Afro-Cuban All Stars in SF Thursday through Sunday

Click here for more info and tickets.

The brand new state-of-the-art SF Jazz hall plays host to Juan d'Marcos and the Afro-Cuban All Stars for the next four nights. The acoustics are supposed to be absolutely sublime and the band definitely is. Juan will also give a lecture/demonstration (same venue) on Saturday afternoon. See you there!

Click here for the rest of the tour (WA, Canada, Arcata, etc.)

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Friday, 08 February 2013, 08:02 PM

photo by Peter Maiden

UPDATE: Manolín & Cofiño are also in Los Angeles tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 9th at the Florentine Gardens.

You may not have heard of Jiovanni Cofiño, but you've heard his music. As the musical director of Elito Revé y su Charangón, he penned such classic arrangements as Dale agua al dominó, 1999 and Se sigue comentando (Uyuyui). He's also a brilliant and thoughtful bassist who's been a huge help to me and other writers on timba such as Orlando Fiol. Cofiño has been in Las Vegas for about 7 years or so where he's put together a very tight and steady working band. From a timba fan's perspective, this means that Manolín has been working with a cohesive, well-rehearsed band led by one of Cuba's best arrangers. One can fantasize about major creative sparks flying, but if nothing else it'll be a chance to hear El Médico finally doing some new timba such as the tracks he introduced last year as SF SalsaRueda.

The doors open at 7:00, Sunday night at Café Cócomo in SF, with DJ Walt Digz opening and dance lessons provided.

Speaking of SF SalsaRueda, that's coming the following weekend and features the usual staggering selection of bands, instructors, performers and lecturers, including my favorite writer, Ned Sublette.

And speaking of lectures, there's a very exciting free one from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., also Sunday, by Umi Vaughan at the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) at 685 Mission St. in SF. Vaughan wrote an excellent book on batá legend Carlos Aldama and has now released his second major treatise on timba: Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance. The lecture also features music by the ubiquitous DJ Walt Digz and should be a perfect hors d'oevre for el Médico & Cofiño later that night. See you there! [Kevin Moore]

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Thursday, 07 February 2013, 07:34 PM

As a bassist, Yunior Terry has played with just about everyone and is also well-known as a member of the musical family that produced saxophonist Yosvany Terry and the legendary Maravilla de Florida violinist, composer and chékere player Don Pancho Terry, but it turns out that Yunior is also a great composer and lyricist. Tom has the full story on the new album - click here.

Also: Bay Areans - get ready for Manolín - Sunday at Café Cócomo - with a backup band led by Jiovanni Cofiño, the great Revé bassist who wrote the arrangements for 1999, Se sigue comentano, Dale agua al dominó and others. Earlier Sunday afternoon, at 3:00, at MoAD, you can hear a free timba lecture by Umi Vaughan, author of Carlos Aldama's Life in Batá and Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance: Timba Music and Black Identity in Cuba.

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Friday, 01 February 2013, 01:03 AM

Click here for Rosy's fascinating article/interview with the supremely talented Mr. Martínez.

Coming tomorrow: Yunior's Terry's new CD, Manolín in SF, book news and much more. [Kevin Moore]