Ya No Te Doy Más Na - Orquesta Revé (El Nene) - video: Michelle White

We'll never know how Elio Revé would have responded to the timba revolution of the late 90s because his live was cut tragically short by a car crash. The band was taken over by his son Elito, who inherited both his father's gruff voice and his astounding ear for talent. Elito is a graduate of the music schools but also owes much of his musical education to his father. He began at the age of 20 as pianist for the charangón and also worked as arranger for many of the band's hit songs. Elito has employed many extraordinary singers, such as El Gallo, Lele Rasalps and El Nene, and several brilliant musical directors, but none greater than the present one, bassist Aisar Hernández, whose work on Fresquecito made it one of the best ten albums of the 2000s.

See you at Yoshi's tonight.

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Vissión Latina's new album "Sonando Como Un Cañon" (thundering like a canon) highlights the talents of the Bay Area's top Salsa and Afro-Cuban talent, among them vocalists Félix Samuel and Eduardo Herrera, and blind percussionist Julio Pérez. 

Founded by CARLOS CARO (percussion - born in Guanajay, in the Havana province of Cuba), SAUL SIERRA (bass - born in Mexico City) and MARCO DIAZ (trumpet, piano - a San Francisco native), and known as the top rhythm section in the Bay Area, VISSIÓN LATINA is a unique musical project that features the trio's original compositions.

VL has backed up top artists like Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez, Jimmy Bosch, Israel Cachao López, Herman Olivera, Nino Segarra, Anthony Cruz, Ska Cubano, Bobi Céspedes, John Santos, QBA, Candela, Tito Nieves, and Eddie Santiago. Be sure to catch VL at their upcoming CD release concert party.

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Here's a great video clip from Spain . There's footage of Melón's group, of Melón with Buika, and an interview where he talks about the new CD, which can be bought, with a bonus DVD, here . 

Meanwhile, my fourth and final book on Melón, Volume 9 of Beyond Salsa Piano is at 125 pages and growing, promising to be the mother of all timba piano books. In addition to the usual tumbaos, it will also include extensive transcriptions of the rest of the arrangements. Stay tuned. I hope to go live with it in about a week. It will have La temática, La competencia, Se te fue la mano, Pa' que te salves, Por la naturaleza, Tú tranquilo, Movimiento, Me falta La Habana, Catalina, and a special study of Melón's approach to the good old I-IV-V-IV progression.

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The floodgates have opened and the tours just keep coming. The latest news is that the visas have been approved for Adalberto Álvarez y Su Son and they plan to tour  the US already in July! As soon as we have the concert dates we'll let you know. El Caballero del Son is also about to release a new CD, "El Son de Altura", which has 10 tracks as well as a bonus live track. A single, "Vete", has already been released.

But that's not all! Adalberto is celebrating 35 years with a DVD/CD set called "Que suena el son" that was just released on July 1st. The CD contains 15 songs including collaborations with a number of guest artists such as Omara Portuondo, Frank Fernandez and María Victoria, Orquesta Aragón and Grupo Rumbatá. The DVD includes a concert in Karl Marx Theatre, the documentary "Son para un sonero", a photo gallery, sheet music for Adalberto's songs (a treasure trove for musicians) and even a karaoke of Adalberto's hits for your Cuban parties and much more!

Adalberto Álvarez y Su Son will be touring Europe in November, so have a little patience if you live here in Europe. Buy the DVD and the new CD when it is released and that should tide you over until the band arrives.

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