MauriDJ Mauri started his DJ-career about six years ago in Café Madeliefje, which was owned by SalsaLounge organiser Mo. It was no conscious decision to become a DJ; the resident DJ called in sick and DJ Mauri decided to take his place for the night.
Since then DJ Mauri has played at the biggest salsa-parties in Holland and in a few other European countries. Besides playing at salsa-parties, DJ Mauri often is asked to be the DJ when big salsa-stars visit Holland. He has DJ-ed next to bands as Los Van Van, Manolito y su Trabuco, Jimmy Bosch, and many others.
DJ Mauri's style varies from New York Salsa-Dura to Cuban Timba and 50's and 60's Mambo, but the important thing for him is to please the crowd. Without losing his own signature DJ Mauri tries to lay the right groove at the right time. For this reason DJ Mauri is not only loved by the dancers but also by salsa-lovers in general.
Mauricio Reyes
Originally from Latin America but based in Birmingham (UK), Mauricio Reyes is the co-promoter & founder of Latin Motion, the biggest salsa outfit in the Midlands since it was established in the early 1990's. Mauricio has been dancing and listening to salsa all of his life and has been teaching salsa dance since the tender age of 17. As a DJ he is guaranteed to read the crowd, spinning a broad range of top salsa, from NY to LA, Colombian to Cuban, etc. SALSA pa' bailar - dura pero sabrosa!
Mauricio has been DJ-ing since 1994, playing and teaching regularly all over the Midlands, the UK and abroad. He is one of only two DJs to play at both UK / British Salsa congresses in 2002 and 2003, and awarded 'Top UK Salsa DJ', 'Top Regional Promoters' & 'Services to Salsa' awards at the 2003 congresses. As a dedicated salsa DJ, dance instructor and promoter for over a decade, Mauricio’s work within the UK salsa scene has been extensive. He has introduced & taught a huge number of people to Salsa, including many other Salsa dance teachers in and around Birmingham. www.mauricioreyes.com
Lubi Jovanovic: THE BEST IN LATIN MUSIC SINCE 1982!
Lubi Jovanovic has been working in UK latin music and salsa scenes since 1982, and at all levels. DJ, club promoter, concert promoter, tour organiser, journalist and CD compiler.
He first started spinning Poncho Sanchez and Charlie Palmieri mambos to jazz dancers in the North of England in 1982. The salsa scene was just starting to evolve - there were no danceteachers, DJs played vinyl and clubs featured live bands. By 1985, he started his first salsa clubnight - Club Afro-Latino in Leeds - mixing salsa dura with popular African music of the period.
In the late 1980s he began promoting live bands and has always maintained a commitment to live music ever since. He has toured or featured at his legendary clubnight Casa Latina some of the finest Latin musicians in the world - Eddie Palmieri, Jimmy Bosch, Wayne Gorbea, Manolito y su Trabuco, Issac Delgado, Johnny Polanco, Tito Allen, Charanga Habanera, Ricardo Lemvo, Cubanismo, Son 14, NG La Banda, DLG, Orishas, Irakere, Grupo Klimax, Maraca y Otra Vision, Los Jovenes Del Barrio to name a few.
As a DJ, he's always gone his own way. In the 80s, when romantica ruled the scene, he played his favourite classic salsa dura, mambo and descarga tracks. In the 90s, he pioneered the Cuban timba sound and Latin hiphop at his nights. And since 2000, he has been one of the leading lights in popularising reggaeton in the UK.
As a journalist, he's featured articles in specialist Latin journals past and present like Dancevine, Latin London, Salsamaniac, but is best known for his Latin Lowdown column in global music magazine Straight No Chaser, printed in London but with a world-wide circulation of 100,000.
In 2003, a new career move saw him compiling salsa and Latin music CDs for Nascente Records. The first one, "Beginner's Guide To Salsa", has gone on to sell more than 50,000 copies, making it one of the biggest selling UK salsa CDs of all time! He has produced 7 CDs for the label, plus one for World Music Network, and in 2006, begins work compiling V2 Records from the back catalogue of the legendary Fania Records.
Over 23 years of work and commitment to Latin music and salsa, Lubi Jovanovic is one of the few UK pioneers still active professionally in the scene today. In 2005, he was honoured with a "Lifetime Achievement Award For Promoting Salsa" at the UK Salsa Congress.
Still as enthusiastic and loving it as much as he did back in the beginning when he first started spinning those classic Machito, Palmieri and Tito Puente vinyls in pubs and tiny clubs up in the North of England. For Lubi, it's all about the music - it alway has been and always will be.
Que Viva La Musica!
Gary Thomas
Gary is a well-respected, Midlands-based salsa/mambo instructor and DJ. He has been dancing for 8 years and is largely responsible for making New York On 2 style popular in the West Midlands. Whilst Gary has a special interest in New York style dance and has studied in New York under the guidance of the top On 2 instructors, he also dances and teaches Salsa On 1.
Gary has taught and DJed at numerous events around the UK and further afield including The British Congress 2002 and 2003 and The UK Congress 2004. Gary is currently resident DJ at Salsology, Manchester and for Latin Motion, Birmingham. www.mambosociety.com
Norman aka Sizzla
The combination of being an instructor, experienced dancer and an avid music fan gives his sets a fresh approach.
Influenced by various music genre during his youth(not so long ago) Jazz, R&B, Funk, Latin led to his current love, salsa An experienced on 1 and on 2 dancer he knows exactly what dancers of all abilities want to hear.
Sizzla is well know for his hardcore style for all the big salsa events. That said he’s able to read a crowd and play accordingly.
Sizzla is currently in demand and has been selected to play at all the UKs major salsa events.
Dj Ricardo
DJ Ricardo's interest in collecting Salsa/Latin music started back in 1988/9. He has since developed his own style and focused on "giving the dancers that something a little different" He has DJ'd in various countries, around Europe and has also DJ'd in the USA at the New York Salsa Congress'05 with Henry Knowles and Nelson Torres In 2004 he was also a DJ the Boston Salsa Congress USA. He has also appeared as guest DJ at many venues around the country for some of the top promoters; including DJ at the 2006 UK Salsa Congress. Favoured music styles are Old Skool New York Salsa, Mambo and Puerto Rican. (Heavy, Hard, & Dura) Ricardo also has a strong passion for collecting “rare” salsa LP’s, in particular Panamanian & Venezuelan labels …
Some of his favoured artists are Hector Rivera, Tito Rodriguez, Tito Allen, Justo Betancourt, Orlando Marin, Hector Lavoe...the list goes on! People often ask me “What’s your favourite track” I then reply “The one I just played” !!
Jose Luis
Coming soon ...
Dr Jim
Coming soon ...
Emma Moore
Emma's djing career began in 1992 playing house music at her first residency at Royal House in Bournemouth. She subsequently went on to resident DJ at Crunch in Birmingham, Culture at The Tall Trees in Yarm and Escape in Swansea, she headed the line-up on The Gift From The Gods Tour and was a regular Mastermixer for Galaxy 102 and 105.
Emma has played Latin sets since 2001 and is currently resident at Salsology, the UK's largest club night. Notably, Emma has been invited to guest DJ all over the UK and notably The British Congress, El Flamingo (NY), Babalu (NY) and Casa Latina (Leeds) among many others.
Emma plays a heady mix of dance-floor friendly tracks with a predominantly Nu-Yorican and Puerto-Rican bias.
DJ Tony ‘El Matador’ Lara - Voted Best DJ 2005 at the UK Congress
Plays a good uptempo mix of Dura with a touch of Romantica, Portorico with a flavour of Cuba, Old Classics with Modern Remixes.
His aim is to keep the dancefloor alive and Kicking. Tony says “I am an all round Latin DJ, I play music that is danceable and full of life. I don’t set my sight on genre I set it on what is soul moving”.
Barry G Barry plays a good mix of New York and Puerto Rican Salsa when playing for Salsology but has been fortunate to become resident DJ at other major Salsa events in the Northwest, in particular the popular Towering Inferno nights at Blackpool Tower where he plays a more varied mix of music to include Bachata Merengue and Cha-Cha.
Barry is a resident at Salsology events playing a more relaxed style of Salsa, Bachata and Salsa aimed at those less experienced dancers or for those who prefer a more relaxed style of dance.
Chris Mee Chris (aka DJ Mambomagic) plays a variety of music for all, but his heart lies in gritty urban salsa and brass laden big band sounds. In his quest to offer new musical experiences to the dancer he is always seeking out rare vinyl and out of print gems for his next set.
Though known for his hardcore salsa set's, Chris has played a range of events, from international salsa congresses to intimate latin clubs both home and abroad. Having played to both dancers and music aficionados he knows how to play to a varied crowd. Additionally, being able to see things from a dancers perspective he understands what keeps feet on the floor and works hard to keep the dancers "in the groove" all night..
What started as a record collecting obsession in his youth became a deep rooted passion for latin music. After a spell Dj'ing House music in his teens he swiftly moved on to latin music. Growing tired with some of the bland salsa releases of the early 90's, Chris acquired a taste for the urban salsa sounds of 60's and 70's New York, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.
Recent highlights for Chris include becoming a Salsology resident, playing at the New York Salsa Congress and running his club night 'Hattan Soul'. www.mambomagic.net
Mike Parr
Mike, along with Karen (AKA Salsaroja) is the co-founder of The Latin
Experience (http://www.thelatinexperience.com) Liverpool.
Mike‚s interest in salsa music started shortly after he began dancing
salsa, back in 1998/99. Since that time he has developed a passion for
Puerto Rican, Mambo and New York salsa music, although this is not to the
exclusion of other genre‚s of good quality salsa such as Cuban and
Columbian. That said Mike is able to read a dance floor and play
accordingly.
Some of Mikes favourite artists are Louie Ramirez, Orq‚ Mulenze, Bobby
Valentin and Sonora Poncena plus many others.
Over the last five/six years, Mike being both a dancer and DJ has gained a
reputation for giving dancers of all abilities and styles the music they
want to hear and dance to.
Mike has DJ‚d extensively in Liverpool (resident DJ at all The Latin
Experience Salsa parties), Manchester, Leeds, Blackpool Tower Inferno
events and in the east midlands, notably Nottingham and Derby.
Mike has also DJ‚d at various Club Cubana events held at Pontins and in
September 2006 he was the guest DJ at the 1st Latin Dance Cyprus Salsa
Festival held in Nicosia and Limassol.
