OMG it's only a radio spot but it's a start!  New York's top latin music FM radio station is running a 30 second ad for the June 16 / Copacabana Timba Mega Concert in New York. Listen to it on RADIO TIMBA or click on the link below...

listen to the La Mega 97.9 Timba Mega Concert radio spot

Also in the news in New York....
Benefit concert for reknown bassist Rubén Rodríguez -- "bassist Rubén Rodríguez is in need of a touch from above. He's to undergo surgery to remove fluid from a partially collapsed lung. His situation is challenging to say the least. Let's keep this brother in our thoughts and prayers. There will be some fundraisers happening in the NYC area.  We LOVE you RUBEN!!" -- posted by fellow musician Ray Vega on Facebook

This benefit concert will take place Wednesday, June 6th at TIAN at the Riverbank. Enter Riverbank State Park @ 145th Street, New York City

Call (212) 234 1023 for tix.

Changüí Festival Begins in Guantanamo Province (Cuba) -- Featured at the event is Cuban bassist and composer Juan Formell, who took his first steps in music, in the orchestra of the late musician Elio Reve, precursor of the traditional rhythm that swept Cuba and the world. In addition to the expected concerts, the festival will celebrate the world's longest changüí with 40 Cuban groups that will make that music sound continuously for 24 hours, starting next June 2. Dancers will enjoy concerts of Juan Formell and Los Van Van, who will share the stage for the first time in that locality with the hosts of the event, the orchestra of Elito Revé.  source

7 Days in Havana film debuts at the Cannes Film Festival -- There's a new movie out bankrolled by Havana Club (the rum-makers) that features 7 distinct episodes. The first one, called "El Yuma", was directed by Benicio del Toro (a story about a dim tuorist that hooks up with a transvestite). While the movie was mostly panned (a not-so-glaring review), it has Alexander Abreu appearing as a chauffeur / musician in the second episode entitled "Jam Session". The participation of our favorite trumpeter and band leader cought our collective eye.  source

Excellent jazz history retrospective of another 7 days in Havana -- check out this great Havana report from jazz history buff Alex Ariff on behalf of WBGO 88.3 FM in New jersey. Great commentary and pictures with sound clips. Featured a look inside EGREM studios and an inside peek on a recording session with piano legen Frank Emilio Flynn.  check it out here

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Celia Cruz was the winner of the recent public vote for a special historical portrait to be exhibited by the Smithsonian.    The Smithsonian still seeks your comments about Celia Cruz and the project.   To read their announcement, click here...  

Celia Cruz fue la ganadora de la reciente votación del público para un retrato especial para ser exhibido en el museo.   El Smithsonian  sigue buscando  sus comentarios acerca de Celia Cruz y este proyecto.   Para leer su anuncio,  haga clic aquí...

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A big thank you to Lani Milstein for keeping us up-to-date on what is happening in Timba Canada! Here is her report on the recent concert with Pupy y Los Que Son Son featuring Mayito & Tania!

May 19th was a fantastic explosion of great timba in Toronto, thanks to cubaintoronto.com, Casineros Unidos and Lula Lounge’s Lulaworld Festival, who presented Pupy y los que son son at The Phoenix Concert Theatre. The evening began with rising star DJ Bernal, who spun the latest and greatest timba, and the show kicked off with a dance performance by Afrolatino Dance Company. This was followed by a very special performance for Yemaya, by Melissa Noventa, in honour of the late icon and friend to many in Cuban music, Billy Bryans, who we lost recently to cancer. Billy had been a co-producer of many Cuban concerts in Toronto, and was perhaps Canada's key proponent of Cuban music. He is greatly missed by all!

Cesar “Pupy” Pedroso y los que son son blessed the Toronto crowd with an electrifying concert, adding a special twist: invited guests Mayito Rivera and Tania Pantoja. You can imagine how those vocal duels went, right? Electrifying de verdad! Mayito singing with Pupy sounded, well, just like Van Van. Pupy’s band was in top form and has such a youthful energy (Bombon is truly an animal.) The crowd was loving every minute and they played for almost 3 hours- right up until around 2:30am, when the soundman pulled the plug. Noise curfew! Oh, Canada…

No matter! The fun continues June 15th with Gente de Zona and their 12-piece band feat. El Micha and Yulien Oviedo, at the Opera House in Toronto. Presented by the Cubaneando festival, once again Toronto will prove itself as one of the greatest hotbeds of Cuban music in North America, as timberos, casineros and la farandula que tu conoces come out to break it down, Torontón style.

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Volume 7 of Beyond Salsa Bass is out in both hard-copy and eBook, with accompanying audio and video.  Volume 7 is the second installment of a 4-volume study of the style of Alain Pérez, one of the most talented bassists, composers and arrangers of modern Cuban music. The bass series follows the piano series exactly, covering the same songs, now from the perspective of the bassist. Both the notes and the percussive sounds that he uses to create his funky style. This volume features a 19 page bass transcription of "Por qué paró" (as made famous by Issac Delgado). There are corresponding audio and video products for each volume.

Volume 7 covers two of Delgado's greatest live timba arrangements: "Por qué paró" and "Luz viajera". The piano and bass parts are drawn from extended live performances at the legendary Palacio de la Salsa nightclub in the Hotel Riviera on the Malecón. This is the seventh book in a instructional series set to become the new standard for contemporary Latin bass styles. 154 pages (154 páginas) with 25 audio tracks (25 pistas).

Alain is playing tonight Thursday - 3 shows ($15 for the whole night) at Zinc Bar in NY.

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