Salsa Explosion
Saturday May 7, FCC Phnom Penh
Spawned by the 1920s folkloric Son Cubano, which fuses Spanish guitar with African rhythm and translates literally as 'Sound of Cuba', Salsa dancing swept the globe within a decade. And, like the sauce from which it derives its name, it remains one of the spiciest today. "Salsa is quite an intimidating dance," says Jimmy Campbell, the Salsa Explosion host. "It's very sensual; very exciting. There's a lot of energy around it. It's not like modern dance, where people don't even look at each other and there's no passion." Dancing starts at 8:30 p.m. No cover. See Strictly Salsa.
Ritchy & Phil
Fri-Sat May 27-28, FCC Phnom Penh
A fixture of the Phnom Penh music scene, Ritchy & Phil, the jazz duo from France, play nearly everything, including material from artists such as Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. They cover pop/rock artists such as Prince, U2 and Peter Gabriel. "That is the power of the duet," says Phil Javelle. "[Ritchie] takes care of the rhythm, and I take care of the harmonies. With that we can go anywhere." Both shows start at 8:30 p.m. No cover. See Jazz Crooners.