3 groups of special interest are coming to Chicago very soon. 

1.  Jane Bunnett and Maqueque Thursday, June 28-Sunday, July 1 at the Jazz Showcase
Melvis Santa, who was just in Chicago with her own group, Ashedi, will be returning to perform with Maqueque, which always features some of Cuba's most prominent female jazzistas. 


12th Annual Chicago Latin Jazz Festival, Friday, July 13-Sunday, July 15
This year the festival spends Friday and Saturday at the usual Humboldt Park location before moving to Navy Pier on Sunday.   The entire lineup looks interesting, but of special interest is a big band project by  Chuchito Valdés and the Chicago Latin Jazz Collective   Chuchito usually performs here with a smaller combo, but this will be a special big band tribute to his grandfather Bebo Valdés.  Friday, July 13 and  Sunday July 15.  The full schedule can be seen using the link above. 


Finally, at this writing, Adalberto Álvarez y Su Son are scheduled to close this year's Festival Cubano in Riis Park on Sunday, August 12.

Melvis Santa and Ashedi were at Sabor a Café in Chicago June 16 and 17th for a concert, workshop and Rumba jam.  You can see a photo gallery here. 

deja un comentario

continue reading Sin Clave No Hay Na

ENGLISH: The VI edition of the Festival de Verano in Varadero starts tomorrow with a concert at the Anfiteatro Varadero by Gente D'Zona and guests, which starts at 10pm. The other events will take place at the Hotel complex of Playa Caleta & Punta Arenas. See the program below. The event is organized by Clave Cubana - a part of Artex - which is celebrating their 30 year anniversary this year. The aniversary celebration will be closed with a concert by Havana D'Primera and Leoni Torres at La Tropical in Havana on August 25th. So if it's too late for you to catch the Varadero concerts, plan for August!

ESPAÑOL: La VI edición del Festival de Verano de Varadero comienza mañana con un concierto en el Anfiteatro Varadero de Gente D'Zona e invitados, que comienza a las 10pm. Los otros eventos tendrán lugar en el complejo hotelero de Playa Caleta y Punta Arenas. Vea el programa a continuación. El evento está organizado por Clave Cubana, una parte de Artex, que celebra su 30 aniversario este año. La celebración del aniversario se cerrará con un concierto de Havana D'Primera y Leoni Torres en La Tropical, en La Habana, el 25 de agosto. Entonces, si es demasiado tarde para que puedas asistir a los conciertos de Varadero, ¡planifica para agosto!

deja un comentario

continue reading Timbera Mayor

The 9th Edition of Festival Cubano in Riis Park, Chicago, Illinois, will have a very special closing Sunday -  Adalberto Álvarez y su Son in their first Chicago appearance since 1999 followed by Gilberto Santa Rosa,  who is Boricua but has become very popular in Cuba lately due to his collaborations with a few artists there.
In its beginnings, Festival Cubano was very cautious (excessively so in this writer's opinion) about booking artists from the island.  In recent years, this has no longer been an issue, and we salute them for that.  Chicago deserves to hear this music.    One thing that the Festival has done well since its beginnings is showcase Chicago's community of  fine Cuban-American musical talent, and it continues to do so this year.  Many of these bands don't have regular club or restaurant gigs, so catch them while you can!
This is a three-day festival from Friday, August 10 to Sunday, August 12.   There are a lot of things besides the concerts - food, rides for the kiddies, dominos etc. etc.   For a complete listing of events and performers, tickets etc, visit the Festival Cubano website here

If you haven't seen it yet, we have a photo gallery of one of  Maqueuque's June performances at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago here.  Melvis Santa was with them this trip. 

deja un comentario

continue reading Sin Clave No Hay Na

ENGLISH: The festivals continue in Varadero. July 12th marks the start of four days of concerts featuring 20 Cuban and international artists at the Jazz & Son festival at Josone Park in Varadero. The park will also host a fair of Cuban cultural products. Concerts begin each evening at 8:30pm and continue until 3:00am. From 2:00am-4:00am the Hotel Melia Varadero will have an aftershow jam with Yissy García and Bandaancha.

Click here for the full program and to buy tickets.

ESPAÑOL: Los festivales continúan en Varadero. El 12 de julio marca el comienzo de cuatro días de conciertos con 20 artistas cubanos e internacionales en el festival Jazz & Son en el Parque Josone de Varadero. El parque también presentará una feria de productos culturales cubanos. Los conciertos comienzan cada noche a las 8:30 p.m. y continúan hasta las 3:00 a.m. De 2:00 a.m. a 4:00 a.m., el Hotel Melia Varadero tendrá una descarga después de la fiesta con Yissy García y Bandaancha.

Haz clic aquí para ver el programa completo y comprar entradas.

Participanting bands:
Los Muñequitos de Matanzas
Osaín del Monte
Rumbatá
Rumberos de Cuba
Yissy y Banda XX (with Telmary & Vania Borges)
Dayme Arocena
Septeto Santiaguero
Pancho Amat
Nicholas Payton
Álvaro Torres
Ernán López Nussa
Horacio "El Negro"
Gente D'Zona
Issac Delgado
Gilberto Santa Rosa
Alejandro Falcón
Roberto Carlos "Cucurucho" Rodriguez
Michel Herrera
DeCuba
Los Van Van

deja un comentario

continue reading Timbera Mayor