Tom Ehrlich has discovered a new magazine -  Jazzin’, reporting on jazz in Puerto Rico and   scheduled to release its first monthly issue in February, 2015. It will include interviews, reviews of recordings, listings of concerts and more. The magazine will be distributed mainly in Puerto Rico in clubs and restaurants, but the magazine is available to people outside the island for the cost of shipping and handling. If anyone is interested in getting a subscription to this magazine, contact Wilbert Sostre at wsostre@gmail.com. 

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PALO! anticipates Grammy(R) week with video premiere and concert. - Miami’s Afro-Cuban Funk band PALO! has much to celebrate: A Grammy nomination and headlining a concert at one of Hollywood’s top music venues. In anticipation of Grammy Week, timba.com is featuring the Exclusive World Premiere of their music video “La Malanga Resbala”.

PALO! storms Los Angeles on February 3rd for Grammy week with a series of high profile appearances on TV, radio and digital media. (Follow “gopalo” on social media to keep track.) The week culminates with Music’s Biggest Night: The 57th Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 8, 2015.

On Friday, February 6, PALO! will be performing at Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood.
Tickets can be purchased here.  

“We are blown away.” said Steve Roitstein, the group’s founder and pianist, when asked about their Grammy nomination. “We started PALO! to have fun and make music we’re proud of. Happily, our fans like it too. But this kind of industry recognition was totally unexpected. It’s a real honor.”

The video for “La Malanga Resbala” features a 1950’s-influenced approach. PALO! collaborated with directors Ralf Gonzalez and Andrew Peña, art director Rene Quesada, and fashion designer Yas Gonzalez, who created singer Leslie Cartaya’s look. “They did a fantastic job to reflect our mix of vintage and contemporary sounds.” Roitstein told timba.com. “The Cuban flavor is echoed in the visuals.” In addition to the Grammy Nomination for Best Tropical Latin Album of the Year, the album “PALO! Live” was also nominated for a 2014 Latin Grammy. For more information about the group, see gopalo.com.

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With Mezcla's 30th Anniversary this year, a few things are happening:  Last week, Radio Metropolitana had a special segment devoted to Mezcla during the week, and on February 15, a new release, Pure Mezcla, will be unveiled as a digital download on Latinpulsemusic.com. There will be some special concert events featuring Mezcla in the weeks to come in Cuba.
A very popular video with unmastered audio of a song from their live concert at Yoshi's Oakland in 2013, Mambo Influenciado, has been on Mezcla's YouTube channel for months; a mastered audio version has now been published on YouTube as a leadup to the new album release:  

This is a great time to be in Chicago if you love Cuban Jazz and Funk.  Orlando Sanchez Soto (Cubajazz)  and Danae Blanco are thriving on a riff at Sabor a Café - you can read more and see a photo gallery here.  
Then, on February 6-7, Eliel Lazo is coming to the same establishment for a concert and workshop (we covered Eliel Lazo & The Cuban Funk Machine a few posts back.)  Finally, the Pedrito Martínez Group comes to Chicago at the City Winery on February 15.  This has become the PMG's regular annual outpost in Chicago, and we believe this will be the first time there with their new lineup. 

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With or without the autotune, I can't get these coros out of my head. Hat tip to Antonio in Oz for the heads up. And lots of Emilio Frías coming shortly - stay tuned.

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