Interview with Maykel Blanco

Maykel Blanco / Su Salsa Mayor @Electric Brixton Maykel Blanco @Electric Brixton
Photo courtesy of Maykel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor

Maykel Blanco & Su Salsa Mayor are winding down what has been an outstanding tour here in Europe. They are performing tonight in Bayonne, France and still have concerts in Italy, Switzerland and Belgium. They are closing out the tour in style with special guest Maykel Fonts at the Latinoamericando concert in Milan on June 30th and at the Geneva concert on July 5th. If you have any vacation time coming, make sure you don't miss these rare opportunities to see the Maykel x 2 live performance of their hit "Dale lo que lleva". Click here to see the tour dates.

Maykel took time out of his busy tour schedule to answer a few questions about the tour and the future as well as to comment on the passing of Juan Formell. Click here to read the interview in English.

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viernes, 27 junio 2014, 08:32 am

Elito Revé y su Charangón, La Aplanadora de Cuba, have released the final master of the brilliant hit song "Muévete pa'quí". The original version with lead vocals by Hector Valentín was released in 1999 on Elito's first CD as director of the orchestra following the death of his father: "Changüí en Casa de Nora". The remake features Puerto Rican superstar Gilberto Santa Rosa on vocals. Wow! I will admit that I have always thought of his vocal stylings as more suited to salsa romantica, but that smooth voice of his works fine with the hardcore charangón changüí-timba. He is known for his talent as a sonero and his güías with La Revé are a credit to his talent. This song is destined to be an international hit, that will hopefully make more "regular salsa" fans open up a bit more to Cuban music. The version that leaked out four months ago has already become a dance-floor favorite.

Elito Revé & La Aplanadora de Cuba "Muévete pa'quí" is part of the 2-CD set "La Aplanadora de Cuba", that was released in Cuba at a gala concert in La Tropical on June 22nd. Hopefully it will soon be available outside Cuba via the usual on-line vendors. In case you've been under a rock for the past year, the album contains 24 songs: twelve new songs and twelve remakes featuring collabration with well-known artists, such as Santa Rosa and José Alberto "El Canario", who sings lead on the Revé classic "No seas celosa". Other guest artists include Mayito Rivera, Paulo FG & Muñequitos de Matanzas, Haila, Buena Fe, Gente D'Zona, El Indio (ex-Revé) & Mandy Cantero, El Gallo & El Indio (Sixto Llorente), Issac Delgado and Haila. Well, you get the idea, and that's just the first CD! So until "La Aplanadora de Cuba" becomes available worldwide, here is a taste of the new "Muévte pa´ quí" from a post at Elito's Facebook page to whet your appetite!

Post by Elito Reve y La Aplanadora de Cuba.

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sábado, 21 junio 2014, 04:28 am

Maykel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor will play their UK debut concert tonight in London at Electric Brixton! They just began a month-long tour of Europe coming off of a fantastic trip to Argentina where La Máquina de Cuba thrilled audiences in Buenos Aires and Rosario. The summer tour includes France, England, Germany, Italy, Belguim and Spain. You will be able to catch the combination of Maykel (Blanco) & Maykel (Fonts) singing their hit "Dale Lo Que Lleva" on June 30th at Latinoamericando in Milan and July 5th in Geneva at a concert including Lázaro Valdés and Bamboleo. If you can't make either of these concerts, check out the video below from the concert one week ago in Rosario. Click here for the full list of concerts on the European Summer Tour 2014.

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lunes, 26 mayo 2014, 08:19 am

Los Van Van

On Wednesday, May 28th Los Van Van begin their first European tour of the post-Juan Formell era. In recent years Juan did not accompany the band on their European tours, leaving things in the hands of his son Samuel Formell. Despite the recent loss, Van Van is following their tour schedule and performed recently in Mexico, where the concert was roundly praised. We have published the list of concert dates in their tours page, so find a concert near you.

Other bands on tour in Europe this summer include Maykel Blanco y su Salsa Mayor, Havana D'Primera, Elito Revé y su Charangón, Oderquis Revé y su Changüí, Bamboleo, Mayito Rivera and Issac Delgado. In the US Cubadisco winner Adalberto Álvarez is nearing the end of his tour while Pupy y Los Que Son Son now have four dates listed and Paulo F.G. will be performing later this summer. We will keep updating the tours as more concerts are confirmed. If you know of any concert dates we're missing, send me an e-mail