The Summer of Salsa in Washington, DC between July and August is unprecedented; this alert brings out the fact so review, save, print, and or forward it. This is the real deal no gimmicks or sugar coating. The Salsa movement…like the weather getting better everyday here in Washington, DC. As everyone knows Salsa and Latin Music nights are going on seven days a week. To find out the locations all you need to do is click on a specific day on Salsa DC. There's a lot of clubs and promoters trying to attract patrons but these things come and go all the time. Now comes the real bang. Some how…now we are moving out of the normal stuff and international shows are emerging on weekends. This is really fantastic for the Salsa community of DC...normally we would get local acts weekends. I intend to work and put my time and mind into this matter in an effort to drive down prices, increase international live salsa dance parties, elevate the quality and elegance salsa dances.

There's absolutely no reason why we should have to pay $10.00 to hear CD music only. We should be having live international Salsa dances on weekends, at reasonable prices, and in friendly atmospheres. We can do this...it's not a problem at all. You will get all the information needed from Salsaweb DC...no sugar coating here mi pana.

MOST INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS ARE DYING TO CAPTURE OR PENETRATE THE WASHINGTON, DC MARKET. THEY ARE SICK OF PLAYING IN THE SAME OLD SATURATED VENUES AND CHANGING IN CLOSETS. SO WHEN YOU GO LOOKINGFOR GREENER GRASS ELSEWHERE DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU FIND IT BEIGE. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE...I WENT TO SEE DOMINGO QUIÑONES IN A VENUE OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON, DC AND HE TOLD ME POINT BLANK "I PREFER TO PERFORM IN WASHINGTON...YOU GUYS KNOW HOW TO APPRECIATE US". PLUS,

I NOTICED THAT HE DID NOT SOUND THAT GOOD AND I KNEW THAT HE WAS NOT INSPIRED BECAUSE WHEN HE PERFORMED AT THE CONVENTION DOMINGO

WAS JUMPING ON STAGE AND SINGING ALL KINDS OF THINGS. AT THIS PLACE I WENT THE GUY WAS JUST FORCING HIMSELF TO DO WELL. Washington, DC is a small, hot, hip, and diverse scene.

Everyone that has been around the DC scene for some years knows that we used to get shows only on week nights and for outrages prices. That's why there was so much money lost, quite frankly who wants to pay 30 or more dollars to see a show and then have to work the next day; that get old quick. All that nonsense has vanished and if I have it my way...prices and conditions will continue to improve and head in the right direction. There is no reason for us to pay hard money, dance to an international music while suffocating or for our ladies having go into nasty or unhealthy restrooms, and most of all having to pay outrages prices for drinks and cocktails. In some places one has to pay 7 dollars for a beer or 5 dollars for a draft cola. SCREW ALL THAT NONSENSE. I have been working for two years to help improve and build one of the coolest Salsa scenes possible. We are a small group of people but we know how to get things done.

Why? Because...we deserve it, we have a lot of nice people, no one owns us, and it can be done. The standards should be: (1) good live music, (2) good pricing, (3) good atmosphere, and (4) good days of the week (weekends); that’s right I LIKE IT LIKE THAT… I need your participation and support to accomplish these four simple standards. Again, I point out this simple question. Why would anyone have to pay money to party and dance in a dump in the Nations Capital. Necesito tu ayuda!

The following is a list of live Salsa events that will surely demonstrated how much conditions have improved and what's ahead during this summer:

Thursday July 15th, at The Kennedy Center "THE AMERICANOS CONCERT - A Celebration of Latin Music featuring all aspects of Latin music from salsa to samba" inside Concert Hall. Hosted by: Edward James Olmos. Starring (in alphabetical order and subject to Artist changes without notice.): Marc Anthony, Israel Lopez "Cachao", Vikki Carr, Paquito D'Rivera, Sheila E, Gloria Estefan, Jose Feliciano, Vincent Fernandez, and Juan Luis Guerra. TICKET PRICES:

Box seats $100.00, Parterre Boxes $ 75.00, Orchestra A-X $ 75.00, Orchestra Y-LL $ 75.00, 1st Tier Center $ 50.00, 1st Tier Sides $ 40.00, 2nd Tier Center $ 35.00, 2nd Tier Sides not available Chorister and Stage Boxes are not available for this concert. ERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Thursday 7/15 at 8:30 p.m.

Friday July 16th, at Diversité - for those that like merengue BANDA CHULA. For more information call 202.234.5740 and for a map of Diversité visit http://www.salsaweb.com/dc

Saturday July 17th, at Carter Barron Amphiteatre - JOHNNY PACHECO AND HIS TUMBAO AÑEJO plus. MILLIE QUESADA at the Center Barron Amphitheatre. The show is Johnny Pacheco and his conjunto band which is great by its own merit. By the way Salsamundo has very good information on Johnny Pacheco. And Milly Quezada is a fantastic female Merengue show. Again Milly is fantastic. The pricing ($16.00) is fantastic for a good outdoor-sit down show. The show starts at 7:30pm. If you are like me clueless about Carter Barron Amphitheater visit: http://www.nps.gov/rocr/cbarron.htm

Saturday July 17th, at NICK'S "PERUVIAN NIGHT" with the very hot "LA SENSUAL", with their saner singers. La Sensual has this singer from Perú called Luis Garcia that sings high and improvises really nice...this guy has what it takes to be recording professionally...Luis Garcia is really out of league. Out of all the singers of Washington, DC Luis Garcia from "LA SENSUAL" is one of the best I have seen why?... because he has power, metal, talent, and stamina. Note: We have some good singers that are not getting the right breaks; we need to work on that and I sent Patrick an email on this issue. For more information call 702.750.9277 or for a map to NICK'S visit http://www.salsaweb.com/dc

Friday August 6th, at the five star hotel OMNI SHOREHAM HOTEL "REGENCY" BALLROOM which is the biggest ballroom of the OMNI. Directly from Puerto Rico EL GRAN COMBO "The University of Salsa, The Mulattos of Flavor and Ambassadors of Puerto Rican Music" A PURE HARD AND REAL SALSA LIVESHOW AND DANCE EVENING. Doors open at 9:00pm and the Show starts 10:30pm and it will run until to 2:00am. The important issue about this event is that the EL GRAN COMBO is one of the best and most successful bands throughout the existence of Salsa Music, OMNI SHOREHAM HOTEL is one of the best in Washington, DC, and the price is only $25.00 per person in advance. For more information visit http://www.salsaweb.com/dc/salsa.htm

Saturday August 21th, at Nicks "Celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of Salsaweb DC and the city of

El Callao, PERU" directly from New York City - LARRY HARLOW "The Marvelous Jew, EL

Judío Maravilloso" AND HIS FANIA LEGENDS AND WITH THE POWER HOUSE VOICE OF NESTOR SANCHEZ. So get your Carteras ready, Cambia el Paso, and see you there mi Raza Latina. Plus, directly for Los Angeles, California. A dancing couple from Los Rumberos will be giving a workshop early in the day at NICK'S as well. Tickets for this show are $20.00 in advance. For more information visit http://www.salsaweb.com/dc

Friday August 27th, at Diversité directly from Venezuela OSCAR D'LEON "One of the best

Sonero's in Salsa". For more information call 202.234.5740 and for a map visit

http://www.salsaweb.com/dc

Congratulations to Los Vieras with their newborn baby girl...I'm still waiting for the pictures to show the world what happens after two Salseros meet, dance, and get married. As a result a family emerges and we all know that they have a common denominator known as Salsa Music; that is beautiful and we are all blessed for it.

Read Newsweek's Cover Story LATIN U.S.A. by Brook Larmer the paper copy retails for $3.50 and on the web visit www.newsweek.com. On page 50 Larmer says "Hip Anglos on both coasts are dancing Salsa, learning Spanish and dabbling in Nuevo Latino cuisine." The recognition is most appreciated...the reality is that in Washington, DC every person of every race and country that is totally hip is dancing Salsa as well as Merengue and anything that comes their way. If you don’t believe me go to Nicks on Tuesdays and going Jeri’s class. We are good people and we are practicing everyday the ideal of liberty and happiness without politicians telling us how we should do it. It makes me feel good and happy about living in Washington, DC.

With your participation we can have one of the best Salsa scenes with good artists of the industry salsa, in some of the best places, and at the lowest prices. More participation will help me continue to drive up the quality of live shows, at the absolute best places (this is so important, as a US Army Veteran I believe in nice appearance, cleanliness, safety, and quality.

Looking back...two years ago Washington, DC was a slow Salsa music community...RIGHT OR WRONG? In just two years look at how far we have come and there's more available; thank you for everyone’s interest in Latin Culture and Music. We were even included in a major cover story news report in a positive way. That in itself is a big plus...normally Hispanics are portrays in negative ways. I need you Salsero...please lets get wild and spread the word like fire. As kids we were always told that we would become be the future...that future is here, now and we don't all have to be presidents or whatever . We need to be strong chains that will pull our community in positive direction all along with Latin Music in the background; "pon tu granito de arena porque vamos pa'encima...somos tecos, nos vamos montar, no olvides que tu bandera alfrente siempre vá, y despierta mi pana que te voy a poner a gozar "