FANIA: Is there a lot of Salsa music and Salsa dancers in Germany? What cities? How is the scene?

YES! Germany is totally crazy & mad about Salsa! From Northern Germany´s sea-side down to the mountains in Bavaria, Germany is on1 or on2 ;-) New York Style, LA Style and more! Big cites like Berlin or Munich offer a 7 days a week possibility do dance & listen to Salsa…

FANIA: How is a Salsa event in Germany? Everybody go just to dance? Are they host in big clubs?

Salsa is big in Germany & all over Europe. Each weekend something goes on from parties in small clubs or dance school socials up to big festivals & congresses. There is lack of good live music at most of those events but it´s getting better with the time…

FANIA: When did your love for Salsa star and how did you get into being a Salsa dj?

I started Djing during high school, playing records at school events & parties, later in a youth club around the block, then is small clubs but back the days I basically played dance & club music. I came in contact with Salsa & Latin music in ´99 during a visit at my grandparent’s home in Dominican Republic. Where people dance & listen to all kinds of Latin music on the streets…

FANIA: Who is your favorite Fania artist? Have you had the chance to meet any of them?

Same as with the question about the tracks I need to say that I like lots of FANIA artists but especially I adore the legendary ‘New Swing Sextet’ for their vibe based swinging Mambo/Salsa music. I love the 70s Fania All Stars but never had the chance to see them live.

During the past years I could meet some true Salsa legends. I have been to concerts and even have worked together with some of them. Willie Colon, The New Swing Sextet, Cheo Feliciano, La Sonora Poncena and Ray De La Paz, just to name the most important…

I met ‘La Sonora Ponceña’ with all 4 Singers in Los Angeles as well as I met ‘Cheo Feliciano’ in Switzerland, one of the most incredible personalities I ever met.

FANIA: What Fania tracks are the ones that you like djing and make people dance the most?

Mhhhh, very difficult to reduce it to ‘just’ some songs, cause Fania is really a big big thing to me and Fania released so much great music in it’s era that I even don’t know all songs ;-) Please take those songs as an example of my musical style…

Cheo Feliciano - GuaguancóTe Dedicó

Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe – Que Lío

Tommy Olivencia - Como Cambia El Tiempo

Eddie Palmieri - Bailare Tu Son

Tito Puente - Que Bueno Baila Usted

Machito – El Santo En Nueva York

La Sonora Ponceña - Prende El Fogón

Tito Allen – Para Los Bravos

The New Swing Sextet – Son Sabrosón

Hope you like this little selection! A DJ Dave exclusive…hehe…LOL

Por fin I would like to thank FANIA & Codigo for the opportunity to do this interview, hope to see you guys soon!

Paz y Mambo,

DJ DAVE from Germany

LINKS to DJ Dave: http://www.facebook.com/salsadjdave

OFFICIAL page of DJ Dave: http://www.dj-dave.de

Check out this video of Salsa dancers in Germany!