OK, so Tiempo Libre didn't go back to Havana physically, but musically, their new recording, Panamericano, which will be released June 30, for the most part recaptures the feel of that wonderfully rowdy Timba band we all first met a decade ago.  As a lead-up to the CD release, they have rolled out two videos.    Here's the first one:  

To see the second one, go to my sneak preview of Panamericano, which you can read here. 
Tiempo Libre has some key tour dates coming up in July:
July 9-10:  Subrosa, NYC
July 12: Square Roots Festival, Chicago
July 19-30:  tour of Spain incl. Festival de Segovia
August 13, 2015: Pershing Square, LA
October 10-November 15:  Winnestad Theatre, Portland, OR*
* This is a five week run of a new musical, Cuba Libre. 
November 19-25: Tour of UK including London Jazz Festival


Miguel Zenón at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, Thursday, July 25-Sunday, July 28
No, it's not Cuban music, but it is some truly fascinating Latin Jazz happening in the US right now, so I'm going to cheat and sneak it in here.  Mr. Zenón brings his quartet to this four-night stand (two shows nightly plus a matinee on Sunday), which includes himself on sax, Henry Cole on drums, Luis Perdomo on Piano and Hans Glawischnig on bass.  These guys are deep. You can read my review of his last recording, Identities are Changeable, here. 

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The most innovative timba band in the world has finally returned to California. You can see them in two shows at SF Jazz on Sunday, June 21st, and at Kuumbwa in Santa Cruz Monday night, June 22nd..

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Is there a better way celebrate this upcoming Father's Day, Sunday June 21? I don't think so. The Stern Grove Festival continues its series of FREE concerts with the home team PACIFIC MAMBO ORCHESTRA plus special guests Sheila E, Marlow Rosado and the Salsamania Dance Company.

Concert starts at 2pm. Be sure to get there early to get a good spot. Be prepareed to arrive extra early if you need to grab a parking space. Bring your sunscreen, plenty of water and chairs. Capacity is 10,000 people.

¿Hay una mejor manera de celebrar este Día de los Padres, domingo 21 de junio? No lo creo. El Festival Stern Grove continúa su serie de conciertos GRATUITOS con el equipo natal la PACIFICO MAMBO ORCHESTRA más invitados especiales Sheila E, Marlow Rosado y el grupo de baile Salsamania.

El concierto comienza a las 2 de la tarde. Asegúrense de llegar temprano para conseguir un buen lugar para poner sus sillas. Estén preparados para llegar más temprano si necesitan estacionarse. No se olviden de traer su sombrero, agua y lociones para portegerse del sol. La capacidad es de 10,000 personas.

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ENGLISH:   Pablo Menéndez of Mezcla on PRI
Earlier this year, Steve Paulson of To The Best Of Our Knowledge, a program on Public Radio International, interviewed Pablo Menéndez of Mezcla in Havana, Cuba. This segment, which aired on May 24,  is part of a longer program about Cuba and Cuban-American relations.  You can listen to that interview here.  Mezcla's most recent album, Pure Mezcla, was released in February, and you can read a "meta review" of that album here. 
ESPAÑOL: Pablo Menéndez de Mezcla en PRI
A principios de este año, Steve Paulson de To The Best Of Our Knowledge, un programa en Public Radio International, entrevistó a Pablo Menéndez de Mezcla en La Habana, Cuba.  Este segmento, que se emitió el 24 de Mayo, es parte de un programa más largo acerca de Cuba y las relaciones cubano-americanos.  Puede escuchar esta entrevista en inglés aquí.   El álbum más reciente de Mezcla, Pure Mezcla, se lanzó in febrero, y puede leer una "meta-critica" del álbum aquí.  
ENGLISH: Special Cuban Jazz and Fusion segments on The Afro Cuban Jazz Edition
Frankie Piñeiro has had one of the best Latin Jazz programs on radio for many years now, The Afro Cuban Jazz Edition, which airs every other Tuesday morning from 10am-noon Eastern Standard TIme on WSLR, (you can stream it on the Internet) and I will have the pleasure of sharing the new music coming out of Cuba with him in the weeks to come in a segment called Bill's Bag.   Tuesday,  June 16, the program will include an interview with Melvis Santa along with some music from her recent recordings. Then, in future shows (beginning June 30), there will be interviews with Cuban Jazz greats like Ernán López-Nussa, Alejandro Falcón, Yasek Manzano and others along with their most recent recordings which I brought back from Cuba. Frankie's program is "must hear" radio without me (yes, he includes some Timba and some Rumba in his playlists), but now you have two reasons to listen. 
ESPAÑOL:  Segmentos especiales de Jazz y Fusion cubano en la Afro Cuban Jazz Edition
Frankie Piñeiro ha tenido uno de los mejores programas de Jazz latino en la radio desde hace muchos años, The Afro Cuban Jazz Edition, que se emite cada dos martes por la mañana de 10 am-mediodía hora estándar del Este en WSLR, (se puede escuchar en Internet) y tendré el placer de compartir la nueva música que sale de Cuba con él en las próximas semanas en un segmento llamado Bill's Bag. El 16 de junio, el programa incluirá una entrevista con Melvis Santa, junto con un poco de música de sus recientes grabaciones. Luego, en los programas futuros (a partir de 30 de junio), habrá entrevistas con grandes del jazz cubanos como Ernán López-Nussa, Alejandro Falcón, Yasek Manzano y otros, junto con sus grabaciones más recientes que he traído de Cuba. El programa de Frankie es "hay que escuchar" radio sin mí (sí, él  incluye algunos Timba y algunos Rumba en sus listas también), pero ahora usted tiene dos razones para escuchar.
SPEAKING OF MELVIS SANTA.....  she'll be at Zinc Bar in NYC on Thursday, June 18 at 9pm and 10:30pm.  Details HERE.  She'll be leading a quartet.  I heard her in a small group setting in May in Chicago - this is worth checking out.




NEW CD REVIEWS / NUEVAS RESEÑAS DE CD
See our Reviews section for several new CD reviews of recent Cuban recordings
Vea nuestra sección Reseñas para muchas nuevas reseñas de recientes grabaciónes cubanas. 

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