Ian Stewart was on hand for the first official performance of PMG with Edgar Pantoja replacing Ariacne Trujillo. Click here for his review. Tonight they open an exciting new Cuban music club, Subrosa. Ian will also soon report on Ariacne's new group (personnel unknown).

photo by Marc Millman Photography

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The newest addition to my CD collection: Grupo Danson - Rumba, Son con Timba

On Monday Grupo Danson, under the direction of trombonist Carlos Pérez, released their long-awaited second CD - "Rumba, son con timba" - at iTunes and Amazon. I was fortunate to get a hardcopy at their release concert held in Copenhagen Saturday, November 8th. The concert report and a CD review will be coming soon.

Briefly let me say that Grupo Danson is an outstanding body of musicians. The rhythm section has fantastic gears and the trombones are a powerhouse. I highly recommend catching them live, but more on that in the concert report. The CD contains songs by Alaín Pérez, Alexander Abreu, César "Pupy" Pedroso and Carlos Pérez and includes both Alaín and Mandy Cantero as guest singers along with Danson's own singer lineup of Ernesto Manuitt and Henri Benitez. But again, more on the CD in the full review.

track list:
Mezclando culturas A. Abreu arr. A. Abreu ,A. Pérez
Que buena suerte G. Pérez arr. A. Pérez
Sibaguaní C. Pérez arr. C. Pérez
Polvo del ayer G. Pérez arr. A. Pérez
Sabor de mi rumba G. Pérez arr. A. Pérez
José Andrés C. Pedroso arr. C. Pérez
Siempre cha cha chá G. Pérez  arr. A. Pérez
Va y ven de hamaca C. Pérez arr. C. Pérez
Conga cubana G. Pérez  arr. A. Pérez

In the meantime here is a brief interview with Carlos done shortly before the concert. It is in Spanish with English subtitles.

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ENGLISH: Los Angeles-based Rumbankete recently released two excellent new singles, Cuando Suene and Ambicioso Seductor.   This is a group that prides itself on its ability to play both Timba and Salsa Cubana, but these two songs are clearly in the Timba side of the repertoire, and I like them both (Ambicioso Seductor is my favorite), enough so that the radio program Domingos Felices will play them Sunday, November 16, and interview lead singer Iris Sandra Cepeda.  For more information (including where to buy the singles in iTunes), click here. 
Also:  Chicago will enjoy a trifecta of excellent concerts this weekend:  Cuban Jazz piano virtuoso Alfredo Rodríguez (a favorite of Quincy Jones, incidentally), Tiempo Libre and Arturo Sandoval.   For all the details, see our Report From Chicago page for November 9. 
ESPAÑOL:  Rumbankete, que se basa en Los Angeles, lanzó recientemente dos nuevos sencillos excelentes, Cuando Suene y Ambicioso Seductor.  Este grupo se enorgullece de su capacidad de tocar ambos la Timba y la Salsa Cubana, pero las dos canciones son claramente del lado de la TImba en su repertorio, y me gustan las dos (Ambicioso Seductor es mi favorita), lo suficiente para que el programa de radio Domingos Felices pondrá ellas el domingo, 16 de Noviembre, y la cantante Iris Sandra Cepeda será la entrevistada.  Para más información (incluyendo dónde se  puede comprarlas en iTunes), haga clic aquí.
También:  Chicago va a disfrutar de una trifecta de excelentes conciertos este fin de semana: el pianista cubano Alfredo Rodríguez (un virtuoso del Jazz y uno de los favoritos de Quincy Jones, por cierto), Tiempo Libre y Arturo Sandoval.  para todos los detalles, consulte Report From Chicago  (9 de noviembre). 

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ENGLISH:  Tiempo Libre returns to Chicago for two shows at the Old Town School of Folk Music on Saturday, November 15.  The Chicago-based radio show Domingos Felices will be interviewing the leader, Jorge Gómez, and giving away two pairs of tickets and 3 collections of TL's four discs during their braodcast on November 9.  For more details about the concerts and the radio promotion, click here. 
ESPAÑOL:  Tiempo Libre regresa a Chicago para dos espectáculos en Old Town School of Folk Music el sábado, 15 de noviembre.  El programa de radio con sede en Chicago Domingos Felices entrevistará al líder, Jorge Gómez, y regalará dos pares de entradas y 3 colecciones de los cuatro discos de TL durante su show el 9 de noviembre.  Para más detalles sobre los conciertos y la promoción, haga clic aquí. 

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