LOS ANGELES HAPPENINGS! HAVANA d' PRIMERA, CHANGUITO, CURUYE's ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, ORQUESTA ARAGÓN, JANE BUNNETT, CHUCHO VALDÉS, DAFNIS PRIETO, JUAN de MARCOS & AFRO CUBAN ALL STARS ...read on...!

Read the full report from Curuyé (Kay Torres) here....

FINALLY in LOS ANGELES!  The CONGA ROOM has officially announced ALEXANDER ABREU & HAVANA d' PRIMERA for a THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15 performance! THE BUZZ IS ON! Tix are only $20 now, but I've been advised those prices may go up closer to show date! For tix: www.congaroom.com. (Knowing that they'll be up in the Bay later in the month, I'll bet some Southern Californians won't be able to resist traveling north on that long Thanksgiving weekend for another hit of this awesome band!) 

Also in town this month and next is 'CHANGUITO' JOSÉ LUIS QUINTANA, Cuba's legendary percussionist, and one of LOS VAN VAN's founding musicians. On SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24 he'll be featured with the AFRO CUBAN JAZZ PROJECT which includes former MARACA trumpet player JOSIEL PÉREZ, along with FERMÍN SIFONTES on keyboards, SAWA PÉREZ on bass, BRIAN DE LA FÉ on congas at VITELLO's JAZZ & SUPPER CLUB in the Studio City area of L.A. 

Plus ORQUESTA ARAGÓN, RHAPSODY CUBANA ALEXANDER ABREU & HAVANA d' PRIMERA DAFNIS PRIETO's PROVERB TRIO, JUAN de MARCOS &  the AFRO CUBAN ALL STARS 

Read the full report from Curuyé (Kay Torres) here....

leave a comment

continue reading Pa' Ponerte en Talla

Is it coincidence or is there some greater plan at work? I will be arriving in Colorado on November 24th and it just so happens that on November 25th the Boulder Theater in my hometown of Boulder, Colorado will be hosting a concert by the timba band La Maquinaria featuring Calixto Oviedo ! Now who would have expected that Calixto and I who both live in Stockholm would also run into each other in Boulder of all places? It must be fate. It is a thrill to know I will finally be able to enjoy timba right there at home! See you at Boulder Theater on November 25th!

leave a comment

continue reading Timbera Mayor

Thank YouTube for making it possible for us to share in great musical moments like this performance of the classic "Te gusto o te caigo bien" by Osvaldo Chacón ! This was the title track from Bamboleo's first CD,  and it is a prefect example of what timba is all about. Chacón keeps it just as fresh today as it was in 1996. The video was filmed with a percussion-eye view from right behind the bassist, so it's a special  treat for rhythm section fans. I hope he can set up a European tour one of these days so I can catch him live! Or maybe I'll be making a 2013 timba trip to London...Enjoy!

Osvaldo Chacón sings his timba classic "Te gusto o te caigo bien"

leave a comment

continue reading Timbera Mayor

Attention Cuban music fans: Descemer Bueno is celebrating the release of his new CD "Bueno" with the event of the season! The concert, titled Descemer Bueno & Friends, will take place at 8:00pm October 19th at the Dade County Auditorium . Why do I say it will be the event of the season? Check out the list of artists! In addition to Descemer you have Jorge Villamizar, Kelvis Ochoa, Buena Fe and Omar Hernández Jr. plus special guests Haila and Baby Lores. Get your tickets to Descemer Bueno & Friends now!

The guest list reflects the new album on which Descemer collaborated with many of Cuba's most popular and innovative young artists. The CD is a Caribbean mix of alternative rock, ballads, boleros, salsa and bachata. "Lloro por ti", which he recorded with Alaín Daniel, is the only salsa track.

Track list: You can purchase "Bueno" now at iTunes. 

For your viewing and listening pleasure, here is the groundbreaking video "Ser de sol"  that Descemer filmed with Buena Fe this summer.

Descemer Bueno & Buena Fe "Ser de sol"

leave a comment

continue reading Timbera Mayor