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Miguel Mambo DeLeon Teams up with UMKC Jazz

Miguel DeLeon's new album Pasiones Del Alma finds the "Mambo man" in a bit of a contemplative mood. But he never strays too far from his love of dance music.

By Susan B. Wilson

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/national/local-national-939882.mp3

Kansas City, MO – Miguel "Mambo" DeLeon has been shaking hips in Kansas City and beyond for more than 20 years. He's opened for Sting as well as many Latin music legends, including Tito Puente and Willie Colon.

In recent years, he's teamed up to perform with salsa great and Fania All-Star Larry Harlow and he's been recruiting UMKC jazz students and grads to work as musicians and composers in his band.

Miguel DeLeon recently told KCUR's Susan Wilson about his signature move of dancing while playing timbales.

This story was produced for KC Currents. To listen on your own schedule, subscribe to the KC Currents Podcast.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Susan admits that her “first love” was radio, being an avid listener since childhood. However, she spent much of her career in mental health, healthcare administration, and sports psychology (Susan holds a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Bloch School of Business at UMKC.) In the meantime, Wilson satisfied her journalistic cravings by doing public speaking, providing “expert” interviews for local television, and being a guest commentator/contributor to KPRS’s morning drive time show and the teen talk show “Generation Rap.”
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