Pepito Gómez at Iguanas Tonight!

Pepito Gomez by Tom Ehrlich

If you're in the New York area don't miss tonight's double feature at Iguana's with Pepito Gómez, who needs no introduction to timberos, and Grupo Irek. This evening's performance will include special guest drummer Mauricio Herrera who played with top groups in Cuba including Paulo FG.

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Tuesday, 09 February 2010, 05:28 AM

Jan Bogdan, Sinsonte & Cristina Azcuy Jan "Yanesito" Bogdan is off to Havana for a quick trip and while in Havana you might as well record something, right? Yanesito will be bringing us a new version of a Cristina Azcuy song, "Limpia mi son", with the talented young sonero El Nene on lead vocals. Coros will be sung by Sinsonte of Orquesta Revé and Enrique from Bamboleo. The plan is to have Alexander Abreu record the trumpet parts, assuming they can fit it in with his tour schedule. Yanesito himself plays bass and tres on the song and Oldrich Gonzáles is on piano.

El Sinsonte, Yanesito & Cristina Azcuy in Havana
The recording will take place at ICRT (International Cuban Radio & Television) in Vedado. When the mixing and mastering are done, the single will be released at iTunes. The exact release date is in the hands of iTunes, but it should be out sometime in the spring of 2010. We will keep you posted of course.

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Friday, 05 February 2010, 09:45 AM

Elito Revé in France More information is coming in on the new CD that Orquesta Revé has just finished recording, which I reported on ealier today. The album will be named
"¡DE QUE ESTAMOS HABLANDO!". Fans will immediately recognize this as one of Elito's battle cries. If you are new to Cuban music I would encourage you to sift through all the information in our Orquesta Revé section. Elio Revé y Su Charangón has been one of the most important bands in the development of modern Cuban salsa since its establishment in 1956.

Elito Revé on the Paris Metro - Photo courtesy of Patrick Bonnard

The title song was written and arranged by Pachi and Andy, the pianist and timbalero respectively. They did other arrangements on the album as well. Aisar Hernández, bassist and musical director, also contributed songs and arrangements, and Elito himself wrote two of the songs on album. All in all there are 12 songs including a rumba as well as a traditional changüí performed by Pipi y sus Estrellas Campesinas. I have a particular fondness for Pipi having spent time at a real changüí party at Casa de Pipi in Yateras.

As for the new charangonera, 26-year old Susel "La China", she is the most recent addition to the band having been with Sello LA previously. Although she's not well known...yet...she sings well and has good technique. I am looking forward to seeing this new addition to the group. As I mentioned in the previous report, "La China" sings "Ya sé cantar, ya sé bailar", a song that was recorded by Elio Revé Matos, probably in the 70s according to our discography. It has been given new life by a Pachi/Andy arrangement.

The more I hear about this CD the more excited I get! So ya'll better get ready over there in El Yuma!

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Friday, 05 February 2010, 04:08 AM

We have some very exciting news Timba fans! Elito Revé tells us that they have finished recording their new CD and are now in the mixing stage. I can't say when the CD will hit the streets but let's hope it's soon. Revé's previous CD, "Fresquecito" was unquestionably the best CD of 2007 and won awards for Best Album both in France in 2007 and at Cubadisco 2008. I expect the new CD by Orquesta Revé to be another winner.

The CD has an impressive list of illustrious guest artists such as Chucho Valdés, Pancho Amat and the güajiro Mirabal. And a particular favorite of mine is also on the album: Estrellas Campesinas the changüí group under the direction of Pipi from Yateras, Guantanamo . Of course the regular Revé singers recorded as well, Dagoberto, el Sinsonte, Emilo (El Niño) and Susel (La China). Susel sings "Ya sé cantar, ya sé bailar". I've never heard Revé with a female singer, so it will be interesting to hear the results.

Elito Revé - photo courtesy of Cristian Muñoz

And in equally exciting new Elito tells us that the April tour of the US is confirmed with a number of dates in Miami and New York. I hope someone will bring them out to the west coast as well. I know California is dying to see them live! Uy uy uy que veo!