Noche Latina

Meet Our Noche Latina DJs

Michael Luis

Xavier 

I am from Ecuador, but I have been living in the United States for the past five years.  In Ecuador, I am an attorney and here in the States I am co owner and business manger for a nutrition practice in Ithaca.  But my real passion in life has always been music.  All music: rock, blues, folk, jazz.  It has always been a part of my life, if not, at many times, the totality of it. 

Music has permeated my life for as far back as I can remember.  When I was growing up, we always had music playing at home.  My father’s method of waking us up on Saturdays was to play ‘boleros’ by Jose Jose and Los Panchos.  My father loved boleros!  As a child I hated it, all I wanted was to be able to sleep in, but now, every time I hear this ‘cheesy’ romantic music it transports me back to my childhood and I can’t get enough of it.  Music infused my existence.  Everybody in my family played an instrument or sang.  As children, music lessons were mandatory.  Singing, dancing and music were part of every family party. 

Eventually, I played in several bands in Ecuador.  My band in Ecuador mostly plays blues and rock but when Ruben Blades visited Ecuador I had a chance to jam with his musicians, which was simply amazing.  And, if you are Ecuadorian, you dance.   When I was younger it was merengue and cumbia and then I discovered salsa.  Oh salsa!  I remember listening to Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades, the Latin Brothers and Henry Fiol’s Classic Salsa.  I was hooked!  I am fortunate to have been able to dance at what I believe to be one of the finest, most beautiful salsa clubs in the world, Seseribo, in Quito, Ecuador.  A place where art by Stornaiolo and Monsalve lines the walls and the salsa is exquisite.  My favorite part of the evening has always been at the end of the night when the DJ will play Oriente.  I love those first piano notes and the way the band joins in.  I try to play it at the end of the night at Oasis.  I had the privilege of being asked to spin some music a couple of times at Seseribo (a great honor given that the likes of Celia Cruz and Tito Puente have played there). 

About a year ago, I began to DJ at Common Ground and have had the good fortune to continue, as it became Oasis.  I bring my love for music to Tuesday nights at Oasis.  I am always looking for new music to play and I hope to infuse the dancers in Central New York with my love for classic and contemporary salsa, merengue and bachata and share with them my passion for the beauty, rhythms and sensuality of this music.

Vic Rosa 

Today I find myself waking up to SALSA. Scrambling my morning eggs to SALSA.  Going to and coming from work with the sounds of SALSA.  It's SALSA, day in and day out.  As far back as I can remember; It's pre school and I'm sitting on the floor playing with my choo - choo train on a small circular track while singing Latin tunes coming out of our radio.

Growing up in the lower west side of Manhattan, I was the one with the portable radio.  Singing every tune that was played.  Being able to remember the tunes I heard, I sang in a doo - wop group. Buying records and playing them at our Community Center dances.  In my teen years we moved to the Bronx.  Mesmerized by what I saw and heard, I was drawn to the parks by the sounds of Conga drums.  I knew right then, that that's what I wanted to do. I bought myself a set of drums and practiced playing at home with records, especially with the music of the Joe Cuba Sextet.  Soon I was participating in jam sessions in the parks too.  Then I felt right at home playing with bands.  We played a live Spanish TV show.  Did a live concert gig at the then famous THEATRO PUERTO RICO in the Bronx.  Went into the night club business, still providing music to the masses. 

Today I'm living my ultimate dream; producing and hosting my own radio shows.  Playing the best Salsa of today and classics of yesterday on "RITMO LATINO" WICB 91.7 fm, Saturdays from 7pm till 10pm out of Ithaca, New York and on the web at www.wicb.org.  And also, live on internet radio, "Picando Duro" La Casa De La Mejor Salsa at www.truefireradio.net Mondays from 7pm till 9pm. 

Always playing the music that's embedded in my soul, Salsa.  As icing on the cake, I'm DJing in and around Central New York, still providing music to the masses.  Today I'm back into playing the conga drums.  A few friends and I formed a Latin group. We call ourselves "Los Soneros."  Hopefully, together we can make a name for ourselves.  I'm so grateful that I can continue to bring happy moments to people's lives through music.  "QUE VIVA LA SALSA!"