Volume 10 of Beyond Salsa Piano is almost done! It'll be the first on Pupy Pedroso and pick up his career with Van Van in 1979, when he began to write his first songs. 

We'll go chronologically through Van Van history, covering all the songs Pupy wrote, plus a selection of other classics with interesting piano tumbaos.

When we hit a song, like Hoy se cumplen seis semanas, that was re-recorded later, we cover both versions.

One difference this time is that bass tumbaos are included, so instead of having the audio file pan the right hand to the right and the left hand to the left, the entire piano is panned hard right while the bass is hard left, so you can practice along with the bass by turning your balance control all the way to the right.

There's also a full cuerpo arrangement, and a transcribed solo. 

Melón Clinics: Don't forget that Melón will be in Los Angeles starting Feb. 28th to give at least one clinic and will also be available for private lessons. Click here for more on the Melón books.

           photo by Tom Ehrlich

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Tom Ehrlich has posted another great gallery from Los Van Van's recent engagement at Yoshi's SF. Van Van in performance and backstage with Bay Area luminaries Carlos Aldama, Walfredo de los Reyes, John Calloway and Rebeca Mauleón.

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At the request of some of his family members, our Timba.com photographer Tom Ehrlich developed a unique Afro-Caribbean Percussionists calendar that features some of his best shots. He only has a few left but if you are interested in this collectors item please email him at tjejazz [at] sbcglobal [dot] net. Featured are Bobby Allende, Anthony Carrillo, Pancho Quinto, Don Pancho Terry, Francisco Aguabella, Giovanni Hidalgo, Pedro Martínez, Sammy Figueroa, John Santos, Tito Puente and Yosvany Terry.

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In 2008 musician and journalist Nathan Thornburgh returned to Havana where he had lived and played music with El Septeto Típico de la Habana some 9 years earlier. He published an article about his experiences, "The Sound of Change: Can Music Save Cuba? " in the November 26, 2008 issue of Time Magazine. He has now also published video from his trip at Time Video. It's a brief glimpse at what life is like for the majority of musicians in Cuba. Check it out and read his article for a more in-depth look at a musician's life in Cuba.

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