This is the behemoth - the longest of the series - a summary of 11 years of timba obsession.

2010-03-01 Update!
Volume 5 audio and eBook is now available on Lainpulsemusic.com.

Chapter 1: What is Timba? - well, you guys already know that answer.

Chapter 2: History and Listening Tour - this picks up where the online book, The Roots of Timba, left off: with Revé's Suave suave, Van Van's Aquí el que baila gana, and of course NG La Banda's En la calle. It tells the stories of all the major bands, highlighting the best material.

Chapter 3: Ten Timba Piano Innovations - here, we isolate the ten important ways that timba piano differs from its predecessors.

Chapter 4: Estudios - these are 32 tumbaos, all on the same chord progression, created to demonstrate the innovations in various combinations.

Chapter 5: Timba Gears - at last, the explanation of why you can learn Paulito's gear system and still be confused about Charanga Habanera - it's the "general theory of timba gears", explaining how everything fits together into one nice, logical, and endlessly creative and flexible combinación perfecta!

Then, after the FAQ and Glossary, we get to the craziest part, the Timba Harmony Appendix, which takes hundreds of timba coros and analyzes their chord progressions in Roman numerals.

After this ... the deluge ... note-for-note Melón transcriptions in large quantities in Volumes 6, 7, 8 and 9. I haven't actually written Volume 9, I have to admit, but 6, 7 and 8 are done and will be out soon, and if anyone can play all the tumbaos in those 3 before I finish Volume 9, you'll be ready for the big time.

Finally - get ready for Beyond Salsa Percussion - that's all I'll say about that for now, but expect something in first half of 2010 (knock on wood).

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RUMBANKETE @ Yoshi's Oakland - Open Dance Floor - Thursday, February 11 2010 
13-piece All Star contemporary Cuban music (Timba) orchestra from Los Angeles
Presenting Sponsor: CUBAVERA® (a subsidiary of Perry Ellis International)
Associate Sponsor: e.K. Clothing (salsa dresses & dancewear) 
Event Produced by Michael Lazarus

Click here for the high resolution gallery - Oprima aquí para ver fotos en alta resolución

Rumbankete takes a bow after a great show at Yoshi's Oakland !

Rumbankete looking good at Yoshi's Oakland !

Chalo la pone buena  -  dirige Denis Jirón

Introducing the band for the second set

muchas gracias e.K. Clothing!

muchas gracias C - U - B - A - V - E - R - A !

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I love being the bearer of good news and here is something that will make you happy. Maykel Blanco y Salsa Mayor are finishing up the recording of their next CD. You have no doubt already heard the single "Pa' cualquiera', which was Yordi's first song after his return to the group. Maykel continues his collaboration with Planet Records, and Bis Music will handle the distribution in Cuba. The CD will contain 11 songs and the band will begin promoting one of the new numbers before they leave for the tour, so that's pretty much now.

Maykel Blanco at the 5th anniversary party of Salsa Mayor

The album won't be released until after they get back from their tour. Currently they are planning on an  April release. So by the time the summer tours begin the fans should all be familiar with the new material. The lucky Cuban audiences are already enjoying the new songs and judging from Mirco's reports about the popularity of the Salsa Mayor concerts in Havana, they are hits. Fortunately Salsa Mayor kick off their March tour of Europe on the 17th in fair Verona, Italy so we don't have to wait for too long to hear the new songs. And the singer line-up has got to be one of the most charismatic around with Pavel "La Figura", Yordi and Yasser. This is going to be a very exciting tour that you don't want to miss!

Pavel "La Figura" and Yordi at the 5th anniversary concert

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If you're in the Bay Area, this is a rare opportunity. A free clinic with the great John Santos and Raúl Rekow. We can thank drum manufacturers, LP, Remo and Sabian for making this free to the public.

Saturday, February 27th, 2010 from 4:30 to 6:00 PM
The Jazz School - 2087 Addison Street - Berkeley, CA 94704
FREE
www.jazzschool.com - (510) 845-5373

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