Cuban Music News in Review - 2012 Mar 13

UPDATE (a quick note from Issac Delgado): "Conocí a Alain Pérez cuando estudiaba guitarra en la Escuela Nacional de Arte en la Habana, Cuba, con sus prodigiosas manos con uñas largas para ejecutar... Me siento parte responsable y complice en su transición de la guitarra al bajo, el ha sido un aglutinador e inspiración para los músicos a su alrededor, su condición de arreglista, compositor y su talento lo han llevado a una condición natural de ser respetado y admirado como un “musico total”. He seguido y compartido su carrera como bajista, para mi es el más “ritmático” de los que he conocido. El bajo como instrumento en la música afro-cubana ha sido siempre “la columna vertebral” de una agrupación. Alain es capaz de sostener esa responsabilidad, sin embargo su capacidad rítmica le permite hacer figuraciones sincopadas en los lugares mas insólitos e inesperados de una obra musical, sin perder el sabor, la cadencia y sentido de la misma que imprime el bajo a nuestra música. Su paso por el flamenco ha madurado su forma y estilo musical, para mi modesta opinión: actualmente es “El Bajista Timbero” de Cuba, como referencia internacional." -- Issac Delgado

Finally ! The first book of the Beyond Salsa Bass series has been released. Volume 6 of Beyond Salsa Bass begins our 4-volume study of the style of Alain Pérez, one of the most talented bassists, composers and arrangers of modern Cuban music. The bass series follows the piano series exactly, covering the same songs, now from the perspective of the bassist. Both the notes and the percussive sounds that he uses to create his funky style. Each musical example is provided in 16th note notation, 8th note notion and bass tablature. There are corresponding audio and video products for each volume. This is the sixth book in a instructional series set to become the new standard for contemporary Latin bass styles. 132 pages (132 páginas) with 51 audio tracks (51 pistas).   hardcopy  

The bass volume transcribes not only the notes but the many percussive sounds that Alain uses to create his powerful groove. He performed each song in slow motion and in various takes at full speed, making full use of the "controlled improvisation" technique that's so central to both his and Melón's styles. Everything he plays is transcribed in 16th notes, 8th notes, and bass tablature. Volume 6 also contains the first part of Alain's biography, covering his early child prodigy years, his "discovery" by Chucho Valdés, and his initial entry into the Issac Delgado group.

Havana Live Music Listings are up - Click here to see the live music schedule for Havana.

Sierra Maestra upcoming US shows - This classic son band has shows coming up in Wisconsin, Chicago and Indiana. Their members included Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, before he left to join the Afro-Cuban All Stars and Jesus Alemany, who formed Cubanisimo. Click here to visit the Sierra Maestra Timba.com Tour page. 

Eddie Palmieri 75th Birthday celebration show is taking place at the Blue Note in New York City.  

This is TODAY at 8:00 and 10:30 pm. 

Featuring: Eddie Palmieri - piano, Brian Lynch - trumpet, Donald Harrison - saxophone, Conrad Herwig - trombone, José Claussell - drums, Vicente "Little Johnny" Rivero - percussion, Luques Curtis - bass and Orlando Vega - percussion.

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