ENGLISH:
During Cubadisco 2014, EGREM was kind enough to give me permission to photograph NG La Banda and Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco in the Casa de la Música Miramar.  The Casas are one of the best options for tourists to enjoy some of the best current Timba bands. You can view the photo gallery here. 

Also, see the Reviews section for new reviews of recordings by NG La Banda, Elito Reve y su Charangón and Moncada. 

ESPAÑOL: 
Durante Cubadisco 2014, EGREM tuvo la amabilidad de darme permiso para fotografiar NG La Banda y Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco en la Casa de la Música Miramar. Las Casas son una de las mejores opciones para los turistas a disfrutar de los mejores grupos que tocan la Timba en la actualidad. Puede ver la galería de fotos aquí. 

Además, vea la sección Reseñas para nuevas reseñas de grabaciones de NG La Banda, Elito Revé y su Charangon y Moncada. 

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This one covers the early history of the bass tumbao up through 1950 and Arsenio Rodríguez. Lots of interesting stuff on changüí.

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This is flat-out one of the hottest things I've ever seen. It's probably February 1997 but I'm not sure. Pututi II looks a bit older than he does here. Apparently Pututi I, who was playing drumset on the Marianao video, was out sick with la gripa, so his brother, who normally played timbales, had to play both drums and timbales on short notice. This is itself is not such a feat - many bands, like Van Van and el Trabuco, require their drummers to do this every night, but to do it on the fly - and to do it like THIS is just mind-boggling. Pututi II, and the güiro player, and the whole band, are just out of their minds. I saw Manolín at this same Quinta Avenida outdoor nightclub the very first night I ever spent in Cuba (Feb. 1999) - a concert that led to the creation of timba.com (and the loss of my sanity). There was something truly magical about that outdoor venue that seemed to set every band on fire. The camera stays on the percussion but if you listen carefully you can hear that Issac Delgado is sitting in on two songs.

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This video captures the rapture of the Havana public during the Manolin-mania period better than any other I've found. It took place at the massive, outdoor Anfeteatro de Marianao in 1996 as el Médico and his crack surgical team were in the process of pouring an ocean of kerosene on Havana's already raging live music scene. It's also priceless for its documentation of the wicked hot rhythm section of Mipa, Nápoles and the Pututi brothers.

This reconstruction uses film from the cameras of two participants in Caribbean Music & Dance Programs' yearly February pilgrimages to Havana. The main camera is by Michael Croy, who, among other things, filmed the legendary Issac Delgado Valentine's Day concert the following February. I forgot who sent me the other angle (please send me an email if you're reading this!), but I've spliced them together, in some cases repeating sections. 

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