Photo courtesy of Giraldo Piloto

ENGLISH: On August 20th 2017 a new cultural center was inaugurated in Vedado at 31 & 2. What could be more auspicious than a new Casa de la Música in the neighborhood known as "La Timba"? Unlike the other CDLM, the entry fee is reported to be 8 CUC for Cubans and 15 CUC for foreigners. So far the concert schedule is not showing up at Suenacubano, but I know that Giraldo Piloto y Klímax played there recently and it was Piloto that was kind enough to send us a photo of the new building. In addition to the Casa de la Música, the new cultural center includes a piano bar, a public library, a bookstore, art rooms and a store among other things. Below is a short report from EGREM's YouTube page.

ESPAÑOL: El 20 de agosto de 2017 se inauguró un nuevo centro cultural en el Vedado a 31 y 2. ¿Qué podría ser más auspicioso que una nueva Casa de la Música en el barrio conocido como La Timba? A diferencia de las otras CDLM, la entrada es de 8 CUC para cubanos y 15 CUC para extranjeros. Hasta ahora el calendario de conciertos no está apareciendo en Suenacubano, pero sé que Giraldo Piloto y Klímax tocaban allí recientemente y fue Piloto quien tuvo la amabilidad de enviarnos una foto del nuevo edificio. Además de la Casa de la Música, el nuevo centro cultural incluye un piano bar, una biblioteca pública, una librería, salas de arte y una tienda entre otras cosas. A continuación se presenta un breve informe de la página de YouTube de EGREM.

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Is there a better way celebrate this upcoming Father's Day, Sunday June 21? I don't think so. The Stern Grove Festival continues its series of FREE concerts with the home team PACIFIC MAMBO ORCHESTRA plus special guests Sheila E, Marlow Rosado and the Salsamania Dance Company.

Concert starts at 2pm. Be sure to get there early to get a good spot. Be prepareed to arrive extra early if you need to grab a parking space. Bring your sunscreen, plenty of water and chairs. Capacity is 10,000 people.

¿Hay una mejor manera de celebrar este Día de los Padres, domingo 21 de junio? No lo creo. El Festival Stern Grove continúa su serie de conciertos GRATUITOS con el equipo natal la PACIFICO MAMBO ORCHESTRA más invitados especiales Sheila E, Marlow Rosado y el grupo de baile Salsamania.

El concierto comienza a las 2 de la tarde. Asegúrense de llegar temprano para conseguir un buen lugar para poner sus sillas. Estén preparados para llegar más temprano si necesitan estacionarse. No se olviden de traer su sombrero, agua y lociones para portegerse del sol. La capacidad es de 10,000 personas.

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ENGLISH: Our hearts are with everyone affected by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey.   Cuba was hit hard by Irma, and Primera Linea, which was to take place this week (see our post of July 4), has been postponed to November 27-30, 2017.  You can see more information and get updates here. 
ESPAÑOL:  Nuestros corazones están con todos los afectados por el huracán Irma y el huracán Harvey. Cuba fue duramente golpeada por Irma, y  Primera Linea, que iba a tener lugar esta semana (vea nuestro puesto del 4 de julio), se ha pospuesta al 27-30 de noviembre de 2017. Más informacion y actualizaciones están disponibles aquí.

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST

Louisville, Kentucky:  Louisville has a growing Cuban-American musical colony and community, and The Clifton Roots, Jazz and Heritage Festival is presenting local favorite Cosa Seria, led and powered by some very talented Cuban conservatory graduates, on Thursday, September 21, as well as  with pianist Elio Villafranca on Friday, September 22.  More information and tickets are available on the Clifton Center website. 

Baltimore:  Chuchito Valdés is performing in quartet at An die Musik LIVE! in Baltimore, Maryland on Friday, Sept. 22 at 8pm and 9pm.
The rest of the quartet for these performances includes Rafael Monteagudo on drums, Steve sachse on bass and Julio Matta on Conga. This writer has heard Rafael and Steve with Chuchito in Chicago - this should be excellent. More details and tickets are available on the An die Musik LIVE! website. 


Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania:  
Albertico Lescay, one of the leading lights of Cuba's Nu Jazz movement, has been spending enough time in and around Pittsburgh during his visit (which ends next month) that I won't be shocked if that city starts showing up as a locale of serious interest to fans of Cuban Jazz within a few short years - he has engaged in an ongoing musical dialogue with several progressive Jazz musicians there (including with members of the Afro Yaqui Music Collective, which fuses Jazz and indigenous music).  His next performance in Pittsburgh is on Monday, September 25 at the Frick Fine Arts Building Auditorium at the University of Pittsburgh, and he is presenting the music of Formas with the musicians he has been collaborating with here.     This concert is free and open to the public, and there is a Facebook event page. 

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The most innovative timba band in the world has finally returned to California. You can see them in two shows at SF Jazz on Sunday, June 21st, and at Kuumbwa in Santa Cruz Monday night, June 22nd..

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