Veni, Vidi, Mambi:

We know, "Mambo" wasn't a Latin verb until the 20th Century, but that's Rome's problem, not ours. Bill Tilford endured the Monty Python-esque Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge to catch the Pacific Mambo Orchestra over in Gary Indiana on the first leg of their national tour. He's really glad that he did - Read the review here...

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domingo, 20 octubre 2013, 04:54 am

In January 2013, Cubana Jazz vocalist Gema Corredera, currently a resident of Miami, released a fine new album, Derramando Luz, that is winding its way through the early round of the 56th GRAMMY Awards process. We'll be reviewing it soon, especially since Gema is backed by some familiar names including Yosvany Terry (who is Music Director for the project and co-produced), Yunior Terry, Manuel Valera, Osmany Paredes, Alfredo Chacón and Obed Calvaré. Here is a video clip about the release:

Speaking of Yosvany Terry, congratulations Yos for being awarded the Cintas Fellowship 2013 for composers! More about this in our Movimiento en Miami report, which also features a guest article by Eva Silot Bravo about Danay Suárez this week.

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miércoles, 16 octubre 2013, 04:41 am

The newest recordings from members of the Valdés dynasty are doing well this year. We already reviewed Chucho's Border-Free earlier in the year, and it is currently a Latin GRAMMY nominee (Latin Jazz); Chuchito Valdés also has two recordings currently nominated in the 14th Latin GRAMMY Awards (one in Latin Jazz, one in Folklore in a collaboration with Andean folkloric music legend Eddy Navia.) Here are reviews of Grand Piano Live and Carnaval En Piano Charango.

Bill Tilford doesn't doubt for a moment that the following statement will start a few fights, but in his opinion, Timbalive's new Con La Música Cubana NO! is not only Timbalive's best album, but also the best wall to wall Timba dance album (as opposed to Timba plus other things mixed in) to be released by a band based in the United States in many years. Here's his case, before anyone else makes theirs, please actually listen to the album first...

While we're here, congratulations to Miami's Leslie Cartaya for her Best New Artist nomination in the 14th Latin GRAMMY awards. We reviewed her eclectic solo debut CD, No Pares, a few months ago. She would be known previously to fans of the Afro-Cuban Funk band Palo!

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miércoles, 25 septiembre 2013, 02:49 pm

The Latin GRAMMY awards are getting most of the industry's attention right now, but the Lotus Festival in Bloomington Indiana will be presenting Cubadisco winner Roberto Fonseca on Friday, Sept. 27 at 10:30pm. Roberto's recording Yo won the Cubadisco 2013 awards (Cuba's equivalent of a GRAMMY) for Fusion and Recording, and it was also nominated in Jazz and Design. Bill Tilford spoke with Roberto on the telephone Tuesday night, and you can hear that conversation (in English) here (audio quality is mediocre but listenable, and Roberto is interesting).

Roberto is also opening for the Buena Vista Social Club concert at Orchestra Hall in Chicago on Sunday the 29th (if you haven't bought your ticket yet, that one is already sold out.)