It's a breezy Friday night on Lincoln Road as two girls in miniskirts are sitting at a dinner table outside Tropical Cigars. There's the short, twentysomething Cuban lady chasing down a dollar bill after it slips off the table, while the middle-age Colombian hard body can't stop complaining about the unfriendly conditions that continue to play tricks with her hair. But just a few feet away inside the small, smoke-filled cigar bar and lounge, a man behind the microphone and sunglasses (that's right, sunglasses at night) stands in a far corner of the room, displaying an air of cool that borders on arrogance, a confidence usually reserved for old pros. He swings both arms towards the sky as he bounces to the music before making his way through the dance floor, acknowledging everyone he recognizes. He does all this while delivering a breathtaking rendition of Frankie Ruiz's "Mi Libertad" ("My Freedom"), spontaneously improvising lyrics over the familiar salsa rhythm and bringing the gathered... More >>>