Maykel Blanco y Salsa Mayor at Moe's Alley - Santa Cruz - photo by Tom Ehrlich

Okay - these guys are really hot! This was one of the two bands I had never seen live so I'm still pretty bowled over, learning people's names, etc. Fortunately, Michelle White has built a truly EPIC Salsa Mayor section over the last few years - with monstrous quantities of lyrics, concert reports, video, photos et al., so check that out for details and I'll just give you my first impressions. 

So, yeah, really hot. The rhythm section is incredibly disciplined, well rehearsed, and just plain fierce - even by Havana standards. They have 14 members: bass, two keyboards, drums/timbales, congas, güiro, 2 trumpets, 2 bones, and 4 singers. All four singers are very strong and one guy is just off the hook - and as dancers, the whole band is the best to come through here - probably ever. They have this amazing, rippling, wave-like set of moves that they all do (even the bassist while he's playing). These guys have perfected every visual and musical detail and their rapid ascendance to the top tiers of the Havana scene now makes perfect sense. More veteran SM fans than I have also pointed out that this particular incarnation of the band is probably the best they've had. More photos coming soon. In the meantime, get your fix here ... and here ... or check out one of our six video interviews or twelve concert videos.

Bay Area: Tonight, Friday, at Cócomo: There's some stiff competition, but to be honest, if you miss this band, you're going to be very sorry when your friends come to you drooling about it. The Cócomo show is unlikely to start before 10:00, so if you're rich (haha) you can probably catch Aragón's first show and not miss any of Salsa Mayor. Aragón also plays Saturday and Sunday. Salsa Mayor returns for a lecture at Mission Cultural Center on Oct. 17th.

Washington State: Tomorrow, Saturday in Bellingham's Blue Horse Gallery, and Sunday in Seattle at Club Sur.

Los Angeles: Thursday October 20 at The Reef in Long Beach.

Miami: Club Aché on Saturday, October 22.

more ticket links

Full tour, including five dates/cities in France in November. [Kevin Moore]

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The 2011 Latin Festival in Copenhagen will take place November 5th at Amager Bio. The bands this year are Manolito y Su Trabuco and El Micha . This event is highly recommended! The Trabuco is in top form right now with a selection of great new songs, so they are really worth seeing una vez más . The Trabuco concert is from 9:00pm-10.30pm. It will be followed by 30 minutes of dance shows and then El Micha will close the evening with a concert from 11:30pm-00:30. El Micha is hugely popular among reggaetoneros and has done a number of timbaton songs such as with Issac Delgado, La Charanga Habanera and Alain Daniel. You can get all the information at the Latin Festival website . Note that if you don't buy your ticket in advance they will only accept cash at the door!

Here is a little taste of something new by El Trabuco, a song written by Alexander Abreu and sung by Mayami that has Gabriel from Yemayá's verse raving! Check her blog for more estrenos direct from Havana. Now that she's back, she starting to upload.

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In just under a week the 10th Annual Contest of Popular and Traditional Cuban Dance and Rueda de Casino will take place in Parque Céspedes in Santiago de Cuba. While the contest name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, it is a very accurate descriptor of the event. Couples who wish to compete must be acredited by the provincial commitee of UNEAC (Unión de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba). Competitions will be held in Danzòn, Son, Mambo, Cha Cha Chá, Pilón, Mozambique, Casino in couples and Rueda de Casino. Winners will be chosen in each category and an award will also be given to the couple that has the best overall command of Cuban dances. This will be the first year that a Children's Contest will be held for ages 5-15. The children's contest will take place the 15th and 16th of October. If you are going to be in Santiago don't miss this opportunity to see over 100 years of Cuban popular dances as interpeted by the best local dancers. The event will also include music performances by artists from Santiago de Cuba.

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Tiempo Libre really tore it up in Santa Cruz last night! Ultra-agressive timba in the extreme. Pututi III is incredible and the whole club, even by Kuumbwa standards, was absolutely on fire. The bassist Tebelio was also insanely good tonight. Make it to the clinic on Saturday and the concert on Sunday if you can. It's not obvious from this photo, but from a straight-on view, the new trumpet player, (who was also the founding trumpet player), Raúl Rodríguez, is a dead ringer for Paul Shaffer.

Click here for Tom's gallery - more coming.

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