Issac y Manolín con Los Van Van en la Yuma

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Volume 3 of the Beyond Salsa Piano series is now available in Hard-Copy at CreateSpace.com.

Another milestone! Full details on the status page.

Volume 4 in eBook will be out within a week.

The revised version of Vol. 1, by the way, is already available in eBook form and its hard-copy version will go back online Wednesday.

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After three long awaited years the Dallas, Texas based band Havana NRG (New Rhythm Generation) returns to the recording world with the sophomore release of “Receta Perfecta”.

click here to listen to sample tracks

This December 2009 CD release coincided with their celebration in Dallas at Cirque Night Club (6-9pm) where close to 600 patrons, fans & media will unite to taste the savory recipe that this hot young band cooks up before continuing their hectic tour schedule. It also marks the radio debut of the CD and as ‘defenders of the music realm’ we ask that you support Havana NRG! Cuban Orchestra this weekend by playing the opening track, “DIME SI TE VAS”, as the official launch of the CD.

Receta Perfecta made our friend Tijana Ilich's well read Latin music blog on About.com Top Ten Salsa and Timba Albums of 2009. Tijana reports: 

"Listening to lots of the timba albums that came out this year, I was disappointed with perennial favorites Charanga Habanera and even the new Los Van Van. Surprisingly, I loved Receta Perfecta by Havana NRG. Why surprising? Havana NRG is a young timba band from Texas -- not exactly the place you expect to hear a lot of timba. But this group of young, mostly Cuban expatriates makes the genre oh-so-approachable with infectious melodies and boundless energy. The album's timba tunes are clear and crisp. They also mix-it-up with other tropical rhythms, which adds to a well thought out album. The 'NRG' stands for 'New Rhythm Generation' and seems to be the prescription for putting new life to a genre that's rumored to be on life support."

Way to go Mariela, Maiquel and crew! Thank you for your continuing support of independent artists and their projects and the preservation of our music. If we do not do it ‘commercial’ radio certainly won’t!

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Volume 3 is now available in eBook and audio formats at LPM.

This one picks up the story after the Cuban Revolution. While 1950s Cuban music was thriving in New York as  "salsa", the Cubans on the island continued to evolve in a variety of eclectic directions.

Volumes 3 and 4 can be thought of as companions to timba.com's free online book The Roots of Timba, covering the same period from the pianist's point of view and paying special attention to Los Van Van, Ritmo Oriental, Irakere, Aragón, Los Maravillas de Florida, Orquesta 440, Opus 13, and Nueva Generación, the predecessor to NG La Banda.

Volume 3 also covers pilón, mozambique, and extensive appendix on Afro-Cuban folkloric rhythms

All told there are 106 audio files covering a wide range of tumbaos and exercises for feeling folkloric rhythms correctly.

Click here for a quick preview - and here to download the eBook and audio.

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