Yes it's really happening this time - ALL RIGHT !! Hot off the twitter press....Team Cuba is in Miami and they will appera on the Alexis Valdés show tonight. Check oput his latest twitter posts below. Next stop is the NYC Timba Mega Concert...

Latin Jazz category reinstated in the the Grammy Awards - Last year the Recording Academy consolidated categories, from 109 to 78, with Latin Jazz among the ones affected (though it remained in the Latin Grammys). Four latin jazz artists - Bobby Sanabria, Mark Levine, Ben Lapidus and Eugene Marlow - responded to the change by filing a class action lawsuit, which was later dismissed by the courts. Protests and online aggravation also ensued. It is this writer's opinion that inroads partly began when Mark Levine simply wrote a letter to the Academy stating his displeasure and actually returned his Grammy awards, proving that it's value is squarely in the eye of the beholding artists. Categories in Classical, R&B and Urban Contemporary music were also reinstated. Bottom line is that it's a victory to enjoy for all.

Orquesta La Bohemia takes a stab at timba - Switzerland's romantic salsa mainstayers release a timba track under the musical direction of Celia Cruz's conguero Luisito Aballe. On vocals is Josbel Rodríguez under the general direction of Cristian González. We welcome the change Cristian! Check out "Mujer del otro" on Radio Timba now.

Changuito Master Classes & Concerts in Spain - La Fundación Robert A. Paneque presentará en España un histórico taller, clase magistral y concierto de congas, timbales y batería con el legendario percusionista cubano José Luis Quintana Fuertes (Changuito), considerado hoy día el percusionista cubano más grande y más  influyente del mundo y el músico cubano más imitado de todos los tiempos, conocido mundialmente por ser el creador del songo, el ritmo que ha llevado a la cumbre a Los Van Van. Ha sido ganador de tres Premios Grammy en cuatro nominaciones. Se le conoce mundialmente como El Rey del Timbal.

Para más información oprima aquí o a la foto arriba para descragar la ficha técnica y toda fecha de la gira de Changuito en España. 

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OMG it's only a radio spot but it's a start!  New York's top latin music FM radio station is running a 30 second ad for the June 16 / Copacabana Timba Mega Concert in New York. Listen to it on RADIO TIMBA or click on the link below...

listen to the La Mega 97.9 Timba Mega Concert radio spot

Also in the news in New York....
Benefit concert for reknown bassist Rubén Rodríguez -- "bassist Rubén Rodríguez is in need of a touch from above. He's to undergo surgery to remove fluid from a partially collapsed lung. His situation is challenging to say the least. Let's keep this brother in our thoughts and prayers. There will be some fundraisers happening in the NYC area.  We LOVE you RUBEN!!" -- posted by fellow musician Ray Vega on Facebook

This benefit concert will take place Wednesday, June 6th at TIAN at the Riverbank. Enter Riverbank State Park @ 145th Street, New York City

Call (212) 234 1023 for tix.

Changüí Festival Begins in Guantanamo Province (Cuba) -- Featured at the event is Cuban bassist and composer Juan Formell, who took his first steps in music, in the orchestra of the late musician Elio Reve, precursor of the traditional rhythm that swept Cuba and the world. In addition to the expected concerts, the festival will celebrate the world's longest changüí with 40 Cuban groups that will make that music sound continuously for 24 hours, starting next June 2. Dancers will enjoy concerts of Juan Formell and Los Van Van, who will share the stage for the first time in that locality with the hosts of the event, the orchestra of Elito Revé.  source

7 Days in Havana film debuts at the Cannes Film Festival -- There's a new movie out bankrolled by Havana Club (the rum-makers) that features 7 distinct episodes. The first one, called "El Yuma", was directed by Benicio del Toro (a story about a dim tuorist that hooks up with a transvestite). While the movie was mostly panned (a not-so-glaring review), it has Alexander Abreu appearing as a chauffeur / musician in the second episode entitled "Jam Session". The participation of our favorite trumpeter and band leader cought our collective eye.  source

Excellent jazz history retrospective of another 7 days in Havana -- check out this great Havana report from jazz history buff Alex Ariff on behalf of WBGO 88.3 FM in New jersey. Great commentary and pictures with sound clips. Featured a look inside EGREM studios and an inside peek on a recording session with piano legen Frank Emilio Flynn.  check it out here

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First, here's the latest on the NYC Mega Timba Concert ... today we recieved this message from the event organizers in New York:

Regarding the event " De La Habana a Nueva York " / "From Havana to New York Non Stop Music ", due to time limitations in obataining exit permits for the Cuban Artists, the Mega Timba Concert has been postponed to JUNE 16, 2012 ... Same Artists Line-up, Same Time, Same Place.

New Date : Saturday, June 16th, 2012
Place: Copacabana Club
Address: 268 West 47Th St. New York, NY.
Time: 6:00 Pm to 12 Midnight. All Ages

All purchased tickets have been Upgraded to VIP Meet & Greet, no matter the purchased price.

We apologize for the inconvenience, for more information, please call 888-584-3070 or visit the official website here. Thanks again for your support.

Our Perú correspondent Feri DJ reports on a news conference for a special concert -- featuring Alexander Abreu of Havana D'Primera -- now passed on Friday, May 18. taking place in a stylish convention center, Alexander was backed by a Lima-based group of Cuban and Peruvian musicians called "Havana Light". Alexander will be on a  solo  tour of Perú from May 16 to May 27. Two other Lima timba bands, N'Samble and Rumbavana, also performed. The event also marked the first performace in Perú for one of our favorites: La Combinación de la Habana (de Gerson Valdés). Pro soccer players who are also salsa and timba fanatics were on hand to help promote the show.....read more 

Also check out Radio Timba with some new freash tracks courtesy of Feri DJ as well...

1- CONGA TOUR by Los Van Van
2- FARANDULA TROPICAL by La Combinación de la Habana de Gerson Valdés
3- EL PAQUETE by Bárbaro Fines y su Mayimbe 

New York street to be named after Arsenio -  The “Father of Salsa Music” Arsenio Rodríguez may soon have a street named in his honor. A contingent of Bronx supporters are pushing to rename the intersection of Intervale Ave. and Dawson St. in Longwood after Rodriguez. source

Link to Pedrito Martínez Group's feature in the New Yorker is here ... "Martinez and his band have won over dozens of people the writer has taken to see him, despite common confessions to not liking jazz or not understanding Latin music. If anyone can move Afro-Cuban music into greater visibility, it’s Martinez. "  Way to go Pedrito!!

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Alexander abreu of Havana D' Primera - All photos courtesy of CultuCuba
Click on the photos to visit the gallery

Patrick Hickey is a retired career technologist in the Silicon Valley, with a liberal arts background and a long-standing passion for photography. After over 30 years in high technology, he has taken a "time out" in order to enjoy life and not spend all day with Power Point presentations, budget wars and personnel tetras.

His introduction to shooting the Bay Area timba and performance dance scenes was a result of his daughter's casino performing group (Rueda con Ritmo), and the subsequent introduction to the various bands. He has very fond photographic memories of the late afternoon lighting at the famed Jelly's on the wharf in San Francisco, as the sun knifed through the windows and created an almost perfect place to enjoy timba.

Click here to read more about Patrick (bio and equipment list).

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