Alfredo Rodríguez CD Review

Click here for Tom Ehrlich's review of Alfredo Rodríguez' amazing new album Sounds of Space.

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Saturday, 28 August 2010, 02:37 AM

Peter Maiden, whose photo for "Live in the USA"...

... resulted in one of the all-time classic timba album covers, has a new gallery from the group's recent San Francisco tour.

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Friday, 30 July 2010, 03:58 AM

Michel Pérez with Pupy y Los Que Son Son - Yoshi's - Photo by Tom Ehrlich

Tom Ehrlich has added another gallery from Pupy y Los Que Son Son's recent Bay Area tour.

Coming soon - photos from Revé, Los Terry, and the Afro-Cuban All-Stars. You can also see a lot of photos by Tom and Gimena Berenguer in BSP 9.

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Wednesday, 28 July 2010, 07:58 PM

Beyond Salsa Piano, Vol. 9 hard-copy -- eBook and audio files

At 130 pages, this is by far the most ambitious volume to date of the Beyond Salsa Piano series, almost twice as long as the other Melón volumes. It begins with the easiest Melón tumbao, Catalina, and simplifies it a step further with an introductory chapter on the time-honored I-IV-V-IV chord progression. But the gloves come off in Chapter 3. Since the series is chronological, this final volume contains Melón's most advanced work with Issac Delgado and goes on to cover the music he's recorded in Spain, including Me falta la Habana with Manolín and the amazing Movimiento from his 2010 CD Travesía.

There are also extensive chapters on Melón's playing on two Issac masterpieces which were only played live: La competencia (Hit Parade), and my all-time favorite piano tumbao, the legendary La temática.

The most dramatic difference between this volume and the eight that preceded it is the inclusion of cuerpos, mambos and transitions. On three songs, Se te fue la mano, Con la punta del pie, and La soga, we provide a full written part for everything Melón plays up to the improvisational open montuno section.

I'm already deeply embroiled in writing Volumes 10, 11 and 12 on Pupy Pedroso , and Volumes 1, 2 and 3 of Inside Cuban Percussion, featuring the amazing Calixto Oviedo . The long-awaited video product of Melón is still on the back burner, but the video has already been shot for Calixto - and it's amazing -- so the video will be part of the initial launch of the Calixto project. Drummers have been bugging me to do something like this ever since the first Tomás Cruz Conga Method came out in 2005. The wait will soon be over, guys, but start practicing your perididdles and 7-stroke rolls, because Calixto is going to rock your worlds!

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Friday, 23 July 2010, 07:10 AM

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photos by Sue Taylor (also studio, food, chauffeur services, moral support ...)

For all of you who have been asking for instructional material for musicians other than pianists and congueros, your prayers will soon be answered, with Calixto Oviedo playing the role of God. After three days of filming I have enough material for at least three mind-bending volumes to launch the Inside Cuban Percussion series. We also planned the NG La Banda Reunion Tour (someone needs to tell El Tosco!).

Calixto with Carlos Caro and Jesús Díaz

It took about 10 seconds for word of Calixto's presence to reach every percussionist in the Bay Area and the filming was attended by such luminaries as Carlos Caro, Jesús Díaz and the legendary Walfredo de los Reyes, all of whom were as knocked out as I was. (Click "continue reading" for much more).

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Sunday, 18 July 2010, 03:14 PM

ACAS had a capacity crowd of North Coast Yuppies dancing their asses off. This concludes their short 12-stop tour. More soon, and more photos from Tom Ehrlich coming.

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Thursday, 15 July 2010, 11:44 PM

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photo by Tom Ehrlich

One of the classic lineups for one of the classic bands of all time, one night only in New York City. It's rare that for any band -- even Revé over it's 55 year history -- to achieve the level of chemistry that the current incarnation of el Charangón has achieved. It's truly hitting on all cylinders. If you miss this you'll be kicking yourself for years. They're doing at least 5 songs from the new album, De qué estamos hablando, which is easily among the best of the 2000s thus far and a brilliant cross-section of the very best of the previous two albums and the previous 5 decades.

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Tuesday, 13 July 2010, 07:57 PM

Aragón is next up in 2010's string of historic performances.

I've created a special section for tour news .

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Tuesday, 13 July 2010, 02:05 AM

photo by Peter Maiden - by permission from Fuego Entertainment

Here's Peter Maiden's gallery from the first SF show - more coming from Tom Ehrlich in due time.

This Saturday, July 17th, Revé takes their unbelievably great show to SOB's.

The songs from the new album, De que estamos hablando are instant classics and had San Francisco singing along on the first hearing. With his third classic masterpiece in succession (Se sigue comentando, Fresquecito, De que estamos hablando), Elito Revé has proven once and for all that he's inherited his father's genius for putting together historically great groups. This current incarnation of the band can stand up beside any of its illustrious predecessors - one of the best rhythms sections ever, possibly the best horn section ever, and four great singers who work perfectly together, while presenting four very different and compelling personalities. All perfectly in sync with a genius musical director in the person of Aisar Hernández. Don't miss the chance to hear this group.

And hey, New York - I'm talkin' to you! Get off your butts. San Francisco sold out three nights straight - you should be able to sell out one on a Saturday night, eh? It's no wonder the Giants and Dodgers moved out here.

After New York, it's on to Miami and Tampa .

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Saturday, 10 July 2010, 06:17 AM

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(photos by Peter Maiden - photo permission courtesy of Fuego Entertainment)

Click Continue Reading Below for More Photos by Peter Maiden

Where has THIS band been all my life? I waited a long to finally hear them (a whole lot of people in the crowd said those exact words), and it was well worth it. Everyone was in heaven.

They're back tonight Saturday (8:00 and 10:00) and tomorrow Sunday (matinee at 5:00, 2nd show at 7:00) Yoshi's San Francisco. Don't even THINK about missing this people. The second Friday show sold out, so don't wait too long.