Tomorrow marks a very special edition of Hennes Latin Stage at the International Four Day Marches in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Hennes Latin Stage celebrates ten years of bringing the best in Cuban music in a free concert for an international crowd . But that's not all! The Four Day Marches are celebrating their centennial this year and the headliner for Hennes is Elito Revé y Su Charangón who are celebrating 60s years. If you're in The Low Countries, stop by and catch a concert. Orquesta Revé will perform Monday 18th - Wednesday 20th.

Henri van Woerkum - Hennes himself - took some time out of the preparations to answer a few questions for Timba.com

How does it feel to have reached the 10 year marker?

Proud, very proud. We started small scale and are now operating with 30 hardworking volunteers. Without them it would no be possible.

Do you have any reflections about the festival over the years or about the conjunction of the three anniversaries: Hennes 10 years Nijmegen marches 100 and Revé 60?

We are very proud to celebrate Orquesta Revé's  60th anniversary with our 10th. BTW... this will be their 3rd time rocking here at Hennes Latin Stage, multiple days.  Because of the 4 day marches, the city of Nijmegen (170.000 inhabitants)  is loaded with people, more or less 1.000.000 . A percentage pass our free festival, some stay and come back for it the next year. This is how our audience grows.

Why did you choose the unique format of featuring the same band for more than one night in a row?

These famous Cuban bands have a large repertoire. They can easily fill three nights without being boring. For the bands themselves, when they are on tour in Europe, it is good to be 3 days in succession in the same place on weekdays and not weekends.  We take good care of them. Good hotel. Good food, and since two years ago even Cuban food.

Hennes Latin Stage as seen from above

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Maykel Blanco y su Salsa Mayor are in Rovinj, Croatia tonight at the Croatian Summer Salsa Festival. I have been hearing fantastic things about this festival and may just have to go next year. After tonight they will play Munich and Zurich. In August Maykel and the Mayores will be in Buenos Aires. Click here for tour information.

Maykel has also released the first official video from the Havana Festival de la Salsa held this February. That's another festival I need to go to next year. Enjoy!

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The VIII National Changüí Festival ends today in Guantanamo and Elito Revé y su Charangón begin their European Summer Tour on Saturday July 2nd at  the Festival Couleur Cafe in Brussels. The tour will close with three days at Hennes Latin Stage in Nijmegen July 18-20th. Click here for the tour dates . And if you don't find one near you this summer, don't despair! They are already booking dates for an Autumn tour in November including my own town of Stockholm!

This is a special tour as 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of Orquesta Revé. They recently released the CD "La salsa tiene mi son" with remakes of many of the orchestra's greatest hits featuring illustrious guest artists, such as Gilberto Santa Rosa and El Canario. In honor of the imminent tour they released a new single last week called "Que el sol salga" featuring the lovely and talented Susel Orietta Gómez better know as "La China". Dale clic to listen.

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Photo courtesy of Buena Fe @Facebook

Tonight Buena Fe , Cuba's most popular trova-fusion band, kicks off their US tour with a concert at the James L. Knight center in Miami. From their humble beginnings as a duo in Guantanamo, Buena Fe has grown to become a mega-group on the island, with a fan base spanning ages 9 to 90 and a faithful international following as well. This year Buena Fe is working to increase their exposure throughout the Americas, and the US tour will include some firsts such as their first concerts in Puerto Rico, Houston and Tampa. Later this year they will tour Argentina and possibly Chile.

Musically Buena Fe mix pop and rock with just about anything they want: changüí, son, rumba, reggae. But what really makes Buena Fe stand out are the lyrics. Descendants of the Nueva Trova movement, they always have a message that is worth listening to whether they deliver it in a ballad or via double entendre in a changüí. Recent collaborations with timba and reggaeton bands include "La Carta" with Alain Daniel, "Esa mujer" with Orquesta Revé, "Cuba isla bella" with Orishas, and Los 4 who recorded a timbaton cover of Buena Fe's first hit "No juegues con mi soledad".

If you are unfamiliar with their music check out their Vevo page: BuenaFeVEVO . I wil just give you a sample of one of my favorites Pi 3,14 - which has now entered the vernacular as a popular refrain that you can hear in "Yo vengo de Cuba" by F Clan and Havana D'Primera. Click here for the list of tour dates and venues.

Buena Fe on social media
http://www.facebook.com/buenafe.oficial
http://buena-fe.com/
http://twitter.com/buenafe_musica
http://instagram.com/buenafe
http://www.youtube.com/buenafevevo

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