Photo courtesy of http://www.milanespablo.com/

Today Pablo Milanés releases "Amor de otoño"   at iTunes . It is the first single from his highly anticipated new album "Renacimiento" , which will be available worldwide from September 17th . "Amor de otoño" is a ballad that will delight fans for Pablo's signature use of harmonies, his graceful turn of phrase and that iconic voice.

Pablo has also launched an updated official website with his exensive discography, concert dates, a biography, photos, videos and more. Check it out and suscribe to keep up on the lastest news of this legend of Cuban music. In August Pablo will begin a national tour of Cuba, and in September he will perform in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Click here for concert dates.

Debut performance of "Amor de otoño" 19 May 2013 Karl Marx Theater - Havana, Cuba

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Michel Maza

Fantastic news came out of Lima yesterday! According to Cato TimbaDJ at Facebook, the sublimely talented singer Michel Maza has been acquitted of the charges for which he has been incarcerated in the San Pedro prison (ex-Lurigancho) for the past 17 months. We have not been able to find any Peruvian news site with the exact details of the verdict yet which is supposed to come on Monday, but the timberos of Peru are saying that it is 100% confirmed. This is the result his supporters have been hoping for. We certainly hope it is true!

In January of 2012 Michel and another person were arrested and charged with kidnapping, intimidation and armed robbery of a taxi driver. While Michel admitted to having problems with drugs, he denied the other charges. Fans and friends rallied around him creating Facebook pages dedicated to him, but just one month ago reports came that he had been sentenced to 25 years in prison. The preliminary indications today are that he has actually been acquitted of those charges and will be released on August 7th for time-served for the drug-related charges.

Timberos around the world are already rejoicing at the news and in some cities parties are being planned in honor of the acquittal. We at Timba.com hope to soon see Michel back on stage. We have missed his extraordinary voice.

Michel Maza at 18 singing "Lola, Lola" with la Charanga Habanera in 1997
at the now-famous "Suspension Concert"

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Yuly y Havana C

Yuleisis Greenidge, better known as Yuly, is the director of Havana C, a group that has been around for five years but really broke into the scene in 2012 with their mega-hit "Bailando". Yuly plays guitar, piano and percussion and is a product of the Cuban music school system, which she attended from grade school at Alejandro García Caturla to La ENA and El ISA. She was a member of the all-female salsa band Caribe Girls, but left for artistic reasons. 

Yuly founded her own band, but wanted a mixed group of both men and women. In 2009 they recorded their first CD "Bajo de control". It was a salsa CD but never really took off and received limited distribution. Yuly decided to change the sound of the band and looked for new ways to incorporate other Caribbean genres such as reggaeton, plena and bomba. The result has been a resounding success. Havana C has become very popular among young Cubans who appreciate this playful, light style of dance music. When the band is not touring, they have a Wednesday peña at Casa de la Música Miramar.

Havana C is currently doing its first tour of Europe together with Alexander Acosta, an ex-Havana C singer who is best known to timba fans for his time with Orquesta Revé and now for his new solo album "Desafio". I spoke with Yuly before the show in Stockholm about the band, what it's like to be a female director in a male-dominated world and about the direction that Havana C has taken. The video interview is in Spanish. An English subtitled version will be coming soon. So if you don't speak Spanish, check back with us in a week.

Interview in Spanish with Yuly

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24th Annual San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 
Friday, August 9 - Sunday, August 11, 2013
Plaza de César Chavez Park, Downtown San Jose, CA
Click HERE for tickets

The 24th annual San Jose Jazz Summer Fest is the hottest event of the summer featuring a stellar lineup of international stars, emerging artists and regional favorites. You’ll enjoy more than 100 bands on 11 stages playing jazz, salsa, Latin, blues, R&B, New Orleans and more. It’s the biggest live music event in Silicon Valley—the perfect summer experience with tasty food, wine and microbrews; jazz for kids and after hours events for the grownups.

click HERE to visit the full Event Page with extended video

Focus On Latin Jazz & Salsa
Every year, San Jose Jazz Summer Fest features more Latin jazz and salsa than any other festival in the West. In 2013 they’ve expanded their roster of Latin artists, presenting them on stages throughout the festival. Highlights include two performances by Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra; MacArthur “genius” grant recipient Dafnis Prieto, who performs a set that is 100% improvised; Transcendental Ensemble, which brings its take on the fiery street music of Bahia, direct from Brazil; Colombia’s Audiotrópico which delivers an authentic Latin sound carefully built atop influences of jazz, electronica and funk; Saxophonist Yosvany Terry, who merges sounds of his Cuban homeland with contemporary currents he found in the New York jazz scene; and the great John Santos Sextet presiding over our Latin jazz jam that you can take part in.

The ambitious lineup on this year’s Kaiser Permanente Salsa Stage will transport you to three major centers of salsa culture. On Friday, you’ll experience the sounds of New York played by the Josh Jones Ensemble performing a tribute to Ray Baretto and Louis Romero’s Mazacote playing NYC-style salsa dura. Saturday, it’s Puerto Rico—highlights include Edgardo & Candela performing with the great Cuban timbalero Calixto Oviedo and Orquesta Saboricua, playing Puerto Rican-influenced New York salsa. Saturday headliner Ricardo Lemvo takes salsa global by combining the classic sound with pan-African styles. On Sunday we travel to Cuba, birthplace of son, rumba and the contemporary timba, with the award-winning Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco. Closing the day is Cuba’s greatest dance band, Wil Campa Y Su Gran Union, the salsa stage’s biggest hit at last year’s Fest. While the styles may differ, every band plays exciting, danceable music, so get out there!

General Admission:
Single Day: $20; Weekend Pass through 7/31: $45; Online until 8/9: $55; At Gate: $60
Click HERE for tickets

VIP:
Weekend Pass through 7/31: $250; Thereafter and at gate: $300; Sat or Sun, $150 per day
Click HERE for tickets

San Jose Rep Stage General Admission: Sat, Sun - $10 per day
Click HERE for tickets

Children (Ages 5 – 12): Daily Pass: $5; Weekend Pass: $15
Click HERE for tickets

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