Upgrade your salsa band to TIMBA! The motherlode has finally arrived. It is now impossible to argue against this instructional behemoth. "Well I love it and I can play in that style, but of the band doesn't, so I can't do my thing .... We can't get charts for the songs we like ... The charts are always wrong and incomplete".  NO MORE EXCUSES. 365 pages and 465 audio tracks (753 MB) later, INCLUDING the full sheet music transcription for César Pupy Pedroso y los que Son Son's EL BUENA GENTE (2005 version w/ Pepito Gómez), Beyond Salsa for Ensemble is HERE  !

Immediately download the FREE, 46 page sample PDF

             order the hard copy book              order the eBook & audio (sold separately)

Once you taste TIMBA you can ask for the salsa on the side. Beyond Salsa for Ensemble Volume 1 is now THE STANDARD for instruction of modern tropical dance music styles. This new series is designed to teach modern Cuban rhythm section techniques to college and high school bands, and working professional bands. Each volume contains extensive exercises that systemically teach each of timba's many rhythmic and formal innovations and each contains a full chart of an important timba hit, ready to play at concerts and gigs.

The most frequent question I've heard people ask about Cuban music is: "What's the difference between timba and salsa? "

There are many answers to this question, most of them having to do with lyrics, dancing, melody and chord progressions, but if we limit ourselves strictly to the percussion instruments and the rhythms played by the bass and piano, there are still many key differences and that's what these books are about.   read the full details >>>

BEYOND SALSA for ENSEMBLE Volume 1
COMPLETE AUDIO TRACK LIST (465 tracks - 753 MB)

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Hot off the press...Incredible feel, insane groove, funky rumba....all of these descriptions come to mind when you experience Alaín Pérez play bass. Check out this video teaser for the upcoming Beyond Salsa Bass, a new instructional book & video by Kevin Moore & Alaín Pérez ( http://timba.com/bass ). Here Alaín demonstrates his unique bass movement and groove improvisation for the harmony of "No Me Mires", a song made popular by Issac Delgado.

Cubanos in New Jersey - Prudential Hall, New Jersey Performing Arts Center Chucho Valdés, Cuban pianist and composer, and the Afro-Cuban Messengers, plus the jazz pianist Hiromi and her Trio Project, featuring Anthony Jackson and Simon Phillips. Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. $29 to $80. Prudential Hall, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center Street. (888) 466-5722. njpac.org

Also Cuban-born saxophonist and clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera, winner of two 2011 Latin Grammys, performs at the Mayo Performing Arts Center on Friday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $37-$67. D’Rivera’s most recent release, Panamericana, won two 2011 Grammys, for “Best Latin Jazz Album” and “Best Classical Contemporary Compostion.” The Mayo Performing Arts Center is located at 100 South St., Morristown. For ticket information, call 973-539-8008 or visit mayoarts.org

Cuban Music Experience @ University of Colorado Denver - 7th Annual Cuban Music Experience featuring Latin-jazz greats Brian Lynch, John Benitez, Michael Spiro, and Jesús Díaz as well as the amazing 10 piece dance band Timbalive from Miami. February 15-17, 2012. Auraria Campus. source

Rumba master Gregorio Hernández passes away - Dancer, singer and master percussionist Gregorio Hernández Ríos ‘El Goyo’, one of the best known performers of Afro-Cuban rumba, died in Havana on Sunday, January 8th, 2012. He was 75 years old. The Cuban Ministry of Culture and the Union of Artists and Writers of Cuba (UNEAC) expressed their grief by citing Gregorio Hernandez’s achievements and his contribution to Cuban culture. Gregorio Hernández Ríos was born in Havana on November 17th, 1936. He was the founder of the Conjunto Folclórico Nacional, which researched and recovered Afro-Cuban music of Yoruba and Bantu origin. source

Yoani Sánchez on Huffington Post - Famous Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez is now contributing to the Huffington Post (her current article reflects on Cuban music). Her book Havana Real: One Woman Fights to Tell the Truth about Cuba Today is now available on Amazon. 

Timba in Pittsburgh? - The rumor mill has it that a sensational timba group is forming in Pittsburg, PA and they are looking for a keyboard player. Anyone have a phone number to call? Hint: look on Craigslist.

Tiempo Libre with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra - "La fiesta más grande" is scheduled for January 20-21. Check out the enthusiastic video here = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJy0HO_W0i0

New program allows legal visitation to Cuba - Our government now allows visitation to Cuba under a program called People to People Exchange. With permission from the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Office of Foreign Asset Control, it is possible for Americans to visit there legally. U.S. tourism is sanctioned under this program for either humanitarian or educational purposes. So, many organizations are abiding by the strictures and planning trips along the lines of religious mission trips, contemporary art and music trips, architectural trips and history. source

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Beyond Salsa for Ensemble -- all 350 pages and 464 audio files of it -- will be out later this week - click here for a preview with audio excerpts. Next up: Beyond Salsa Bass with Alain Pérez, then Beyond Salsa Bongó with Carlos Caro. Stay tuned. [Kevin Moore]

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The New Year is off to an auspicious start! La Letra del Año has confirmed that the world will not end in 2012, and even more importantly, Tirso Duarte will be making his first NYC appearance on March 2nd at S.O.B.s! Ladies and gentlemen, timberas y timberos, this is truly a magnificent event so don't miss it, or you will never forgive yourself! We will get back to you ASAP with more US tour dates.

Tirso is an infinitely talented pianist, composer and arranger, and for the younger generation he is the new voice of timba. During his brilliant career he has written and arranged many of the hits of the post-break-up Charanga Habanera before moving on to NG La Banda and Pupy y Los Que Son Son, finally making his mark on Cuban music as a solo artist. As you can tell I am a huge fan myself. Here is a small taste from the Sons of Cuba DVD which many of you have already seen, but it merits watching over and over again...Manos pa'rriba la gente de la noche y la luna llena .

Tirso Duarte sings "La Luna"

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