Tony Moreaux is working on his first CD with his new group Asokere , based in Copenhagen. He has come a long way from his childhood in Guantanamo where his father is maraquero and singer with Changüí Guantanamo. Tony studied percussion at the Music Conservatory Esteban Salas in Santiago de Cuba and his timba career began with Carlos Manuel y Su Clan. In the year 2000 Tony relocated to Copenhagen, Denmark where he worked with orchestras such as Grupo Danson. He later became a member of Juan D'Marcos' Afro-Cuban All stars and toured the world extensively. Tony has now formed his own orchestra - Asokere. Last year they performed as a backing band for Tito Nieves on his European tour, and they are currently hard at work finishing their first album.

In 2016 Asokere released their first single "Pa' que aprendas" and Tony recently took time off to tell us a little about the band and their debut album slated for release later this year. Follow Asokere at their Official Facebook Page .

The CD will have 10 songs so that Cuban music lovers can enjoy themselves and dance to the music that I bring with Asokere. Our music style is popular dance music using different genres such as son, son montuno, pilón, cha cha chá, songo ... well it will  have a range of Cuban rhythms and a lot of rhythmic folkloric elements, which I am very interested in doing, since of course I have always been interested in the Yoruba religion. That's why my band's name is: Asokere. Asokere is a song to Eleggua in the Yoruba religion, and I, as Son of Eleggua, was interested in that song and from there came the name of the band.

The band members are Cubans and Danes. The singer is Henry Benitez better known in Cuba as "El Jerry" (ex-Pupy y Los Que Son Son singer). The pianist is Javier Gutiérrez Massó (El Caramelo de Cuba). Several of the members are involved in writing the arrangements, but I always put something of myself into the arrangements and the way in which I want to interpret the songs. This is to say it's always a collective work, because we all have different ways of thinking and of feeling the music.

The first single "Pa' que aprendas" is by the trumpet player Oslen Ceballo, an excellent arranger and trumpet player. The next songs that I will begin to record have arrangements by Maykel "Cuchilla" Garcia (pianist and member of Pupy y Los Que Son Son) and also arrangements by two magnificent musical producers and arrangers - Mauricio Cecilio Diaz and Roniel Alfonso Mella. I hope everyone enjoys it and that you like everything I bring, which is simply dance music for the dancers.

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ENGLISH:   Septeto Santiaguero is about to release a new recording, Raíz .  You can read our review here. 
There will also be an opportunity to hear a couple of  songs from the new album on Bill Tilford's radio program From the Isle of Music the week of January 30. 

ESPAÑOL:  Septeto Santiaguero está al punto de lanzar una nueva grabación, Raíz . Nuestra reseña está disponible aquí. 
También hay opportunidad de escuchar un par de canciones del nuevo álbum en el programa radial de Bill Tilford, From The Isle of Music , durante la semana del 30 de enero.     




ENGLISH:  January 26 marks the first anniversary of the passing of Miguel Angel Rasalps "Lele" , who sang with Elio Reve , was a founding vocalist with Los Van Van , and made many wonderful recordings with Los Reyes 73 in the 1970s.  On January 23, 27 and 28, the radio program From the Isle of Music will air a radio tribute with special guest Ricardo Delgado , saxophonist with Los Reyes 73 during the 1970s, with a heavy emphasis on the music of Los Reyes 73 . 
ESPAÑOL :  El 26 de enero es el primer aniversario del fallecimiento de Miguel Ángel Rasalps "Lele", quien cantó con Elio Reve , era vocalista fundador de Los Van Van y hizó muchas grabaciones maravillosas con Los Reyes 73 en los años 70. Los días 23, 27 y 28 de enero, el programa radial From Isle of Music emitirá un tributo radiofónica con el invitado especial Ricardo Delgado , saxofonista de Los Reyes 73 durante los años 70, con un fuerte énfasis en la música de Los Reyes 73. 

ENGLISH:  Juan-Carlos Formell and his side project Son Radical gave a performance in Chicago on January 13.    A small photo gallery is available here. 
ESPAÑOL:   Juan-Carlos Formell y su proyecto paralelo Son Radical dió un concierto en Chicago el 13 de Enero.   Una pequeña galería de fotos está disponsible aquí. 

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Timba 2017 is starting with a bang with "Bomba y Cuchara" – the new single by La Liga Habanera, one of Stockholm's favorite timba bands. The band held a concert at Fasching in Stockholm last Saturday and today their new single – "Bomba y Cuchara" featuring Lesmer Solenzar on lead vocals – dropped at CDBaby.com. "Bomba y Cuchara" will soon be at other digital retailers such as iTunes and Amazon as well.

It is a hard-hitting timba arrangement that kicks off with a great piano tumbao and includes clever use of light reggaeton drums from about 1:20 to 1:37 for fans of a more urban style. It works very well. A torrid dance track to usher in the new year. Click here to listen to a preview.

Credits: Drums and timbales Max Alton. Composed and arranged by Max Alton. Lyrics by Lesmer Solenzar and Max Alton. Lead vocals Lesmer Solenzar. Background vocals Pablo Cepeda, Max Alton, Cecilia Ferrer. Trumpets Petter Linde. Trombones Peter Fredriksson. Piano and arrangements Oldrich Gonzales. Bass Alfonso Nuñes. Congas Pablo Cepeda. Recorded in Farmer street Studio Sweden Stockholm. Mix by Måns Ek.

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Emilio Frias "El Niño" y La Verdad have just uploaded their new video "Con Eleguá y con Orula". Emilio did a live Facebook chat beforehand from Panama where they are currently doing promotion. You can check it out at the band's official Facebook site - this is the one they want people to follow to get all the latest news, so be sure to click "Follow". El NIño y La Verdad will be touring Europe from February 15th through March 5th promoting their 2nd CD - "Más Duro". Next week we'll post all the concert dates. For now, enjoy the latest video.

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