The 2015 Havana Rhythm and Dance Festival begins tomorrow at 8:30 pm at Teatro Mella with a tribute to drummer Chuck Silverman, who passed away unexpectedly almost a year ago. Chuck was well-known to many of the writers and readers here at Timba.com. He was a great educator and driving force behind Afro-Caribbean rhythms in drumming. Participating in this opening show and tribute are Afrocuba de Matanzas and guests; Osaìn del Monte and Rodney Barreto; Jeff Coffin`s Big Band Project and Yoruba Andabo. Havana's annual festival of drumming and dance under festival president Giraldo Piloto is a must-see event. Click here for the full program. 

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YISSY GARCIA AND BANDANCHA US TOUR
This is another of the new wave of modern Cuban music groups that are mixing Cuban music, Funk, Jazz Hip Hop and other genres successfully.  Yissy's group is also interesting for other reasons - their next album will be crowdfunded, and this may open the door for more of this activity by Cuban artists if all goes well.  They just finished in New York, will be in Knoxville, then off to DC, then Miami.   Here's a taste of recent New York concert from Yissy's You Tube channel:

GLOBAL CUBA FEST COMES TO MIAMI
March 7, 13, 14; April 11, 2015
Miami Dade County Auditorium and The Light Box at Goldman Warehouse
Opening night, March 7, features a marathon of some of Cuba's superb young pianists (Harold López-Nussa, Aldo López-Gavilán and Jorge Luis Pacheco) followed by Volcán with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Horacio El Negro Hernandez, Giovanny Hidalgo and Armando Goia.   A Latin Fusion group from Switzerland, Lariba, closes the show.   This should be an explosive evening.  Yissy comes in on March 13-14, and Omar Sosa comes in on April 11.  For complete details, visit the Fundarte website here. 

The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage in Washington DC will have the Harold López-Nussa, Aldo López-Gavilán and Jorge Luis Pacheco part of the program on March 8. 

We recently mentioned Septeto Santiaguero's forthcoming release, No Quiero Llanto - Tributo a Los Compadres.   Word has it that the Septeto will be premiering a video at Billboard Latin on April 28 followed by official release on May 12.  Stay tuned. 

Finally, Chicago musician/bandleader Lise Gilly went to Jazz Plaza 2014 in Havana with several other musicians including Andrea Brachfeld.  Lise was kind enough to write about her trip, and you can read her impressions of Jazz Plaza here. 

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As most cubanophiles know, Conan O'Brien recently recorded an episode in Cuba that will air on March 4th. Among other things he joined in a rueda at the popular dance club 1830. He definitely has a style all his own. Here are some spots from his web site. Below is a tourist video of Conan's dance stylings, which we can see in full on Wednesday. I especially like the "jumping jacks" move. Other current visiters to Cuba include Paris Hilton and Naomi Campbell.

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Get ready Los Angeles because Calixto Oviedo is coming at you with his Latin Jazz Train Quintet! They are currently in the process of recording a new CD of Calixto's signature danceable Latin Jazz under the production of Manny Gonzales SA and Calixto Oviedo at Maracatumba Studios in L.A. You can get a sneak peek at what is coming this Wednesday February 25th when Calixto's Latin Jazz Train Quintet will  give a pre-release concert at Trattoria 25 2510 S. Santa Fe Ave. The concert will include special guest Lily Hernández on vocals. For reservations and more information contact (626) 818-4464. It's free admission and parking! Don't missit!

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