... and if any major city needs some heating up, it's LA. I can say this because I was born and raised there: Los Angeles sucks - sorry Kay, Gloria, Bob & Paul - the truth hurts. Only Miami surpasses LA for its sheer quantity of unappreciated talent. But don't jump off of City Hall just yet - where there's an Oviedo, there's hope - and there are two of them in Smogville now.

Calixto (of NG La Banda, Pacho Alonso, Adalberto Álvarez and of course Beyond Salsa fame) has put together a super-tight band featuring his talented wife Lily. They tore it up at SJ Jazz this year and now they're starting to play regularly in the LA scene (I use the term "scene" advisedly).

Lily D. Oviedo y su Orchestra play Nov. 8th, 14th and 20th at La Floridita, Tía Juana's and M Bar - full details on the Tours page.

Then, on December 4th, a new incarnation of The Arsenio Rodríguez Project. Here are some photos from their last tour. But this new band - while it lacks the two New York studs - has a lineup that makes me want to do the 6-hour drive and brave the smoggy Southland. Calixto on drums, the great Rigoberto López (of Opus 13 and Adalberto) on bass, changüí master Gabriel García on tres, Alberto Salas on piano (this guy is great), and vocalist Perico Hernández - as close as we're likely to get to Cuní and Scull among the living. This is really a must-see concert. [Kevin Moore]

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Another great gallery from another great recent show. Mezcla and Klímax galleries coming next.

News: Juan Carlos Formell becomes the full-time bassist of Los Van Van. Possible US tour in 2015.

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ENGLISH: Jorge Luis Pacheco, another of Cuba's piano phenomena as well as an impressive and eclectic composer (and vocalist), performed in quartet at the Kennedy Center on November 1st. The Kennedy Center keeps a video archive on its website, and therefore, you can watch the entire performance by clicking here.  This is pretty intense, but don't take my word for it - check it out. 
ALSO:  Roberto Fonseca gave a great concert in Chicago.   See more here. 
ESPAÑOL:  Jorge Luis Pacheco, otro de los fenómenos de piano de Cuba así como impresionante y ecléctica compositor (y vocalista) dió un concierto en el Kennedy Center el 01 de noviembre.   El Kennedy Center mantiene archivos de video en su sitio web, y por lo tanto, se puede ver todo al hacer clic aqui.  Es bastante intensa, pero no confie en mis palabras - échale un vistazo. 
MÁS:  Roberto Fonseca dió un gran concierto en Chicago.  Se puede ver más aquí. 

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Melvis Santa already has an impressive resume in both music and acting - a cofounder at age 14 of Sexto Sentido, more recent recordings with Interactivo and Santa Habana. an acting role in 7 días en La Habana (7 Days in Havana) and work with several other artists.  At the moment, she is working in New York, and on November 1, she is debuting a new project at The Jazz Gallery there.  For those of you who haven't heard her, a video clip from Santa Habana:

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