Lots of action this year for Cuban artists in the 57th Grammy® nominations! Here's a quick recap:

BEST LATIN TROPICAL ALBUM

Tremendo PALO! -- Afro-Cuban Funk group PALO! is buzzing hard after their LatinGrammy® nomination. The group -- singer Leslie Cartaya, Raymer Olande, Philbert Armenteros, pianist Steve Roitstein and saxophonist Ed Calle -- got a nomination for their live record Palo! Live. The group’s unique, danceable sound blends the allure of Cuban music with funky beats and jazzy improvisation. You can check out Bill Tilford's review of the record (click) here.


Click HERE to download Track 2 (La Malanga Resbala) from their album PALO! LIVE

Aymee Nuviola - Also following her LatinGrammy® nomination, "La Sonera del Mundo" Aymee's album First Class to Havana counts with guest artists Amaury Gutiérrez, Alexis Valdés, Gonzalo Rubalcaba y also nominated percussionist Pedrito Martínez. The singer had a banner year after her participation in Sergio George's SALSA GIANTS tour. 

BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM

Yosvany Terry - Matanzero and saxophonist Yosvany Terry got a nod for his album New Throned King, is the musical culmination of his spiritual exploration, and one of the most creative recordings of the year. "The entire set is comprised of music Terry composed, based on Arara "cantos" and rhythms, which for the most part have never been performed outside of Matanzas."-- AllAboutJazz.com

Click on the photo below to visit Tom Ehrlich's photo gallery for Yosvany's performance last year at Yerba Gardens in San Francisco.

Pedrito Martínez Group - The highly anticipated, self-titled debut album from the Pedrito Martínez Group has been a delight to Latin jazz, traditional jazz and dancers alike. "Pedrito Martinez is undeniably one of the most talented young musicians in Latin music today and has become one of the most in-demand in the industry for both his beautiful voice and his exceptional percussion skills."-- AllAboutJazz.com

Click on the photo below to visit Tom Ehrlich's photo gallery for Pedrito Martínez Group's performance last year at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz.

Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra - Following in his father's footsteps, Arturo O'Farrill scores another nomination for Motema Music (same label as Pedrito Martínez Group;'s album) with his record The Offense Of The Drum.

"With The Offense of the Drum, O'Farrill nails that lofty goal. The sounds of a big band are here, the sounds of various Afro-Caribbean rhythms are here, and the sounds of some of New York's best musicians in any genre are here. But what's guiding the music is a vision that incorporates sounds from the streets today with a spoken-word performance that's manifesto-like in its call to recognize culture as something that changes and grows every day."-- NPR.org

BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTAL OR A CAPELLA

Alfredo Rodríguez - Alfredo puts himself on the Grammy map with an arrangement of Guatanamera, a track from his second record The Invasion Parade. "Co-Produced by Quincy Jones, Rodríguez’ champion and mentor, and featuring a superb ensemble that includes bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding, percussionist and vocalist Pedrito Martínez, and drummer and percussionist Henry Cole, The Invasion Parade comprises nine tracks including originals by Rodríguez as well as evergreens such as 'Guantanamera', Maria Teresa Vera’s 'Veinte Años', and 'Quizás, Quizás, Quizás'..." -- AllABoutJazz.com

BEST WORLD MUSIC ALBUM

Luis Conte - Santiaguero and percussionist Luis Conte partners up with musicians Daniel Ho and Wu Man for a collection of international popular songs adapted for traditional chinese instruments for the album  OUR WORLD IN SONG. "So, a Chinese pipa player, a Cuban percussionist and a Hawaiian guitarist go into a studio cross-pollinating instruments and traditions in a series of musical selections from around the world... and successfully traversed genres with such delicious delight that audiences will find the combo hard to resist." -- WorldMusicCentral.org

There you have it.... Best of luck to all the nominees!

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This Sunday, don't miss 3-time 2014 Latin Grammy® Winners GENTE DE ZONA with their full band "Bailando" Tour 2014. November 23rd - Doors open 2pm.

Just Dance (Ballroom) Social Club "Grand Opening"
2500 Embarcadero, Alameda, CA 94606

Online tickets = Eventbrite - Ticketon - Brownpapertickets

Este Domingo, no te pierdas a los ganadores de 3 Latin Grammys® 2014 GENTE DE ZONA en concierto con toda su banda completa (12 personas en tarima). 

Just Dance - Social Club "Grand Opening"
2500 Embarcadero, Alameda, CA 94606
Puertas abren 2pm

Taquillas = Eventbrite - Ticketon - Brownpapertickets

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A real West Coast treat is in store for next Wednesday, November 26. This Thanksgiving Eve Concert is a Night of Afro-Cuban Jazz w/ Cuban Master Percussionist Calixto Oviedo & his Latin Train In a Tribute to the legendary pianist Bebo Valdés. The performance will feature some of Bebo’s hit songs as well as classic Afro-Cuban jazz standards and Oviedo’s original compositions. 

Tickets here = http://www.flavorus.com/event/Calixto-Oviedo-and-hisLatinTrain/271321

http://www.catalinajazzclub.com/
November 26 at 8:30 pm @ Catalina Jazz Club
6725 W. Sunset Blvd. Hollywood 90028 - Doors Open at 7:00 pm

Then in the Big Apple, we have a 3 night residency -- November 28, 29 & 30 -- with MAYITO RIVERA y la TEMATI-K at González y González, cuminating in a special live video recording with special guests Pepito Gómez, Willie Torres and Pedrito Martínez.

Gonzalez y Gonzalez - www.GyGnyc.com
192 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012 - (Btwn. Houston & Bleecker St.)
Tel:(212) 473-7878

Tickets here =  www.facebook.com/gonzalezygonzalez/events

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Music organization PLAYING FOR CHANGE brings us this Cuban classic... "Guantanamera". PFC started the song with Carlos Varela in Havana and it features over 75 Cuban musicians around the world, from Havana and Santiago to Miami, Barcelona and Tokyo. They recorded and produced this track with Jackson Browne, who explains that “traveling with Playing For Change across Cuba was one of the most rewarding and inspiring musical experiences of my life.”

Aymee Nuviola (vocals)  --  Equis Alfonso (vocals) -- Eva Griñán (vocals) --  Carlos Varela (vocals/guitar) -- Diana Fuentes (vocals) --  Grupo Síntesis (vocals) --  Luis Bofill (vocals/guiro) -- Reinaldo Elosegui (vocals) --  Candi Sosa (vocals/maracas) --  Manuel Galbán (guitar) --  Gabino Jardines (guitar) --  Alexander “Pupi” Carriera (conga) --  Miami Cuban Horns (Braily Ramos: trombone, Carlos Puig, trumpet, Felipe Lamoglia: saxophone) -- Camerata Romeu (strings conducted by Zenaida Romeu Diogenes) -- Manfarrol Medrano (marímbula) --  Gastón Joya (upright bass) --  Ernán López-Nussa (piano) -- Joel Peña (tres) --  La Conga de San Agustín (La Pasión) --  Luis Conte (bongos) --  Luis Valle (trumpet) --   Michelle Fragoso (piano) -- Papa Orbe Ortiz (bass) --  Sergio Cardona Veranes (guitar) --  Rigoberto López (bass)

Playing for Change is a multimedia music project, created by the American producer and sound engineer Mark Johnson with his Timeless Media Group, that seeks to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. Playing For Change also created a separate non-profit organization called the Playing For Change Foundation, which builds music schools for children around the world.

"Guantanamera" is a track from the album “PFC3 Songs Around The World”, which features 185 musicians from 31 countries, including performances from Keith Richards, Sara Bareilles, Taj Mahal, Toots Hibbert from Toots & The Maytals, Los Lobos, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Keb’ Mo’, and Andres Calamaro, in addition to a song produced by Jackson Browne. Here is the cover and link...

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