BOHEMIA: A NEW TIEMPO LIBRE PROJECT

photo courtesy Tiempo Libre

Jorge Gómez, líder de Tiempo Libre, habla del nuevo proyecto en español aquí

Tiempo Libre has never been afraid to take risks, whether fusing Bach with Cuban Music, working with symphonies, mixing in other genres of popular music with Timba and projects with Joshua Bell and James Galway. They have paid a price of sorts for that path - rather than being the darlings of the less expensive dance halls, they have sometimes had to settle for the likes of the Tonight Show, Live From Lincoln Center, several prestige festivals and three GRAMMY nominations. They have still been a perfectly danceable música popular bailable band throughout, just maybe a little too uptown at tmes for some of the most hard core Timba purists (which has never stopped open-minded listeners like yours truly from getting into them or most of the dancers either).

photo courtesy Tiempo Libre

Now comes a new Tiempo Libre project, Bohemia, a quartet that interprets more traditional material from the Cuban songbook. This isn't the first time that timberos have gone to the traditional songbook- former vanvanero Mayito Rivera for example has delved deep into Rumba and Son. Tiempo Libre itself had its US road debut in Chicago, so it is fitting that Bohemia's road debuts are on Tuesday, August 1 in Minneapolis (Dakota) and Wednesday, August 2 in Chicago (City Winery). Those of you in those cities will be the first to hear this outside of Miami. Both of these are among the best venues in their cities for presenting this type of music (I can vouch from experience that the City WInery also has excellent food and drink).

Jorge Gómez tells us about the new project in English here

Basically, there will be two Tiempo Libre groups now -the Tiempo Libre that we've known for years, and the Bohemia project. You can get a taste of the Bohemia project on their Facebook page here.

For more information (and tickets) for the Dakota performance, click here....

For more information (and tickets) for the City Winery performance, click here....

Both Tiempo Libre's Bohemia project and the full Tiempo Libre ensemble will be on tour in the weeks to come. You can see their schedule here.......

Septeto Santiaguero is on the road in the US with engagements in multiple cities in support of their latest album Raiz (you can read a review here), which was nominated in the Raíces Soneras y Campesinas category in Cubadisco 2017. (Septeto Santiaguero already has some recent Cubadisco and Latin GRAMMY® awards under its belt.)
As a Chicagoan, I wish to let my fellow Chicagoans know that Septeto Santiaguero will be performing here on Saturday, August 5 at Martyrs, 3855 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, Illinois: This is being presented by HotHouse, and you can see more information here. I have seen them live in both Santiago and la Habana, and they pack a wallop - musically speaking, I actually prefer them live by themselves, as they will be here, to their many collaborations with more "famous" artists.
You can see an earlier version of the tour schedule here, but there have been some date changes, so be sure to verify before you go.

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Tuesday, 04 July 2017, 07:07 AM

ENGLISH: The second edition of Primera Linea, an event hosted by the Insituto Cubano de la Música and organized by the Ministry of Culture with multiple coproduceers and sponsors, , is a partner event to WOMEX and should be of a high level of interest to international presenters and other members of the music industry. It will take place in Havana from September 20-23, 2017. This may also be the closest equivalent that Cuba currently has to the APAP event in the United States. Highly recommended for professionals presenting or working with Cuban music in any country. Full details can be found at
http://www.cuba-primera-linea.com/
ESPAÑOL: La segunda edición de Primera Linea, evento dirigido por el Insituto Cubano de la Música y organizado por el Ministerio de Cultura con múltiples coproductores y patrocinadores, es un evento socio de WOMEX, y debe ser de alto nivel de interés entre presentadores y otros miembros de la industria musical en todo el mundo que trabajan con la música cubana. Se llevará a cabo en La Habana del 20 al 23 de septiembre de 2017. También puede ser el equivalente más cercano que Cuba tiene actualmente al evento APAP en los Estados Unidos. Muy recomendable para profesionales que presenten o trabajen con música cubana en cualquier país. Puede encontrar más detalles en
http://www.cuba-primera-linea.com/

ENGLISH: One of the most distinguishing features of Cubadisco is the International Symposium held at CIDMUC. You can see a photo gallery, read commentary and download my copy of the program here.
ESPAÑOL: Uno de los rasgos más destacados de Cubadisco es el Simposio Internacional que se celebra en CIDMUC. Usted puede ver una galería de fotos, leer comentarios y descargar mi copia del programa aquí.

SEPTETO SANTIAGUERO US TOUR:
Septeto Santiaguero, which has won both Cubadisco and Latin GRAMMY awards as well as regular GRAMMY nominations, is coming to the US in multiple cities from July 19- August 12. You can see a tour schedule here, and this is their latest video, La canción de la trova.....

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Wednesday, 28 June 2017, 12:05 AM

Chuchito Valdés returns to the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, which also recently presented Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, Thursday through Sunday, June 29-July 2. By Chuchito's own account, he honed some of his Jazz chops during some time in Chicago in an earlier period in his life, and he always plays a beautiful set (he is fronting a trio this time). You can find times and tickets here

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Saturday, 17 June 2017, 04:19 AM

ENGLISH: Daymé Arocena was in Chicago Wednesday and will be in New York Saturday. A photo gallery of the Wednesday concert is here. New Yorkers can check her out today.
ESPAÑOL: Daymé Arocena estuvo en Chicago el miercoles y va a presentar en Nueva York el sábado. Una galería del concierto de miercoles está aquí. Nuevayorquinos pueden disfrutar de ella hoy.

ENGLISH: Jane Bunnett and Maqueque are on tour at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago through Sunday. A photo gallery of the first Friday show is here.
ESPAÑOL: Jane Bunnett y Maqueque estan de gira 4 noches en Jazz Showcase en Chicago hasta el domingo. Una galería del primer show del viernes está aquí.

ENGLISH: During the next two weeks, Bill Tilford's radio program From the Isle of Music features an interview in two parts with Bobby Carcassés that they recorded in Bobby's home in May. Bobby is the creator of Jazz Plaza and one of the most important people in Jazz in Cuba. His new album Blues con Montuno won this year's Cubadisco in the Jazz Soloists category. If you care about Jazz in Cuba, you won't want to miss these episodes.
ESPAÑOL: Durante las próximas dos semanas, el programa de radio de Bill Tilford, From the Isle of Music, presenta una entrevista en dos partes con Bobby Carcassés que grabaron en el hogar de Bobby en mayo. Bobby es creador de Jazz Plaza y una de las personas más importantes en Jazz en Cuba. Su nuevo álbum Blues con montuno ganó esta año un Premio Cubadisco en la categoria Jazz Soloists. Si te interesa el Jazz en Cuba, no te lo pierdas.