio to Santa Monica’s KCRW to NYC’s pioneering hip-hop Dj Tony Touch. Hard at work on their sophomore release, Boogaloo Assassins continue to reinterpret classic Latin sounds for today's dancefloors.

Guicho y La Tribu: Founded and directed by Nicaraguan Luis “Guicho” Vasquez, Guicho y La Tribu is one of the newest additions to the roster of salsa orchestras in the city of Los Angeles. Already a favorite one among salsa dancers on the local scene, La Tribu will bring to Alma del Barrio festival attendees, music lovers and dancers the style and sounds of New York Salsa from the 70's mix with a blend of modern salsa arrangements.

Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca: Lemvo has established himself as a musical pioneer with his innovative blend of Afro-Cuban rhythms with Pan-African styles such as Congo rumba, soukous, Angolan semba and kizomba. A native from São Salvador Do Congo in Angola, he grew up in Congo-Kinshasa. He was introduced to Cuban music by a cousin who owned a large collection of vintage Cuban LPs. Lemvo came to the US 30 years ago to pursue a law degree, but devoted his life to music. Since forming his Los Angeles-based band Makina Loca in 1990, Lemvo has refined his craft and vision. His joyous voice exudes strength, creating songs that celebrate life, and inspiring his audiences to let loose and dance exuberantly.

The event will take place on May 22, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the LMU campus. Click here for more info.