ENGLISH:  Bill Tilford attended Cubadisco 2017 and the International Symposium and will begin sharing analysis, highlights and photos in a few days.   Right now, you can download the official winner's booklet (with many thanks to the Cubadisco Publications team) here.   There is also a photo gallery from the awards ceremony here .  AND, we already have reviews of two TImba recordings that received awards in our reviews section:
Mis 21 Años  by Giraldo Piloto & Klimax, Winner of Música Popular Bailable, Maestros
Música Cubana, llegö el Expreso  by Aisar y el Expreso de Cuba, Winner of Música Popular Bailable, Nuevos Talentos 
.....there will be many more to come as well as commentary, analysis and photos.   Also, Bill Tilford's weekly radio program From the Isle of Music is featuring music from the winners for the next several months (often with interviews of the artists, his guest this week is Giraldo Piloto  of Klimax)
ESPAÑOL: Bill Tilford asistió a Cubadisco 2017 y al Simposio Internacional y comenzará a compartir análisis, resúmenes y fotos en unos pocos días. En este momento, puedes descargar aquí el folleto oficial de ganadores (con muchas gracias al equipo de Publicaciones Cubadisco). También hay una galería de fotos de la ceremonia de premiación aquí . Además, tenemos reseñas de dos grabaciones de TImba que recibieron premios en nuestra sección de reseñas:
Mis 21 Años de Giraldo Piloto & Klimax, Ganador de  Música Popular Bailable, Maestros
Música Cubana, llegó el Expreso de Aisar y el Expreso de Cuba, Ganador de Música Popular Bailable, Nuevos Talentos
..... habrá muchos más por venir así como comentarios, análisis y fotos. Además, el programa de radio semanal de Bill Tilford From the Isle of Music está presentando música de los ganadores para los próximos meses (a menudo con entrevistas de los artistas, su invitado esta semana es Giraldo Piloto de Klimax)

Daymé Arocena is doing a mini-tour of four US cities this week - Chicago on the 15th, Boston on the 16th, New York on the 17th and Croton-on Hudson on the 18th.   She will be bringing at least some of her stellar backing band including two-time Cubadisco winner Ruly Herrera, who in addition to having his own project is also her current drummer.   Here's a taste of why you should go if you can: 



For more information about the concerts, Complete details are here
You can also read our review of Cubafonía in English here and in Spanish here.  

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After the tragic death of Elio Revé in 1997, his son Elito took over and within a few years had proven himself to be his father's equal in terms of assembling talent. Lele (now in Van Van) and ex-Trabuquero El Gallo each passed through the group alongside Revé's long-standing lead vocalist Dagoberto Vásquez and like his father, Elito employed a succession of brilliant musical directors - Jiovanni Cofiño, Arnaldo Jiménez and now Aisar Hernández.

This live show comes from the brief but wonderful period during which Michel Maza sang with Revé.

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Here's a fascinating live bootleg from Havana during the rage late-90s timba explosion. 

Paulito and Manolín had a feigned trash-talking rivalry that served to increase the popularity of each. They would frequently show up at each others shows to duel verbally on stage. For example, Paulito had a coro "ni médico, ni cantante".

Michel Maza also appears briefly and there's a trumpet solo from Carmelo Andrés, now best known as "El Abuelo" in Charanga Habanera's trumpet section.

This tape is also interesting in that it has three Paulito songs that were never released on any official album.

I've tried to get everything in the right order, but bear in mind that this came from an unlabeled cassette. "Cuál es tu trampa" seems to be from a different show and the two Manolín controversias may also be from different nights. Please add your insights to the comments section (en inglés o español, no importa)

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Live Los Van Van from their peak late-90s period with the epic front line of Pedrito Calvo, Mayito Rivera and Robertón Hernández - still several years before the departure of Pupy Pedroso and with all parts of their tremendous creative engine firing on all cylinders. This is a particularly hot performance with surprisingly good audio quality.

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