It's derived from the day's date in Japanese -- SAn, maRU, SAn, get it? -- but it's really just a good excuse for a party. And a party it will be. This year, the third annual event will showcase West Coast salsa phenomenon Johnny Polanco y Su Conjunto Amistad and feature the vocals of Ray De La Paz, one of the most renowned singers in modern salsa.
Polanco has been tearing up Latin clubs in Los Angeles for years. He's also garnered Latin Grammy nominations and appeared as a guest on major Latin CDs. Polanco is a master of the tres, a six-stringed instrument that creates the signature sound of son, the Cuban style of music that was the precursor of modern-day salsa.
In salsa bands, the harmonic tension of this taut, tangy "guitar" forms a central harmony floating over the intricate rhythms of the percussion section. Polanco draws his rhythms from Puerto Rican salsa, with plenty of Dominican and Cuban influences in the mix.