I am so excited! I just watched the teaser for the soon-to-be-released documentary of Michel Mirabal's "Créeme" project that was held during the Bienal in Havana this summer. This work is a collaboration between some members of what I see as Havana's artistic elite. Michel Mirabal is one of Cuba's most recognized young artists and has held exhibitions in the US in Miami, L.A. and Chicago, as well as in Paris, France; Buenos Aires, Argentina and Bogota, Colombia. His collection includes the Rockefeller family, Donald Trump, Mohammed Ali, Carlos Santana and author Gabriel Garcia Márquez, among others.

For "Créeme" he teamed up with Havana's hip-hop community. They composed and recorded songs inspired by Michel's work, including a fantastic hip-hop remake of one of my favorite Buena Fe songs "Soy" with Raudel from Escuadrón Patriota and Israel Rojas of Buena Fe. Other artists included Silvito El Libre,  Maykel Xtremo, Soandry Hermanos de Causa, Carlitos Mucha Rima, Bárbaro el Urbano Vargas and Al2. To top it all off was the biggest name in Cuban music: Juan Formell & Los Van Van. The entire event was documented by another of the young guns of the Havana artistic community: filmmaker Ian Padrón.  Padrón has been on the leading edge of socially conscious filmmaking with works such as the award winning movie "Havanastation", the groundbreaking video of "Ser de sol" by Buena Fe & Descemer Bueno and with audiovisual of this historic concert. They are currently subtitling and editing the DVD, which I hope will be ready in time to make it into my stocking as a Christmas gift! So check out the teaser here and keep an eye out for the DVD release!

leave a comment

continue reading Timbera Mayor

Update: The Union City New Jersey gig has now been resceduled for December 1st! As those of you in the US prepare for the upcoming Havana D'Primera tour, DJ Mandy from Casa de la Música Miramar has released exclusive video of Havana D'Primera performing the new single "La Bailarina". It's still in the early stages and is an excellent example of how the Cuban bands test songs out on live audiences as they are developing them. This song is just a collection of coros and mambos and gears right now. It will be interesting to see how the final version turns out. Click here for the current list of concert dates in the US.

La Bailarina - new song in the works

leave a comment

continue reading Timbera Mayor

After tweleve (12) years Cuba's "Ambassadors of the Rumba" LOS PAPINES return to the U.S. to showcase their classic folkloric performances. Los Papines, a five-member ensemble, celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2003. 

"I went last Sunday and Los Papines, comprised of Luis, Ricardo, Jesus, Luisito and Juliet Abreu managed to get everybody’s shoulders and hips moving. The chorus of one of their songs said it all: Even the palm trees move with the wind and the earth shakes. Los Papines are some of the country’s best diplomats. With only five musicians they have inspired people to dance in 62 countries, transmitting the energy of a big band and showing the strength of Cuban music. Many years after the group formed, they continue to be a reference point of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Caribbean percussion." -- Irina Echarry, Havana Times

30 de Noviembre ( Viernes ) , 2012, " The Place ”
833 Southwest 29th Ave: Miami , Florida 33139
Informacion & reservacion: 786-400-5191

3 de Diciembre ( Lunes ), 2012 Night Club “ S.O.B’S ”, New York
200 Varick St. 10014  --  Phone : 212-243-4940 / www.sobs.com

4 de Diciembre ( Martes ) Restaurant Night Club “ Guantanamera ”
939 8va Ave.& 56 St. Manhattan  --  Phone:: 212-262-5354.*

08 de Diciembre ( Sábado ) Taller de percusión - www.oyuoro-afrocuban.com
405 West 55 St. on 9th Ave: New York , 10019  --  Phone:917-370-5081

15 de Diciembre ( Sábado ) " Cuba Ocho " Miami, Florida - 11pm
Phone:305.285.5880, 1465 SW 8th 33135, website www.cubaocho.com

leave a comment

continue reading Pa' Ponerte en Talla

Yarién Oviedo, better known as "El Yoruba", will debute with his reggaeton group in Stockholm on November 24 at Salsa Club Cantineros. Yarién, singer with Buena Vista Social Club, Havana Lounge, Afro-Cuban All Stars, Calixto Oviedo y su Banda and many other groups in Europe, is taking the stage now with his own band and his own original songs. Special guest at the concert will be "la máquina del sabor", percussion maestro Calixto Oviedo. Featured dancers will be Laura Elena Rodriguez formerly of the ballet Teatro America and  Whitney Hernandez. Director of the event "Fiesta a lo Grande" is DJ Isra . Get ready to get your reggaeton on!

For those of you not familiar with El Yoruba's solo work, here are a couple of soundcloud links to get you warmed up: La Diablita and Ya estoy en la calle . As you will hear, El Yoruba mixes reggaeton with a tasty dose of salsa, making for songs that appeal to a wide variety of dancers. Nos vemos en la pista!

leave a comment

continue reading Timbera Mayor