Yes it's really happening this time - ALL RIGHT !! Hot off the twitter press....Team Cuba is in Miami and they will appera on the Alexis Valdés show tonight. Check oput his latest twitter posts below. Next stop is the NYC Timba Mega Concert...

Latin Jazz category reinstated in the the Grammy Awards - Last year the Recording Academy consolidated categories, from 109 to 78, with Latin Jazz among the ones affected (though it remained in the Latin Grammys). Four latin jazz artists - Bobby Sanabria, Mark Levine, Ben Lapidus and Eugene Marlow - responded to the change by filing a class action lawsuit, which was later dismissed by the courts. Protests and online aggravation also ensued. It is this writer's opinion that inroads partly began when Mark Levine simply wrote a letter to the Academy stating his displeasure and actually returned his Grammy awards, proving that it's value is squarely in the eye of the beholding artists. Categories in Classical, R&B and Urban Contemporary music were also reinstated. Bottom line is that it's a victory to enjoy for all.

Orquesta La Bohemia takes a stab at timba - Switzerland's romantic salsa mainstayers release a timba track under the musical direction of Celia Cruz's conguero Luisito Aballe. On vocals is Josbel Rodríguez under the general direction of Cristian González. We welcome the change Cristian! Check out "Mujer del otro" on Radio Timba now.

Changuito Master Classes & Concerts in Spain - La Fundación Robert A. Paneque presentará en España un histórico taller, clase magistral y concierto de congas, timbales y batería con el legendario percusionista cubano José Luis Quintana Fuertes (Changuito), considerado hoy día el percusionista cubano más grande y más  influyente del mundo y el músico cubano más imitado de todos los tiempos, conocido mundialmente por ser el creador del songo, el ritmo que ha llevado a la cumbre a Los Van Van. Ha sido ganador de tres Premios Grammy en cuatro nominaciones. Se le conoce mundialmente como El Rey del Timbal.

Para más información oprima aquí o a la foto arriba para descragar la ficha técnica y toda fecha de la gira de Changuito en España. 

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Jerry González on timbales - Alain Pérez - photo by Tom Ehrlich

Last week's consolation prize for the postponed timba mega-concert was a scorching hot Alain Pérez performance at Zinc Bar with pianist Manuel Valera (see Bill Tilford's post below on Manuel's  new album), Robby Ameen on drums, and Fort Apache legend Jerry González on trumpet and percussion. Click here for Tom's full gallery.

Tom has video coming soon and Martin Cohen has already posted three great clips.

And if you missed it, I've recently published the second book-eBook-audio-video set for Alain - Beyond Salsa Bass, Vol. 7, and the corresponding Melón piano video. [Kevin Moore]

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A few weeks ago, we mentioned that some really astounding Jazz recordings were coming out this year.  New Cuban Express is one of them, and it's a masterpiece.    If you dug GES, Emiliano Salvador, Irakere, Afrocuba etc. back in the day, this new project is the next step forward from those beginnings, and it will bowl you over.     (If you have no idea who those other groups are, you have been ignoring some of the best music in our solar system.)  This recording is about to hit the streets this week, but there is already a lot of buzz about it for good reason.  Read the review, which includes links to sound samples, here...

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OMG it's only a radio spot but it's a start!  New York's top latin music FM radio station is running a 30 second ad for the June 16 / Copacabana Timba Mega Concert in New York. Listen to it on RADIO TIMBA or click on the link below...

listen to the La Mega 97.9 Timba Mega Concert radio spot

Also in the news in New York....
Benefit concert for reknown bassist Rubén Rodríguez -- "bassist Rubén Rodríguez is in need of a touch from above. He's to undergo surgery to remove fluid from a partially collapsed lung. His situation is challenging to say the least. Let's keep this brother in our thoughts and prayers. There will be some fundraisers happening in the NYC area.  We LOVE you RUBEN!!" -- posted by fellow musician Ray Vega on Facebook

This benefit concert will take place Wednesday, June 6th at TIAN at the Riverbank. Enter Riverbank State Park @ 145th Street, New York City

Call (212) 234 1023 for tix.

Changüí Festival Begins in Guantanamo Province (Cuba) -- Featured at the event is Cuban bassist and composer Juan Formell, who took his first steps in music, in the orchestra of the late musician Elio Reve, precursor of the traditional rhythm that swept Cuba and the world. In addition to the expected concerts, the festival will celebrate the world's longest changüí with 40 Cuban groups that will make that music sound continuously for 24 hours, starting next June 2. Dancers will enjoy concerts of Juan Formell and Los Van Van, who will share the stage for the first time in that locality with the hosts of the event, the orchestra of Elito Revé.  source

7 Days in Havana film debuts at the Cannes Film Festival -- There's a new movie out bankrolled by Havana Club (the rum-makers) that features 7 distinct episodes. The first one, called "El Yuma", was directed by Benicio del Toro (a story about a dim tuorist that hooks up with a transvestite). While the movie was mostly panned (a not-so-glaring review), it has Alexander Abreu appearing as a chauffeur / musician in the second episode entitled "Jam Session". The participation of our favorite trumpeter and band leader cought our collective eye.  source

Excellent jazz history retrospective of another 7 days in Havana -- check out this great Havana report from jazz history buff Alex Ariff on behalf of WBGO 88.3 FM in New jersey. Great commentary and pictures with sound clips. Featured a look inside EGREM studios and an inside peek on a recording session with piano legen Frank Emilio Flynn.  check it out here

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