click HERE for all official tour dates (so far) -- oprima aquí para ver las fechas

Ok IT'S ON and it's OFFICIAL. ALL VISAS APPROVED. No "pasaporte" required to get down with Alexander Abreu and Havana D' Primera. The tour opens with a performance at the Cuban Cultural Fest in Tampa on May 18 and runs through Miami, Folsom, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, New York, Virginia, Atlanta and Kentucky.   We'll be seeing you on the road people !!

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Pachito Alonso & Sus Kini Kini begin a short promotional tour of Europe in two weeks. Click here to see the concert dates/cities . They will perform in Italy, France and Spain. The band has a new CD "30 Años con mi Tumbao". I don't know if they will be selling it at the concerts, but bring some extra cash just in case! If they are not coming to your country in April, don't despair! They will be back for a full-length tour from August 8 - September 1. We will publish those concert dates as soon as they are available.

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Attention changüiceros del mundo! Changüí de Guantánamo is recording a CD of all new compositions with the help of Gabriel Garcia of Changüí del Guaso Productions. The first single has been released at iTunes and Amazon, and a video is up at YouTube. Changüí de Guantánamo is the oldest professional changüí group in the world! They are currently in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on a year-long contract at La Bodeguita del Medio. So if you are in Mexico, stop by and see them! You don't even have to pull a Beyonce to do it! And keep your eyes open for news of a possible US Tour!

Mujer Caprichosa

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(Courtesy of The Recording Academy/ photo by Kevin Winter, WireImage.com 2013)

One of the things that makes the music we write about here so wonderful is the fact that music education has played an important role in shaping the musicians as far back as the days of Cachao, who in addition to his revolutionary musical roles with the early Mambo and the later Descargas was a classically trained bassist who played with the Philharmonic.  Bebo Valdés, whose passing we wrote about recently in this blog, was also trained in the Conservatory.  Formal musical education which included classical training also helped nurture countless members of the new generation of musicians who have brought us Songo, Timba, Jazz etc.   

In the United States, it isn't exactly a secret that music education in the schools has fallen on hard financial times, so we applaud any measures that help recognize and support its importance. The GRAMMY Foundation and The Recording Academy recently unveiled a new Music Educator Award, and the winner will be selected  by a process that includes public participation in the US in nominating the candidates.  

Many of our readers have children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren etc. that may or may not become members of the next generation of Jazz and Latin music performers depending upon the level of support and education that they receive from us and those who are teaching them how to sing and play.  If you are in the United States and  know of a music educator there who has made a difference in their lives, this is your chance to help them get more recognition for their efforts, and there is more than a plaque and a ceremony at stake for them – the winner, to be named in 2014, will also receive a $10,000.00 honorarium, and nine finalists will receive $1,000.00 each.  (The funding for the awards is being supplied by the Ford Motor Company Fund.)

For more about the awards process, the rules, who is eligible, and how to nominate your choice (nominations are open until April 15), visit http://www.grammymusicteacher.com

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