It turns out Klímax conguero Julio López is also a tremendous rumbero - photos by Tom Ehrlich

Klímax's debut Northern California tour is ending all too soon. In many ways they're playing an even tighter and more aggressive form of timba than they did in the 1990s. The percussion section - together for 15 years now - is absurdly tight, even by Havana standards, and the metales are by far the cleanest, most powerful and most in-tune trumpet-sax section since Los Metales de Terror. Vocal harmonies sublime and great dance routines - although Julio López overshadowed everything with his multi-part rumba-changó tour de force performance, with local hero Christian Pepín covering the congas.

Don't miss tonight - the Giants game will be over by the time they hit at 8:00 and Yoshi's has a nice screen in the lobby.

Click continue reading for more photos.

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all photos by Tom Ehrlich

The Klímax entourage is now safely in the Bay Area for Piloto's drum clinic in the Mission at 6:30 tonight. Here's a downloadable PDF of the handout for the clinic, including all sorts of information on Piloto and Kosa's other educational programs.

Transportation problems delayed the Felton show, but when Klímax hit the stage, they played a two hour-plus set that blew the roof off the joint. The horn section was as tight and clean as any I've heard out of Cuba and conguero Julio López is truly a force of nature. Ryan and Sidney's Klímax dance class was brilliant as always (they also do classes before each Yoshi's show). For that matter, the stage dancing was also extraordinarily tight, even in the limited space available, but if you want to see Noel Díaz's patented "splits" move, you'll have to go to Yoshi's.

Here's a google map of the clinic location (544 Capp Street, SF CA 94110 | 415-647-6015).

 Community Music Center in San Francisco's Mission District (home page here)

Tomorrow begins two nights at Yoshi's SF (one admission for the whole night). Then off to Seattle and Portland.

Tuesday, 10-21 - San Francisco - Yoshi's SF
Wednesday, 10-22 - San Francisco - Yoshi's SF
Thursday, 10-23 - Seattle - Seattle Club Sur
Friday, 10-24 - Portland - The Conga Club

Julio López - photos by Tom Ehlrich

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ENGLISH:   So many masters of the piano have visited Chicago this year - Elio Villafranca, Manuel Valera, Aruán Ortiz, Chucho Valdés, Chuchito Valdés, Harold López-Nussa - and more will come.  This week brings

Roberto Fonseca
Mayne Stage,  1328 W. Morse, Chicago, IL
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
7:00pm and 9:30pm 
One of Cuba's most important young Jazz and Fusion pianists and composers and a half-brother of Chuchito Valdés.  Roberto gave a phenomenal concert at the Lotus Festival in Bloomington, Indiana last year.  You can read a review of that performance  here and his recording Yo  here.

ESPAÑOL:   Tantos maestros del piano han visitado Chicago este año - Elio Villafranca, Manuel Valera, Aruán Ortíz, Chucho Valdés, Chuchito Valdés, Harold López-Nussa - y más vendrán.  Esta semana trae

Roberto Fonseca
Mayne Stage,  1328 W. Morse, Chicago, IL
Miercoles, 22 de octubre, 2014
7:00pm y 9:30pm   
Uno de los más importantes jóvenes pianistas y compositores en Jazz y Fusión en Cuba y un medio hermano de Chuchito Valdés.  Roberto dió un concerto fenomenal en el Lotus Festival en Bloomington, Indiana el año pasado. Puede leer una reseña del concierto (en ingles) aquí y de su grabacion Yo aquí. 

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Mark this date in your calendar: Wednesday November 26, 2014. Calixto Oviedo & His Latin Train will offer a Thanksgiving Eve performance of their Tribute to Maestro Bebo Valdés at Catalina Jazz Club on Sunset Boulevard. The Master Percussionist honors the Master Pianist with a night of Afro-Cuban Jazz. Calixto took time from his busy schedule to talk to Timba.com about the concert. Click here to book your tickets now! For more information check out the event at Facebook.

How did the idea arise to do a tribute to Bebo Valdés?

The idea came from my producer Guido Herrera. We decided to use my first presentation at the prestigious jazz club Catalin to honor the great musician Bebo - also utilizing my experiences with him in Stockholm, Sweden where we both lived for many years.

For you personally, what did Bebo Valdés mean to Cuban music - what is his legacy?

I met Bebo Valdés in Stockholm when we both lived there. One day he called me at home and asked me to give drum lessons to his younger son Rickard. From that moment every Wednesday for two years was spent at his home. A great friendship blossomed between our families. Now the opportunity has been presented for my Latin Train Band to perform at the prestigious Catalina Jazz Club. I decided to dedicate my debut show to one of the most important and influential pianist of Cuba. Bebo is a very important part of the history of Cuban music. He trained great artists who later became world stars and his legacy will remain for life. Bebo is Cuba. 

What other news can you give us about your band?

Well my band - I finally found the musicians I needed and who have very similar interests to mine. They are very young musicians but with a high musical level. They come from great bands and carry a large baggage of work. Yosmel Montejo on bass was formerly with Maraca and is a very accomplished musician and also an excellent person, which is very important to do a good job. He is a great connoisseur of the Latin Jazz genre and also an excellent Timbero. He is helping a lot with his compositions and arrangements. 

Joel Nunez is a tremendous saxophonist/pianist who also plays the EWI electronic instrument that brings colors and tones which I love. He has tremendous talent. Nathaniel Molina is a boricua with tremendous BOMBA who plays piano, composes, sings - he is a great all-around musician. Studious 100 x 100, he is a connoisseur of drumming and he knows all the styles. Santiago is a brother from Matanzas with a great history in Cuban music. He is very responsible my brother of the old guard - a great person. The singer Lily D Oviedo continues captivating audiences and rising to the top. She can move between "feeling", samba and ballads with incredible ease. She is very versatile in addition to singing in English or Portuguese. Lily is great. 

This is my band  - Latin Train Band - and we are now preparing our first album. It includes songs by Yosmel Montejo, a few standards and some of my songs.

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