Arturo Sandoval and Poncho Sanchez have both released tributes to Dizzy Gillespie during the past year.  Both are excellent recordings.  Arturo's recording is a spectacular Jazz album, and Poncho's recording is an excellent dance album.  To read our reviews of both in English, click here.

Note that Arturo will be performing at the Viper Alley in Lincolnshire, Illinois on Friday, October 5!

Arturo Sandoval y Poncho Sanchez han lanzado homenajes a Dizzy Gillespie durante el último año.  Ambos son grabaciones excelentes.  El proyecto de Arturo es un álbum de Jazz espectacular, y la grabación de Poncho es un disco bailable excelente.  Para leer las reseñas de ambos en español,  haga clic aquí.

¡Tenga en cuenta que Arturo se estará presentando en Viper Alley en Lincolnshire, Illinois el viernes, 5 de Octubre!

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John Santos and the legendary Orestes Vilató with the John Santos Sextet

Tom's latest gallery features Leyder Chapman's Dos 4, with Colin Douglas on drums and the John Santos Sextet with Orestes Vilató, Kenny Washington and John Calloway.

The incredible timba conjunto, The Pedrito Martínez Group, will be at Yoshi's Oakland on Thursday, Sept. 20th and at the Monterey Jazz Festival Sept. 21st.

Book News: If you're into Afro-Cuban folkloric music, Luca Brandoli's 11 books and 7 CDs are truly amazing. Each book/CD volume teaches you about 50 songs, first with a bell so you know exactly where "1" is and then with an exquisitely recorded batá ensemble. The singing is sublime and the educational method is a godsend. The perfect combination.

As for me, I'm still slaving away at my book for non-musicians. It keeps getting longer so I can't even predict when I'll be done.

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Buena Fe at the Latinoamericando Festival in Milan, Italy 2012

On 18 August 2012 I finally attended a concert by a band I have been following for 10 years. Buena Fe had their Italian debut at the Latinoamericando festival, Europe's most important festival for the popular music of Latin America. Buena Fe is arguably Cuba's premier pop-rock group and their following extends throughout Latin and North America and Europe. They have a devoted fan base, including myself, which continues to grow around the world despite Cuba's lack of industrial and economic machinery to promote their artists outside their borders.

I have written a concert report with a little behind-the-scenes info including photos and video. I know that like me, many timba fans are also fans of Buena Fe. And without knowing it, some of you have heard songs written by Buena Fe's director, composer and lead singer, Israel Rojas, who has written for Boni & Kelly and who composed the hit "Mi mujer y mi ex" for Pedrito Calvo.

For those of you who are hearing the name Buena Fe for the first time, I have also made an entire Buena Fe section with history, discography, a list of bandmembers, photos, videos and my concert report Part 1 and Part 2. Take a little time to get to know these guys. You'll be glad you did. There are also links to their very well-maintained internet sites so you can follow them closely yourself.

Buena Fe's music is a mix of trova-style intelligent, beautiful lyrics set to contemporary pop-rock arrangements and liberally infused with traditional Cuban and Caribbean genres in the best spirit of Cuban musical experimentation. They have remained at the top of the music and video charts for 11 years since releasing their first CD "Déjame entrar" in 2001. Their albums consistenly win at Cubadisco and their videos are always in the top lists. In 2008 they performed at Plaza de la Revoución for a crowd of 300 000 fans. This concert was captured on DVD/CD by filmmaker Ian Padrón and also won a Cubadisco award. It seems that whatever these two guajiros from Guantanamo touch turns to gold. So without further ado I turn you over to the concert report and the rest of the Buena Fe section.

You can keep up with everything the band is doing by checking these sites regularly.
buenafemusica.com 
BUENA FE (PAGINA OFICIAL) @ Facebook 
Israel Rojas @ Twitter 
BuenaFeMusica @ YouTube

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Chuchito Valdes, Jerry Gonzalez y El Comando de la Clave, Afro Cuban Jazz Project
Also:  Pacific Mambo Orchestra
(English/Español)

Laura Sosa , Director of DClivemusic.com and singer in the Washington DC area, interviewed pianist and bandleader Chuchito Valdes during his recent trip to Washington.   Thank you Laura for sharing this interview with us (in Spanish):

Laura Sosa , Director de DClivemusic.com y cantante en el área de Washington DC, se entrevistó con Chuchito Valdés , pianista y director de orquesta, durante su reciente viaje a Washingon.   Gracias Laura por compartir esta entrevista con nosotros (en español).   

El Comando de la Clave is a project featuring four musicians now working in Madrid:  Jerry González, Alaín Pérez, Kiki Ferrer and Javier Massó.   We saw them live recently at the Mayne Stage in Chicago.   Click here to see our pictures and review .   

El Comando de la Clave es un proyecto con cuatro músicos que trabajan hoy en día en Madrid: Jerry González, Alain Pérez, Kiki Ferrer y Javier Massó,  Los vimos recientemente en el Mayne Stage en Chicago.  Haga clic aquí para ver nuestras fotos y reseña .

Years ago, when this writer was in Los Angeles, California for a while, he had the pleasure of seeing "Long John" Oliva's AC Timba Jazz Project at a club called the Baked Potato.  That band had amazing musicians and great potential, but Long John died prematurely before it could be fully realized.  Recently, a new incarnation of that project, the Afro Cuban Jazz Project , has appeared on the scene  in LA.. This new group also has a very impressive roster: Fermin Sifontes, Luis Eric Gonzalez, Sawa Perez, Jimmy Branly, Joel Nuñez, Joey De Leon, Alberto Tomayo and guest artist Josiel Perez .  We will be watching the progress of this new group with great interest.  Click here to see their Reverbnation page, which includes audio and video clips.

Hace años, cuando el escritor se encontraba en Los Angeles, California, por un rato, tuvo el pacer de ver el " Long John Oliva's AC Timba Jazz Project" en un club llamado The Baked Potato.   Ese grupo tenía músicos increíbles y un gran potencial, pero "Long John" murió prematuramente antes de que pudiera relizarse plenamente.    Recientemente, una nueva encarnación de ese proyecto, el Afro Cuban Jazz Project , Ha aparecido en la escena de LA. Este nuevo grupo también cunta con una lista muy impresionante:  Fermin Sifontes, Luis Eric González,  Jorge "Sawa" Pérez, Jimmy Branly, Joel Nuñez, Joey De León, Alberto Tamayo y artista invitado Josiel Pérez.   Estaremos viendo el progreso de este grupo con gran interés. Haga clic aquí para ver su página de Reverbnation, que incluye clips de audio y video.

The Mambo has returned for real.  A  new and exciting big band, the Pacific Mambo Orchestra , is establishing a presence in California, and it is just a matter of time before it receives much wider recognition as well.   Click here to read our review of their soon-to-be released debut CD in English. 

El Mambo ha vuelto de verdad.  Una gran orquesta nueva y emocionante, el Pacific Mambo Orchestra, está estableciendo una presencia en California, y es sólo una cuestión de tiempo antes de que reciba la atención más amplia también.   Haga clic aquí para leer nuestra reseña de su anticipado CD, que será lanzado en Octubre, en ingles. 

Finally, we are listening - and listening - to a soon to be released recording by Rafael Monteagudo and The Music Connection called Innovation .  Whatever they are drinking in New York, we want a bottle of it, because this new Jazz recording is yet another truly excellent release from there.  We'll review it here very soon. 

Por último, estamos escuchando - y escuchando - a una grabación que pronto será lanzado por Rafael Monteagudo y The Music Connection llamado Innovation . Lo que sea que ellos están bebiendo en Nueva York, queremos una botella de la misma, porque esta grabación nueva Jazz es otro lanzamiento realmente excelente desde allí.  Vamos a reseñarlo aquí muy pronto.   

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