Get ready for the New Explosion! Elito Reve arrives in the US on Sunday followed by su Charangón on Thursday July 8th. The band will hold its first concert on July 9. And all you charangoneros will be thrilled to hear that the tour will be extended to one month! This information comes directly from Elito Revé himself! We are obviously lacking most of the concert dates so send me an e-mail with any missing dates you know about and I will update their tour page.

The band is in the process of releasing their new CD "¿De que estamos hablando?". I have heard the entire CD and it is likely to be the best of 2010. The band is already performing several of the songs live. For the latest scoop on what you can expect in concert see Gabriel's post at Yemayá's Verse about her carnaval trip with the Charangón.

The charangón has a few new members since I saw them last. Among the singers we now have Emilio who you know from Tumbao Habana and Suzel who was with Sello L.A. Additionally there is now a full-time keyboardist, Gretchen Revé. On the new album Emilio sings lead om "Niña relájate", "La Nueva Explosión", "A Matanzas" (a tasty guaguancó), and the hit "Agua pa' Yemayá". Suzel sings lead on the son montuno remake of "Ya sé bailar, ya sé cantar". Sinsonte interprets the funny song "Open the door" and there is a real changüí with invitados Pipi de Yateras y sus Estrellas Campesinas, Chucho Valdés and Cotó. The rest of the album is expertly handled by veteran vocalist Dagoberto. You have a lot to look forward to at the upcoming US concerts. For Cuban music fans and salseros this is another must not miss tour! 

¿De que estamos hablando? Ya tú verás!!

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If you are a Facebook user you know that the word has been out since Mirco's post yesterday, Maykel Blanco y Salsa Mayor's latest album, "Soy lo que te hala", has been released at iTunes and the hardcopy is at latinmusicstore and will certainly hit other on-line stores soon. I am a hardcopy fan myself  and decided to wait for the CD to appear at local stores, but after previewing the songs at iTunes, I couldn't resist buying it. I'll pick up the hardcopy later but I just had to have the songs now !

This album is packed with hits! The songs you have probably already heard if your local DJ is up-to-date are "Que tu crees?", "Se acabó el amor", "Pa' cualquiera", "La cara de salir pa' andar" and "Soy lo que te hala". If you caught them on their March tour of Europe or back in Havana you have also heard several other songs from the new album. A full review will be coming shortly. In the meatime here's the short review: great album, dancers will love it, you should buy it.

Track list:

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Septeto Santiaguero kick off a summer tour of Europe on July 3 in Valencia, Spain. The tour will last 6 weeks and will take the group to 7 countries throughout Europe. Septeto Santiaguero is an excellent example that son is alive and well in Cuba. The release of their new CD,  "Oye mi son santiaguero", will coincide with the summer tour. The CD features some special guests such as Ricardito and Reinaldo Creagh, former members of the legendary Vieja Trova Santiaguera. In preparation for the upcoming CD release, they have published the first video single at YouTube, "Esa niña, qué cintura!". Check it out below and catch them on their tour this summer .  And cuida'o ! There is a sort of an updated Marilyn Monroe skirt flying up scene in the video...only with a very short skirt.

Septeto Santiaguero with "Esa niña, qué cintura!"

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Pupy & Los Que Son Son are just at the beginning of their US tour . They have already played in Florida and at Summer Stage in New York, and you can catch them again on the East Coast tonight at S.O.B.s before they head out for 12 concerts in California . If you can't make tonight's concert, don't worry they will be back east again with a concert the 19th at the Salsa Room in Arlington, VA. , back at S.O.B.s on the 20th and the final concert is Boston on the 22nd. I tell you quite seriously, you don't want to let this opportunity pass you by, so find a way to make it to at least one of the concerts on this historic first tour! Click here for a full list of remaining gigs.

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