Havana d'Primera's long-awaited new material is finally starting to come out. They've released two tracks - a "single", as it were - for digital download. They're called No me importa and Carita de pasaporte, and they're both fantastic. And folks - can we all agree that each fan should buy his or her own copy? It's only $2.80 for both tracks. We're all conditioned to send everything out to everyone we know and it's not realistic that we're going to change our habits at this late date, but let's think ahead a little. If HdP makes money on these tracks, more will follow. If there was ever a group to make a positive example of, this is the one, with a musician-friendly leader and lineup of some of the true class acts of the Havana scene. Remember that the catalyst for the timba explosion of the 1990s was the sudden financial opportunity brought about by the reaction to the fall of the Soviet Union. There's some kind of economic catalyst at play in almost every great musical era. If we all agree to buy our own copies of the best new timba, we can create our own. For a mere $2.80 you can do your part. I bought mine, Gabriel of Yemayá's Verse bought hers. If you buy yours, add your name in the comments to this post.

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From time to time I get an email from OMO ACHÉ CULTURAL ARTS and I'm always impressed in their level of activity. Led by Juan Carlos Blanco Riera, Omo Aché is a San Diego, California based organization dedicated to preserving, promoting and educating the general public about the richness of Cuban music, dance & culture.  Omo Ache’s performance group actively preserves the traditional dances, songs, music and stories of Cuba.   Omo Aché Afro-Cuban Dance & Music Co. offers audiences a journey through the evolution of Cuban culture, from its African roots to today's most popular urban expressions.  Performers of Omo Aché include Cuban and local artists dedicated to the ethnographic study of traditional Afro-Cuban cultural arts under the guidance of master folklorist and artistic director Juan Carlos Blanco Riera. Read more about OMO ACHÉ in our dance section...

This year the Billboard Latin Music Conference and Awards is taking place April 26-27-28 in Miami Beach. The conference unites the most active market movers in the world of Latin music and entertainment - including the industry’s hottest artists, major record label execs, cutting-edge brand marketers, national radio programmers, world-renowned producers, and revolutionary digital music execs. Its the networking event of the year for this sector. Recognizing the most popular Latin music acts on the charts, the Billboard Latin Music Awards features top solo performers & Latin groups vying for top honors across all genres of Latin Music, produced and broadcast by Telemundo. 

In partnership with Billboard, TIMBA.com is extending a SPECIAL ARTIST ONLY RATE of $400 for all three days (conference & awards). Check the current rates here. Only latin music artists with at least one release (Latinpulsemusic.com, iTunes, CD Baby) can apply. For more info write to us at timba [at] timba [dot] com with *artist rate billboard* in the subject line.

En asociación con Billboard, TIMBA.com está ofreciendo una TARIFA ESPECIAL PARA ARTISTAS  de $400 para los tres días (conferencia y premios). Revisa los precios actuales aquí.  Solo artista con mínimo un lanzamiento (Latinpulsemusic.com, iTunes, CD Baby) pueden aplicar. Para más información escríbenos a timba [arroba] timba [punto] com con *tarifa especial de artista billboard* en el sujeto.

SBS, agrupación formada por el cantante Abel Bosmenier (Abel Namá) y distinguidos por ventas de “SIGUE AL LÍDER” Acapulco (México) han obtenido disco de oro por las 75.000 copias vendidas, su experiencia tras estos años hacen que el cantante y compositor continúe su proyecto en solitario, como SBS Abel Namá, manteniendo su dinámica fusionando el Hip Hop ( Rap) con géneros cubanos, son, guaracha y cha cha cha -GUARACHANDO, su nueva propuesta discográfica. El Grupo S. B. S. de Hip Hop es oriundo de La Habana, Cuba; surgió en 1995 cuando un grupo de jóvenes con inquietudes musicales decidieron unirse en un proyecto singular que en poco tiempo fueron capaces de crear su sello identitario con un repertorio propio fusionando el Hip-Hop (Rap) con géneros cubanos como el Son, la Guaracha y el Cha Cha Cha. 

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Ladies and gentelmen, enjoy this great video of NG La Banda live in Japan, 1994. This clip shows their classic hit "Picadillo de soya" and Calixto Oviedo gives another masters lesson in drumming. Fuera de liga! So sit back (if you can keep yourself from dancing) and enjoy one of the great moments in Cuban music history!

NG La Banda - Picadillo de soya - Tokyo 31 July 1994 - Caribbean Heat Festival

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It is time again for Cuba's biggest percussion festival and competition in memory of the legendary Guillermo Barreto. This year's festival will take place from March 8 - 13. As always it is a huge project with events taking place across the city from morning to night. The percussion competition is open to Cubans and non-Cubans and there is no age limit for participants. Categories include drums, timbales, congas, bongo and batá. Winners may participate in one or two categories. The winner of each category will receive an instrument and special prizes will be awarded for the best woman and child participants. See the full details in Spanish.

In addition to six days of exciting competitions, there will be  symposiums and musical performances throughout the city. The Inauguration Gala will take place on March 8 from 8:30pm - 10.30pm at Teatro Mella where the 10th anniversary of the Grammy for "La Rumba Soy Yo" will be celebrated by Muñequitos de Matanzas, Conjunto Folkórico Nacional, Compañía JJ, Compañía de Roclan, Klímax Amadito Valdés and Luis Carbonell.

Throughout the week you can see the best percussionists in Cuba together on a single stage, jazz concerts, dance performances, documentaries and of course timba! The finals and award ceremony for the percussion competition will take place at Teatro Astral  on March 11th and feature artists ¨Jorge Reyes y sus Amigos¨ (Tribute to Barreto); with Changuito, Yaroldy Abreu, among others. There will also be a presentation of the DVD by Rodney Barreto and Oliver Valdés: Drums  La Habana¨.

Saturday the 12th from 10:00pm - 02:30am at Salón Rosado de La Tropical you can see Klimax, Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco, Yuly y Habana C, Maykel Blanco y Salsa Mayor. And the event will be closed on the Sunday the 13th at La Tropical with concerts by Carbe Girl, Alexander Abreu y Habana de Primera, Yoruba Andabo, Pupy y los que Son and guests Haila, Vania  and Tania Pantoja.

Click here for the complete festival schedule and all details about the competition (in Spanish).

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