Timbales master Ralph Irizarry christened Lula Lounge three years ago and has honoured us with a visit each year since. Born in Spanish Harlem to Puerto Rican parents, Irizarry is a self-taught genius of percussion who has played with such giants as Sonora Ponceña, Cachao, Celia Cruz, Juan Luis Guerra, Ruben Blades and Ray Barretto.

This October he’ll introduce us to his latest musical venture -- the 10-piece NY salsa orchestra SonCafé. The 2005 release “Bailando con... Azucar!” simultaneously exhibits a sweet maturity and the cutting edge energy of a New York City power salsa band. Thesee shows will sell out so reserve early. Tickets on sale now. $35 in advance and more at the door.

It’s not too late to come and check out our Thursday summer series. Movimiento is a co-production by Small World Music and Lula Lounge that explores the next wave of the Nuevo Latino Movement. Upcoming shows include Brazilian drumming with Maracatu Nunca Antes, Colombian Wayové in their last concert before returning to Caregena, Sol Azul and Southbound2. The series goes out with a roar as Panamanian-born artist Fito Blanko returns to Lula Lounge to perform his international reggaeton hits. Each concert will be preceeded by an 8:30 screening of EMI Music’s definitive reggaeton documentary that features Don Omar, Tego Calderon, and Daddy Yankee.

Each Friday until August 19, Lula Lounge and Cristal present Cristal Cuban Fridays featuring the popular Café Cubano as well as seasoned singer and bandleader Evaristo Machado with his salsa orchestra. On Friday, August 19, Lula welcomes the very special guest Adonis Puentes. Lead singer of the popular duo The Puentes Brothers, Adonis makes his debut at Lula Lounge, to unveil music from his new solo album Vida. For those recently bitten by the salsa bug, we’ve lined up dance instructors from Mambo Tribe, Rhythm and Motion, iFreestyle.ca and more to help you master the salsa basics, check out a different style every week. $45 Dinner, dance lesson and show packages are also available every Friday.

You may already know that July and August are generally slow months for food bank contributions. In order to help Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank obtain the resources it needs over these summer months, we’re making Evaristo Machado’s concert on August 12 a fundraiser for the food bank. Daily Bread is dedicated to helping feed hungry people and ending the need for food banks. Through its member agencies, it distributes up to one million pounds of food each month to as many as 100,000 people. It advocates for changes to help people struggling with hunger through research and an annual survey conducted in food banks across the GTA. Print this paragraph and bring it to Lula Lounge on August 12th and Lula Lounge will donate $5 to the Daily Bread Food Bank when you pay our $10 cover. Admission includes the dance 9 pm beginner salsa lesson. Non-perishable food item donations are also encouraged.

Friday August 12: Evaristo Machado

Canadian Comedy Award Nominee Martha Chaves presents her hilarious, moving and poignant one-woman show work in progress, recounting her recent trip to her native Nicaragua which involved a public fight about poetry with the wife of the country’s “dictator in the making” accidentally “outing” an old friend and an earthquake happening right on the night of her first Stand-up comedy routine in Spanish, at a book launch. After offending several segments of the population and being told to go back where she came from, Martha wonders, where is it that I am from? Martha will present the show in Spanish at 8 pm and in English at 9:30. She swears it’s all-true (well, almost) and has video to support the account of her offenses.

Martha Chaves nos trae al Lula lounge un recuento de sus aventuras en su reciente viaje a Nicaragua. Después de 26 años de ausencia Martha va a Nicaragua a acompañar a la afamada escritora Nicaragüense Gioconda Belli a presentar su novela “El pergamino de la seducción” y a hacer “Stand-up” comedy en Español por primera vez. En el corto viaje, Martha hace temblar la tierra, ofende con su acto a viejos amores, a tíos, a amistades etc e involuntariamente se mete en un debate público acerca de la poesía de la mujer de un candidato a la presidencia y es acusada de que su humor es Anglosajón!!! Ironía porque en Canadá, es considerada humorista étnica Martha jura que casi todo es cierto y que tiene las pruebas de sus ofensas en video y periódicos.

Wednesday August 24: Martha Chaves

If you’re a big band romantic, do not miss the Toronto All-Star Big Band’s debut appearance at Lula Lounge on August 21st. Joined by legendary vocalist Tommy Ambrose, the Toronto All-Star Big Band will treat us its swinging tributes of the classics of the 1930's and 40's. There’ll be room to cut a rug so come and help us turn Lula Lounge into a dancehall of the beautiful big band era. The concert will benefit Hip Hip Hooray, an event of the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation. www.canorth.org

Sunday August 21: Toronto All-Star Big Band

Starting in September Lula Lounge will offer our dinner, dance lesson and show package in Spanish. Come and meet others learning Spanish and practice with native-Spanish speakers. We’re sure that a glass of red wine, some delicious food and great company will reveal that you know more Spanish than you think you do. All levels are welcome. Call Ines at 416 588 0307 for details.