Bill is currently in Havana for Cubadisco and other events and will get back to us with a full report. In the meantime, the Cubadisco 2015 awards have been given and I'll just mention those closest to our hearts at Timba.com.

Alexander Abreu & Havana D'Primera won big, taking home the Best Dance Album award as well as Grand Prize, which they shared with Digna Guerra (choral music). These awards come as no surprise to anyone who has listened to Havana D'Primera's new CD "La vuelta al mundo". It is an exceptional album of which a review will be forthcoming from Bill after he gets back from Havana.

If you missed it, Havana D'Primera has just released a remix of the song "Trece", available at CDBaby. A rap section has been added to the song. In terms of lyrics "Trece" is by far the most "urban" song Havana D'Primera has done. It makes references to the "charada china" or "la bolita" throughout the song. Doce, trece, cincuenta and noventa y seis each take their meaning from this popular yet unofficial lottery. Like many of you, I was ignorant of the whole charada, so I will share here the meanings of these numbers and it will give a whole new dimension to the song. 
12 - prostitute
13 - peacock (or a conceited man)
50 - police
96 - old prostitute

Another winner at the 2015 Cubadisco Awards was Emilio Frias "El Niño y La Verdad" who won Best Dance Album by a new group. I have to say that I am so glad Cubadisco had this category because honestly I would have found it very difficult, if not impossible to choose between "Llegó la verdad" and "La vuelta al mundo". My own review of the brilliant debut album by La Verdad will be published soon. "Llegó la verdad" was also nominated for Opera Prima (Laritza Bacallao took that category) and Best Recording, which went to Maykel Bárzaga for "Cuba now danzón". 

Septeto Santiaguero took home the award for Best Traditional Son with their magnificent album "No quiero llanto - Tributo a los Compadres" featuring José Alberto "El Canario". Here is SuenaCubano's full list of winners while we await Bill's return with all the gossip from the event and what's up in Havana. Timba.com congratulates all of the 2015 Cubadisco winners!

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ENGLISH: Thanks to the Publications Department of Cubadisco, you may download the official book of Cubadisco 2015 nominees here.  It is free but only available in Spanish. 
ESPAÑOL:  Gracias al Departamento de Publicaciones Cubadisco,  puede descargar el libro oficial de nominados premio Cubadisco 2015  aquí. Es gratis, pero sólo está disponible en español.

ENGLISH: Melvis Santa was given a warm welcome at Sabor a Café in Chicago - you can view a photo gallery here.   
ESPAÑOL:   Melvis Santa se le dio una bienvenida afectuosa en Chicago en Sabor a Café -puede ver una galería de fotos y el comentario aquí.

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The west coast gears up for the Pacific Mambo Orchestra's release party for their new single and first official video, the "Pacific Mambo Dance". After the closings of beloved venues Café Cócomo and The Addition (formnerly Yoshi's SF), Bay Area salseros and salseras are out in force seeking a new home-base. Let's hope this new Space 550 can rise to the occasion and accomodate this 20-piece powerhouse. The PMO will bring its legions of "música tropical" lovers to this new club next Friday May 15th.

Purchase advance tickets here =  http://pmo-dance-party.eventbrite.com
*This event will sell out and tickets are $10 more at the door. 

On related news, the PMO is set to perform at the Stern Grove Festival on Sunday June 21st with special guests and fellow grammy award winners Sheila E. and Marlow Rosado. The event should be called Grammys on the Grove if the Academy would allow it. The concert is sponsored by KPFA 94.1 FM. The Stern Grove Festival is FREE and takes place at the Sigmund Stern Grove, a 10,000 audience capacity, beautiful outdoor amphitheater located at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard in San Francisco. More to come on this story. Mambo's gonna rock your world!

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