There's still an avalanche of photos from SJ Jazz to come, but for today, we have Roberto Roena and Joe Bataan at Stern Grove (with opening act Vieux Farka Toure) and Conjunto Chappottín at Santa Cruz's Kuumbwa Jazz Center.

Joe Bataan with Roberto Roena

Roberto Borrell (playing clave) with Conjunto Chappottín

leave a comment

continue reading La Última

Club Fox in Redwood City, located next to the Fox Theater, was on fire Friday night August 15 when Hermán Olivera took the stage with Orquesta Taíno. Olivera has a new album out, “La Voz del Caribe,” which was recorded with Venezuelan musicians. Taíno played Olivera’s difficult charts with a solid groove. Percussion was tight and the three-trombone horn section did very well, with some solos reminiscent of Barry Rogers or Juan Pablo Torres. [click to continue reading ...]

leave a comment

continue reading La Última

In exactly one month on September 18 Buena Fe will return to Miami Dade County Auditorium, the site of their remarkable 2013 sold-out release concert for the CD "Dial" . This year Cuba's favorite pop-rock duo will bring the complete Havana experience including their horn section and a trio of strings. The concert will be an unprecedented audiovisual event combining the music of Buena Fe with clips that have marked Cuban cinema over the years, including "Memorias del Subdesarrollo" (ICAIC 1968), "Casa Vieja" (ICAIC 2010), "Habanastation" (ICAIC 2011), "Animados de Juan Padrón" (1981-2010), "Jose Martí, El ojo del canario" (ICAIC 2010) and "Cuba Va!" (ICAIC 1971) among others. Buena Fe sold out all 2500 seats last year so don't wait to get your tickets on sale now at Ticketmaster! 

If you're not familiar with Buena Fe I can summarize by saying that while they are generally classified as pop-rock, their arrangements also include fusions with son, conga, changüí, rumba and even with classical pieces such as Lecuona's "La comparsa" and Leo Brouwer's "Un día de noviembre".  But me the most outstanding aspect of the band is the lyrics. To learn more you can start by checking out their section here at Timba.com. They also have their own homepage and a very active and interactive Facebook page. 

Or maybe I should just let the music speak for itself. Here is the video for "La culpa" from the 2013 CD "Dial".

leave a comment

continue reading Timbera Mayor

When Timberos attack: DJ Fernando Cuban Mix (L) and Master of Ceremonies Frank Camacho (R)

ENGLISH: The party seriously came alive Saturday afternoon at Festival Cubano.   Our friends in Cuba will enjoy learning that Dj Fernando Cuban Mix played Havana d'Primera's Me dicen cuba (and the audience loved it), and Sureya included Juan Formell's Aquí se enciende la candela in her segment   I'll have a story and photos next week, the news du jour is that Festival Cubano goes out to the whole world today.  If you want to watch in Beijing or Vladivostok, there should be a video link on the Festival Cubano website starting at 1600 Coordinated Universal Time (11am in the US) and going until close of festival. Another video link is www.frecuenciaoye.com  AND, from 1600-1700 UTC (11am-Noon Central US), there will be a special edition of Sábados de Fiesta (WCGO AM 1590)  live from the festival.  Must- see TV: Palo! at 23:30 UTC (6:30pm central US).  Must-hear radio:  Sabados de Fiesta at 4pm UTC (11am Central US).

Sureya starts a fire. 

ESPAÑOL:  La fiesta cobró vida en serio la tarde del sábado en el Festival Cubano. Nuestros amigos en Cuba disfrutarán aprendiendo que Dj Fernando Mix cubano pusó Me dicen Cuba por Havana d'Primera (y el público se lo encantó), y Sureya incluyó  "Aquí se Enciende la candela" por Juan Formell en su segmento.  Yo tendré una historia y fotos la próxima semana, lo nuevo es que hoy, Festival Cubano  se transmite para el mundo entero.  Si usted quiere mirar en Beijing o Vladivostok, debe haber un enlace de vídeo en el sitio  web del Festival Cubano a partir de las 16:00 Tiempo Universal Coordinado (11am Centro en los EE.UU.) y se va hasta el cierre del festival. Otro enlace de video es www.frecuenciaoye.com , Y,  4-5 UTC (11am-Mediodía Centro de Estados Unidos), habrá una edición especial de Sábados de Fiesta (WCGO AM 1590) en directo desde el festival.  "Hay que ver" TV:  Palo! a las 11:30 pm UTC (6:30 pm Centro) "Hay que escuchar" radio: Sábados de Fiesta.

leave a comment

continue reading Sin Clave No Hay Na