Tom Ehrlich's Foto del Día gallery is up and full galleries are on their way from both Tom and Peter Maiden. You can hear Manolito in Miami on the 14th (this Friday at Kaffé Kristal) and on the 20th at SOB's in NYC. There have also been unconfirmed rumors about shows in Chicago and conceivably Detroit.

Also, Pupy Pedroso has apparently cleared the visa hurdle and will follow Manolito's pattern of back to back shows in LA (June 11 - Sportsmen's Lodge) and SF (June 12 - Café Cócomo).

Meanwhile, Maraca has put together what may be his most aggressively timbafied band to date with El Nene on vocals and a great new pianist named Andy Rubal. Check it out:

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A true percussion master and music celebrity Francisco Aguabella passed away yesterday in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer. Aguabella emigrated from Cuba in the 1950's and played with jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie and Tito Puente. Later he broke into celebrity status by playing with Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Paul Simon, Santana and the Doors. 

From his distinct, clear, sharp tone to his enigmatic, quinto-driven phrasing, Francisco, though a staple of the New York scene for many decades, never left Havana. Producer Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez, a Latin jazz headliner himself, managed to capture the raw, no-frills energy of Aguabella's style on Francisco's album H2O beautifully. Sonically, the record has the closeness and intensity of first-row seats in a small, smoky club. 

Francisco is a recipient of awards such as the National Heritage Fellowship of the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and received a fellowship for the Durfee Foundation. Rest in peace.

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A special announcement for Cuban music lovers in Los Angeles! Get first dibs at tickets for Silvio Rodríguez at the Gibson Amphitheater June 17 BEFORE they open sales to the general public. Un boletín especial para los amantes de la música cubana de Los Angeles. Esta es una oportunidad de comparar boletoes para el concierto de Silvio Rodríguez ANTES de que se ofrezcan a la venta al público general. The Gibson Amphitheater is located at CityWalk in Universal City, CA. Doors open at 8pm.

Click here. Online only ticket pre-sales available now. Oprima aquí. 
for more info call - 408.241.0000 - llame para más información

IMPORTANT = When you get to the special ticketmaster page use the word "tango" in the left hand box titled TANGO PRESALE. Cuando veas la página especial de ticketmaster pones la palabra "tango" en la cajita (a mano izquierda) que dice TANGO PRESALE. 

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photo by Peter Maiden

Manolito y su Trabuco at Cócomo was the most fun I've had since 2001. Click CONTINUE READING LA ÚLTIMA for my review, more photos, news, and - most importantly - to add your own reviews in the comments section.

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