Nuestros Primos Musicales

See our  Events &  Reviews  Section for an extensive  Calendar of Events  that shows what's happening in the Chicago area and within driving distance for Chicagoans.  
Although our primary mission is dedicated to Cuban music (especially Timba), there is a lot of other Latin music out there that is of interest to our readers as well.  Recognizing this, Nuestros Primos Musicales will carry listings of Salsa groups of merit (those playing some Cuban material will still be carried in the main sections), miscellaneous Latin Jazz and occasionally other things that are worth sharing with you but don't quite fit in our main section.  See also our main page, Report From Chicago, and our blog, Sin Clave No Hay Na', for additional items of interest.. 
(All photos used in this section that are watermarked with the "TIMBA.com" logo  are by Bill Tilford unless otherwise specified, all rights reserved.)

29 November 2015

Last week's Los Ancestros  project was exciting enough to make me open my wallet for the crowdfunding project for their new studio recording.  You can read a review, see photos and watch a video here....

22 November 2015

THIS  WEEK:  Jorge Emmanuelli Náter & Los Ancestros, Wednesday, Nov., 25, 8:30PM
Old Town School of Folk Music
4544 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago IL 60625
Free (Suggested $10 donation)

A couple of years back, Jorge Emmanuelli Nater wowed Chicago with CAPRE (The Chicago Afro Puerto Rican Ensemble), an orchestra that blended several forms of Puerto Rican rhythms, some uncommon in today's popular music, with advanced Fusion.  Jorge is based in Florida now but is coming up to present his new 21-piece project, Los Ancestros, which is also preparing to record a CD and will be functioning as a teaching ensemble as well. They are using crowdfunding with a matching donation to help raise funds for the recording.   You can visit the page for the recording project here.   (I will be kicking in a little myself next week.) If the quality of this project is as good as CAPRE was (Jorge tells me this will be even better), this will very much be worth your time and trouble.  Check out this clip from CAPRE, and you'll see and hear just what I mean.  This is very serious music.....

18 November 2015

THIS WEEK:  Conjunto, Thursday, November 19, 6:30pm
Cindy Pritzger Auditorium
Harold Washington Library
400 S. State St. , Chicago
6:30PM
FREE
Web Page


It's been a while since I have checked in on this page, although there has been plenty of activity elsewhere on the site. Conjunto is a must-see in local Latin Jazz now, and this concert is your favorite price.  I dropped in on a set by a smaller unit of the group a week and change ago, and although they do several styles of Latin Jazz with excellence, they particularly excelled at Brasilian when I heard them.    Catch them if you can. 

NEXT WEEK:  Jorge Emmanuelli Náter & Los Ancestros, Wednesday, Nov., 25, 8:30PM
Old Town School of Folk Music
4544 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago IL 60625
Free (Suggested $10 donation)

A couple of years back, Jorge Emmanuelli Nater wowed Chicago with CAPRE (The Chicago Afro Puerto Rican Ensemble), an orchestra that blended several forms of Puerto Rican rhythms, some uncommon in today's popular music, with advanced Fusion.  Jorge is based in Florida now but is coming up to present his new 21-piece project, Los Ancestros, which is also preparing to record a CD and will be functioning as a teaching ensemble as well. They are using crowdfunding with a matching donation to help raise funds for the recording.   You can visit the page for the recording project here.   If the quality of this project is as good as CAPRE was (Jorge tells me this will be even better), this will very much be worth your time and trouble.  Check out this clip from CAPRE, and you'll see and hear just what I mean.  This is very serious music.....

6 September 2015

Orquesta El Macabeo is in Chicago.  Check out some photos from their September 4 performance here...

9 August 2015

WE INTERRUPT THIS LONG SLEEP TO BRING YOU A SPECIAL BULLETIN:

Orquesta El Macabeo 
Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center 
Friday, 4 September 2015, 8pm
One of my favorite Salsa bands from anywhere (they are from Puerto Rico).  The music is mostly original, the lyrics have bite, the musicians are serious - this is NOT another band that is going to play El Cantante and similar covers for you all night long, praise God.  This is also a benefit for the cultural center.  This is what Salsa CAN be when the musicians put integrity first.  For more information and tickets, visit the SRBCC's event page

5 April 2015

No, not dead, but this page will be "on hiatus" until June until an important project involving music in Cuba.   You can follow the other pages (Sin Clave No Hay Na', Report From Chicago, From The Studios)   to see what I'm writing about in the meantime. 

8 February 2015 AND 15 February 2015

THIS WEEK:   CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL SALSA CONGRESS  FEBRUARY 12-15,  2015

This is Chicago's signature event for Salsa dancers with workshops, demonstrations, competitions and social dancing.  Last year some of the dance troupes from Colombia blew me (and the rest of the audience) away.  For complete details, check out Chicagosalsacongress.com 
Musically speaking, a key highlight will be that this is more or less the 50th anniversary of Larry Harlow's Salsa career, and yes, if you are wondering, I do own and enjoy some of his Salsa vinyl albums (Orquesta Harlow) from back in the 70s.  Any of you who are fans of the movie Tommy (The Who) might especially enjoy the album Hommy, which, while not exactly a Salsa cover of Tommy, works with the same basic album concept (blind, deaf and dumb but has talent for percussion).   Back then you could do a concept album in this music as long as you also put out more standard fare.   There is a lot less of that now, unfortunately.   At any rate, it should be fun to see what Larry brings to the room this time. 
In terms of local talent, Edwin Sanchez is one of the go-to bandleaders when a backing band is needed for major incoming artists, and he usually puts together a top-tier ensemble whenever he comes out to play.  We anticipate something similar here. 

ALSO, HAPPY BELATED VALENTINE'S DAY!  

This is a totally gratuitous and unrelated video, but I'm going to include it because I laughed for minutes after watching it, and it is topical to the day if not the music.    For those of you unfamliar with Roto Rooter, they are basically the Mac Daddy of toilet/drain/pipe cleaning services.  This almost makes me want to change careers and go into advertising....

25 January 2015

SAVE THE DATES:  CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL SALSA CONGRESS  FEBRUARY 12-15,  2015
This is Chicago's signature event for Salsa dancers with workshops, demonstrations, competitions and social dancing.  Last year some of the dance troupes from Colombia blew me (and the rest of the audience) away.  For complete details, check out Chicagosalsacongress.com 
Musically speaking, a key highlight will be that this is more or less the 50th anniversary of Larry Harlow's Salsa career, and yes, if you are wondering, I do own and enjoy some of his Salsa vinyl albums (Orquesta Harlow) from back in the 70s.  Any of you who are fans of the movie Tommy (The Who) might especially enjoy the album Hommy, which, while not exactly a Salsa cover of Tommy, works with the same basic album concept (blind, deaf and dumb but has talent for percussion).   Back then you could do a concept album in this music as long as you also put out more standard fare.   There is a lot less of that now, unfortunately.   At any rate, it should be fun to see what Larry brings to the room this time. 
This next item is totally gratuitous, but no it's not, because it demonstrates very well how a basic musical theme sometimes finds its way into multiple genres, and heck, this almost makes me wish I had a carpet too.   Enjoy, then meditate on what it all means.... 

18 January 2015

SAVE THE DATES:  CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL SALSA CONGRESS  FEBRUARY 12-15,  2015
This is Chicago's signature event for Salsa dancers with workshops, demonstrations, competitions and social dancing.  Last year some of the dance troupes from Colombia blew me (and the rest of the audience) away.  For complete details, check out Chicagosalsacongress.com

21 December 2014

'Twas the night before the night before Christmas...... I haven't heard these ladies in a while in this setting, but the last time I did, they threw down, and the Humboldt Park Orchestra features many of Chicago's bandleaders and other key Salsa musicians.  Should be a lot of fun. 

December 14 was my last involvement with the Domingos Felices radio show.  It was fun, but next year brings new things including a short Cuban Jazz segment in English on an excellent program on an FM station. More details in a week or two, but the host and I are both very excited about what this will mean.     All the best to Frank Camacho and the gang at WCEV.  

7 December 2014

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12:  
Chicago Battle of the Salsa Bands - Final
Afinca'o vs. Carpacho y su Super Combo vs. Angel Melendez vs. Rica Obsesion
Club Mambo (Mambo Cafe)
3336 N. Milwaukee Av, Chicago
9pm-2am
This is the final round of the weekly competition between 12 area Salsa bands every Friday night through December 12.  See the link above for more details.  There will be cash prizes for the winners. 
The Domingos Felices radio show on WCEV 1450AM on  Sunday, November 7th (2pm-4pm) gave away two pairs of tickets for the night to listeners. 

30 November 2014

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014:

11th Annual Tribute to the Improvisational Singer 
Featuring Mannix Martínez, Franklin Paz, and Papo Santiago
World Music Wednesday
Old Town School of Folk Music
4544 N Lincoln Ave · Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall · 773.728.6000
Free, but $10.00 donation suggested

Salsa night, Boricua style.   These gentlemen will also be on the Domingos Felices radio show on WCEV 1450AM on  Sunday, November 30th  to talk about their music. 

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5:  Chicago Battle of the Salsa Bands
Club Mambo (Mambo Cafe)
3336 N. Milwaukee Av, Chicago
10pm-2am
This in an ongoing weekly competition between 12 area Salsa bands every Friday night through December 12.  See the link about for who is playing when.  There will be cash prizes for the winners in December. This is now in the semifinal round, with Afincao vs. Jose Valdes vs. Angel Melendez on 12/5.  The judging will be impartial - yours truly was asked to be one of the judges for this night and the final, and he will be in distinguished company.  
The Domingos Felices radio show on WCEV 1450AM on  Sunday, November 30th (2pm-4pm) will give away two pairs of tickets for the night to listeners. 

23 November 2014

HAPPENING NOW:  Chicago Battle of the Salsa Bands
Friday nights at Mambo Cafe 
This in an ongoing weekly competition between 12 area Salsa bands every Friday night through December 12.  See the link about for who is playing when.  There will be cash prizes for the winners in December. 

COMING WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014:

11th Annual Tribute to the Improvisational Singer 
Featuring Mannix Martínez, Franklin Paz, and Papo Santiago
World Music Wednesday
Old Town School of Folk Music
4544 N Lincoln Ave · Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall · 773.728.6000
Free, but $10.00 donation suggested

Salsa night, Boricua style.   These gentlemen will also be on the Domingos Felices radio show on WCEV 1450AM on  Sunday, November 30th  to talk about their music. 

2 November 2014

HAPPENING NOW:  Chicago Battle of the Salsa Bands
Friday nights at Mambo Cafe 
This in an ongoing weekly competition between 12 area Salsa bands every Friday night through December 12.  See the link about for who is playing when.  There will be cash prizes for the winners in December. 

12 October 2014

THIS WEEK: 

Marlon and Jesus will also be on Domingos Felices on Sunday, October 12.   Domingos Felices runs from 2pm-4pm Chicago time on WCEV Radio 1450am.  If you can't get it on your radio, it streams on the web as well from the WCEV website.   (Never mind their published schedule, which not only omits that show but has several other errors as well.)

5 October 2014

NEXT  WEEK: 

Marlon Steven, a Salsero based on the east coast,  and Jesus will also be in the studio on Sunday, October 12 for Domingos Felices, Frank Camacho's show, in which yours truly participates.  The show runs from 2-4PM Chicago time every Sunday afternoon on WCEV, radio 1450am.  

28 September 2014

THIS WEEK:   

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 7:30PM
Harold López-Nussa Trio 
Evanston SPACE 
1245 W. Chicago Av, Evanston, IL 
Harold, a nephew of Ernán-López-Nussa and an excellent pianist/composer in his own right, has won two Cubadisco awards (their version of the GRAMMY® awards) and had four nominations for that.  One of the best of the new generation of Cuban Jazzistas, he is performing in trio with his brother, Ruy-Adrian, on drums, and bassist Sawa Perez, known to those in the know about Cuban and Cuban-American bassists. Don't miss this.  For more info, click here.  

Un nuevo programa de radio en español, Domingos Felices, que se transmite todos los domingos entre 2-4pm hora de Chicago por la tarde, cuenta con nueva música cubana y lo mejor de la otra Salsa incluyendo entrevistas con artistas destacados e interesantes.  Este domingo, por ejemplo, el programa ofrece un par de canciones del nuevo album de El Niño y La Verdad y una entrevista en directo con ganador del GRAMMY Marlow Rosado además de una entrevista grabada con ganador del premio Cubadisco Harold López-Nussa. Marlow tiene una nueva grabación, Salsanimal.   Un video:  

Domingos Felices (también conocido informalmente como Tu Radio Secreta porque la emisora todavía no ha publicado el show en su página web) está disponible alrededor de Chicago en WCEV AM 1450 y via Internet entre 2-4pm hora de Chicago los domingos aquí:
http://www.wcev1450.com/

21 September 2014

Congratulations to Angelo Prieto of 4 Fantastic Events for 20 years of presenting Salsa including live bands in the Chicago area.  Among other things, he has been supportive of  Rueda, Timba and Cuban Salsa in the dance clubs in Chicago - not always the easiest thing to do with the audience that he serves.    Tuesday the 23rd is his 20th Anniversary bash,  and see our September 7 listing for his new Saturday night series with live Salsa bands.  

Yours truly now participates in Frank Camacho's radio show, Domingos Felices, on WCEV AM 1450 on Sunday afternoons between 2-4pm Chicago Time.  This Sunday (9/28), we'll be interviewing GRAMMY winner Marlow Rosado and playing some music from his new recent release Salsanimal along with a lot of other things.  We're in Spanish, and if you can't get us on the radio, you can stream us on the web here.   We also play more Timba and Cuban Salsa than any show on Chicago radio (maybe US radio for that matter). 

7 September 2014

COMING SOON:  

A new live Salsa night is coming down the pike.  We haven't heard the HPO for a few months, but it sounded very good the last few times that we heard it - several different bandleaders collaborate in it. 

Finally, Chicago  has a Cuban music radio option that includes the newest releases along with the best of the past.:  Frank Camacho and I now are playing a fair share of Timba, Cuban Fusion, new releases from the island and great stuff from the past (along with other music not from Cuba) on a brand new radio show, Domingos Felices, every Sunday afternoon from 2-4pm Chicago time. In metro Chicago, you can hear it on WCEV 1450am.  The rest of the planet can listen to it via Internet here.  Hablamos español, pero la música es pa' todo el mundo. Tenemos entrevistas y otras cosas buenas también.  Tenemos una nueva página en Facebook:  Domingos Felices Radio1450.   Our first show on the new station was last weekend.  We had a lot of fun, and you will too if you tune in. 
In addition to excellent Cuban music, we have been featuring some other new releases not by Cubans or Cuban Americans, for example we'll have the new releases by Marlow Rosado and Marlon Steven in coming shows.   We are NOT just another Salsa show,   we are distinto y diferente.  

24 August 2014

THIS WEEK:   

Miguel Zenon at the Chicago Jazz Festival, Sunday, August 31, 2014, 6:00pm
Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park
This Jazz phenomenon, who mixes the musical forms of Puerto Rico with ultramodern Jazz, has a new CD  (Identities are Changable) coming out in November.  A must see for serious Jazz fans, and the admission is free.

10 August 2014

THIS WEEK:  

I've seen a couple of wise guys remark that the Cuban Festival has better Puerto Rican bands than the Puerto Rican Festival did, but there is an excellent lineup of both Cuban-American and Puerto Rican acts including El Gran Combo on closing night.  On the Cuban wing of the bird,  the festival includes a special tribute to Juan Formell on opening night and one of this writer's personal favorite groups, Palo! on the closing night:  For more info, click here.

The first round of the Latin GRAMMY process, which decides who the nominees are going to be, is in progress.  I'm happy to tell you that one of the Chicago-Milwaukee area's best Salsa bands, Nabori, is one of the groups under consideration for a possible nomination of their last release, De Nuevo En El Solar. Congratulations, guys!  It's great to have a Midwestern group representing this year.   And, if you are an area Salsa fan who has never heard this group, you really need to do something about that. 

3 August 2014

Instant Replay:



There are three opportunities to watch the July 18, 2014 performances of the 2014 Chicago Latin Jazz Festival on public access TV in Chicago:
Sunday, August 3rd, 9:00 AM, Channel 21
Monday, August 4th, 8:30 AM, Channel 19
Tuesday, August 5th, 12:00 PM, Channel 21

COMING UP: 

One of the featured acts at this year's Festival Cubano is Puerto Rico's El Gran Combo, which was be performing Sunday, August 17.   (There is a Cuban connection to their founding, and many of the songs they have played over the years have been Cuban.)  If you are on this page, this group probably needs no introduction, but just in case you're new to it, here's a taste:

They have been around for over 5 decades and remain one of the most important Salsa bands in Puerto Rico.   There are plenty of other reasons to go to Festival Cubano, but this is one of the important ones.   

27 July 2014

NEW GROUP ON THE BLOCK:

We caught La Chinita y Sus Hermanos, a Latin Jazz quartet led by flautist Yaocheng (Jillian) Yu, at El Cid 2 on Wednesday.  This is a pretty new group, but the musicians are all experienced in the genre - Jillian's extensive personal resume includes time with a few other local Latin Jazz ensembles here.  New groups usually include a lot of standards, and this was no exception, but they played them quite well, and it will interesting to see how the group evolves over time.   All the best to this nice new addition to the Latin Jazz scene here. 

13 July 2014

THIS WEEK:

See the main Report From Chicago page for Chappotin and Ricardo Lemvo.  Additionally,  

8th Chicago Latin Jazz Festival, 18 and 19 July, 2014
Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1301 N. Sacramento,
Chicago IL

This free festival has excellent lineups both nights. A word about Victor Venegas, the subject of the first night's tribute:  He was a prominent bassist who started out In Chicago and went on to play with several of the top national bands including Eddie and Charlie Palmieri, Mongo Santamaria and Cal Tjader among many others.  One hopes that this means that the evening's bassists will get a solid workout. 

William Cepeda has been one of the most exciting trombonists in Latin Jazz in the US, and his Afro-Rican Jazz recordings have been powerful.  

6 July 2014

COMING SOON:

For the Jazz set: 

8th Chicago Latin Jazz Festival, 18 and 19 July, 2014
Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1301 N. Sacramento,
Chicago IL
This free festival has excellent lineups both nights. A word about Victor Venegas,, the subject of the first night's tribute:  He was a prominent bassist who started out In Chicago and went on to play with several of the top national bands including Eddie and Charlie Palmieri, Mongo Santamaria and Cal Tjader among many others.  One hopes that this means that the evening's bassists will get a solid workout. 

For the dancers:

Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca, Friday-Sunday, 18-20 July, 2014
July 18:  Chicago Summerdance, Spirit of Music Garden, 7:30pm
July 19: Evanston Ethnic Arts Festival, 5:30pm
July 20: Celebrate Clark Street Festival

See the NPM Archive for earlier posts.