June 23th - 27th Guantanamo will again play host to the National Changüí Festival. This year the festival is dedicated to three important anniversaries: the 100th year anniversary of the birth of tresero and founder of the group Changüí Guantanamo - Chito Latamblét, the 60th anniversary of Orquesta Revé, and the 25th anniversary of Los Morenos del Changüí. It is also dedicated to the Guantanamo Diaspora - especially the artists and musicians.

So what does the festival have to offer?

The main activities are:
• Contest for best new Changüí song in honor of Pedro Speck.
• Competitions for treseros, bongoceros, marimbuleros and dancers.
• Rafael Inciarte Seminar: Seeds, Parallels and Projections of Changui
• Meeting Families, Musicians and traditions.
• Traditions in projection
• Changüí and Cumbancha, now. The World's Longest Changüí.
• Tributes, dances, community changüí parties, exhibitions, audiovisual materials.

The concerts will include the participation of Elito Revé y su Charangón, Oderquis Revé and Pancho Amat y su Grupo. There are usually also timba groups participating, but I haven't seen a list yet. If you are in Cuba I strongly recommend making a trip to Guantanamo for this event. While there you should also try to attend some of the community Changüí parties. I went to la Casa del Changüí in Yateras in 2007 and it was really a wonderful experience. I have posted some of my pictures from Guantanamo and Yateras for your viewing pleasure.

The contact information to sign up for all of the events is below, but many events are also free or just require payment of the entry fee to the Casa del Changüí.

Registration fees:
National Participants 50.00 CUP
Foreign participants 50.00 CUC

Contact:
Paradiso Agency. Artex
Email: paradiso@scgt.artex.cu

Elito Revé y su Charangón perform Fresquecito from their 50th anniversary at the
3rd National Changüí Festival in 2007

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Photo courtesy of Maykel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor Official Facebook page

Te escapaste

Maykel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor are in full swing with their Summer 2016 tour of Europe . They have played three gigs in Italy where Dancer/Singer Maykel Fonts joined in performing his duet "Dale lo que lleva" with Maykel B and adding some spice to "Bembé" with his world renowned rumba moves. Tomorrow Maykel B and the boys will be at the "I am Cuban All Star Festival" in Corfu, Greece and they will be in my own town of Stockholm, Sweden this Friday May 27th where they will appear with our own Calle Real!

Calle Real in turn has already performed several concerts this year in Ethiopia and France. Both bands released their latest CDs in December of 2015. Maykel Blanco released his fifth studio album "Que no me quiten la fe", which is also Cuba's first Blu Ray disc and Calle Real finally gave fans a long-awaited third album "Dime que?!". Both are excellent CDs and highly recommended. Stay tuned for the reviews (I apologize for falling behind in that). In the meantime you can enjoy a little concert video of both bands performing songs from their new CDs.

Maykel Blanco y su Salsa Mayor & Calle Real in Stockholm May 27

Calle real - Te lo di

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As part of this year's Concert Cruises, S.O.Bs in New York is presenting Los Van Van in a special concert on the Infinity Yacht, Friday July 1, 2016. This is a 21+ show with doors opening at 9pm.

** For tickets click here or on the flyer below **

The following day you can see Los Van Van in New Jersey at Schuetzen Park located at 3167 Kennedy Blvd. North Bergen, NJ 07047. Doors open at 8pm.

** For tickets click here or on the flyer below **

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