Mambo on the Move - Coming to a PBS Station Near You!

Called "a splendid, warmly, richly informative account of history of culture," The Last Mambo — a documentary about the history and current state of salsa and Latin jazz in the Bay Area — is coming to a PBS station near you in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. First broadcast is right here in the Bay Area on KQED on September 29th!

If you missed it or your friends did, here's a chance to stream on PBS (or via the app on your smart TV).

"The Last Mambo"

“The Last Mambo” was inspired by my first trip to Havana in 1995, a city overflowing with conservatories, theaters and museums devoted to their music and dance heritage. My conversations with Olav Alén Rodriguez, a renowned Cuban ethnomusicologist, convinced me to explore and document Bay Area Latin music history.

The Last Mambo Trailer

SYNOPSIS

The Last Mambo is a feature documentary film that explores the unique heritage of the San Francisco Bay Area Salsa and Latin Jazz community. The Last Mambo profiles how this network of musicians created innovative approaches to Afro-Cuban based music. The Last Mambo profiles the performers and participants who transformed the art form into a social movement dedicated to integration, cultural preservation and music education.

Interviews with key musicians, D.J.s, and dancers highlight the resilience of this artistic collective as it struggles with 21st  century gentrification, social and economic change.  Overall commentary is  provided by Wayne Wallace(musician, educator), John Santos (musician, educator), Herman Bosset (dancer, community historian) and Jesse “Chuy” Varela (music historian and radio host). Put on your dance shoes, crank up the music and join us.