Videography by Tom Ehrlich of http://timba.com
Mastering by Michael Lazarus of http://latinmusicmastering.com

New song by Alexander Abreu & Havana D' Primera called "Rosa La Peligrosa", which will be included in their third album. One peculiarity of this song is that during the main coro section Alexander and the other singers lift one fist and turn, as if they were revving up a motorcycle. You will see it when they sing "Trabájala" (for example at 4:58).

Special thanks to Lisa Bautista and Jessi Abraham of Yoshi's San Francisco http://yoshis.com/sanfrancisco

Alexander Abreu - leader, vocals, trumpet
Tony Rodríguez - piano
Avis Tobías - bass
Harold Díaz Escobar - teclado
Keisel Jiménez - drums/percussion
Guillermo del Toro Varela - drums/percussion
Mauricio Gutiérrez Upman - drums/percussion
Amaury Pérez Rodríguez - trombone
Jannier Rodríguez - coro
Enrique Luis Pérez - coro
Rogelio Nápoles - guitar
Uyuni Martínez Romero - trumpet
Orlando Jesús Vázquez - trumpet
Angel Batule - sound engineer

Tema nuevo de Alexander Abreu y Havana D' Primera titulado "Rosa La Peligrosa", que será incluido en su tercer disco. Una peculiaridad del tema es que cuando cantan el coro principal Alexander and y los coristas suben un puño y lo tiercen, como si estuvieran acelerando una motora. Lo verás cuando cantan "Trabájala" (por ejemplo a los 4:58).

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UPDATE: HdP in Santa Cruz tonight at Kuumbwa, 7:00 and 9:00 - Tom's and Peter's Mayimbe photos are now complete: Tom Ehrlich Mayimbe - Peter Maiden Mayimbe 

DE LA HABANA A PERÚ... People of New York and New Jersey, after a truly INCREDIBLE and intense timba weeked in the San Francisco Bay Area. the word is BE READY! Havana D Primera is absolutely on fire with new material like "Rosa La Peligrosa" and Mayimbe is being welcomed with open arms, as this is the first time they come to the US. 

click here for tickets
oprima aquí para comprara boletos

S.O.B.s (Sounds Of Brazil)
200 Varick Street, Basement 
New York, NY 10014
212 -243-4940

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Serious students of the music and musicians with a sense of history already know why this is important. For those who aren't familiar with Arsenio, he was merely one of the most transformative figures in the history of Cuban popular music in the 20th Century.  You can read more about him and his many musical innovations in Kevin Moore's Roots of Timba article here. Arsenio did not die wealthy, and for decades his legacy was often neglected except by the many musicians who used his ideas and his music.  This honor is both appropriate and long overdue. 

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A lot of exciting things for US listeners are coming soon:

Chucho Valdés will be touring the United States in support of the release of his latest CD with the Afro-Cuban Messengers , Border-Free .   This is a killer recording, and you can read our review here. The following US Tour dates have been announced:
June 21:  The Town Hall, New York, NY
Aug 10:  Stanford Jazz / Bing Concert Hall, Stanford, CA
Aug 13:  Miller Outdoor Theatre, Houston, TX
Aug 14:  Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA

Although the López-Nussa family may not have the same level of name recognition as the Valdés family in the United States, it's not for lack of merit.  Two of them, Harold López-Nussa and his brother Ruy Adrian López-Nussa , are touring the US as a duo in June. You can read our review of Harold's wonderful 2011 recording El País de la Maravillas here. The following dates have been posted for that tour: 
June 12: Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz, CA
June 13-16:  SFJAZZ Center, San Francisco, CA
June 18: Jazz Standard, New York, NY
June 19: An die Music, Baltimore, MD
                                               June 21: Regattabar, Cambridge, MA
(also scheduled at Montreal Jazz Festival, July 1)

In other news, Manuel Valera is finishing up another New Cuban Express recording in New York. The last one, which knocked our socks off,  was nominated for a GRAMMY in Latin Jazz last year along with a Cubadisco 2013 nomination in the same category.  Manuel tells us that the group will include mostly the same personnel as the first recording plus additional percussion and may be "perhaps even more Cuban".  We can't wait to hear this!

Over the weekend, we caught the Chuchito Valdés Trio in Chicago. These guys have some serious chemistry going on, and if they should happen to drop in on your town, check them out.  A review and photo gallery are here. 

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