From trumpet to tambora, Latin America's ten-piece musical dream-team, Los Excelentes, lands in Shanghai's Tropicana Restaurant & Club, with an aim to conquer. As the Latin beat continues to sweep the world pop scene, this explosive ensemble has begun to set Shanghai blood sizzling, using a plethora of authentic Latin spices. All band members hail originally from Venezuela, but the group boasts a versatility encompassing all Latin forms, from Cuban to Puerto Rican, Salsa to Meringue.

While the current constitution of Los Excelentes has functioned together for seven years, the band entity has existed for nearly 16 and has earned fighting reputation in Venezuela. In a land where salsa is in the blood, and competition fierce, Los Excelentes exemplified the cream of the crop, releasing 10 albums, and performing at large, public functions. "They weren't playing in little clubs," states Tropicana public relations and marketing manager Gerardo Imbaquingo, "they were playing for 20,000, 50,000 or more."

Los Excelentes remembers when China was a lofty dream.

"In Venezuela, China means the end of the world," says band leader Jorge Vivas, "you can't get further away ... We have always considered China a great civilization and have always thought of [China] as a developed country ... it has always been a dream of ours to come here [and spread Latin culture]." Though signed on for only six months with Tropicana, the ensemble has professed a tenacious ambition to stay until Latin music has taken root in the east. Jorge Vivas puts it most simply: "We want to conquer Asia with Latin music."

For those of us who are less at home among the palm trees and the margaritas, Los Excelentes brims with at least ten different, impassioned definitions of what Latin music is, or ought to be. All agree that the term is vast, encompassing geographical and cultural circles that span over a continent's breadth. Juan Carlos Barrios on drums maintains that the rhythmic element, derived from African drums, is of most importance, bestowing upon salsa the infectious dancing beat it is most famed for. Pedro Lopez on piano calls to attention the vast diversity of Latin Music, its roots in the Caribbean, South and Central America, its ties with Africa, and claims that its universal appeal and modern success story derives from its multi-national, multi-cultural heritage. Similarly, Los Excelentes maintains that it is Latin music's unbroken evolution in response to foreign contact and exchange that has kept it a cutting edge musical genre.

As for how China might be affecting the spicy formula, Los Excelentes declares Salsa to be the champ in China for the moment. But Cherlys Antich, dancer and vocalist for Los Excelentes, predicts a different future. "I think the Chinese will love Meringue," she says, laughingly, "I love Meringue. It is in my blood!" Imbaquingo agrees: "She is one hundred percent Meringue." Being the only woman in the ten-piece ensemble, Antich confesses to feeling like a "kitten in the corner" at times, but onstage maintains a fearlessness and fierceness that sets Tropicana boiling.

In fact, Shanghai's reception of the Latin beat has been hot from the beginning and heating up. Patrons at Tropicana are on average, half ex-pat and half-native, and all in the mood to boogie to the beat of Los Excelentes. The ensemble professes a particular fondness for their new-found Eastern crowds. "Chinese people feel [Latin rhythm] more," says one member. In the end, the ensemble sets their hopes on releasing a Chinese album while in Shanghai, and invites the city over to come and try their hand -- or their feet rather -- at moving to their groove. Maybe white men can't jump, but Los Excelentes maintains anyone can salsa.

Los Excelentes plays Sunday-Thursday 8pm-Midnight; Friday-Saturday 8pm-2am, and takes requests.

_Tropicana Restaurant and Club
8-9/F, 261 Sichuan Zhong Lu, near Hankou Lu
6329-2472_