The Monterey Jazz is the longest continuously running jazz festival in the world, having presented everyone from Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and John Coltrane to Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Issac Delgado and the Pedrito Martínez Group. Although this year's event was a bit light on Afro-Caribbean music, it featured many outstanding bands, including living legends Herbie Hancock and Charles Lloyd, young phenoms like Cécile McLoren Salvant and Melissa Aldana, master bassist Christian McBride, and dozens of other great musicians.

This is the first of at least three reports on this year's festival. [Tom Ehrlich]

 
Charles Lloyd with Zakir Hussain (above) - Melissa Aldana with Francisco Mela (below)

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WOMEX is the biggest international World Music Exposition and they have selected Los Van Van for the 2013 Artist Award. Timba.com wants to congratulate all Vananeros, past and present.  You have been and continue to be a source of joy and pride to the Cuban people, wherever they reside, as well as an inspiration to musicians around the world. Congratulations!

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The place to be in Havana this weekend is Teatro Lázaro Peña for the 10th anniversary celebration of Maykel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor. Maykel has been keeping most of the plans to himself to maintain the air of mystery, but he has stated that in addition to the guest musicians, a number of plastic artists are invited.  Fans from around the world have been sending the band video greetings that Maykel will be incorporating into the anniversary AV show.

The popularity of Maykel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor, both in Cuba and abroad, is indisputable. Maykel's hard work with both the music and the audiovisual aspects of the show has made their matinee one of the must-see concerts for timberos visiting Havana. If you're in Havana, don't miss it!

During a recent appearance on Donde si no, the band performed three new songs that they will be doing at the anniversary gala, and each bears the unmistakable Salsa Mayor sello. Maykel himself classifies his music as son with songo. Over the past decade he has faced criticism for similarities to Van Van and Pupy, but there is no longer any question that Salsa Mayor has its own sound that is as recognizable as the great bands of the classic timba era. Click here to watch the video interview (in Spanish) and see all three of the new songs.

Te Escapaste - Yordys Larrazábal

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Click here (oprima aquí) to visit the new Calixto's Way Quintet Tour Page

NEW DIMENSIONS in LATIN JAZZ
presents U.S. DEBUT of CUBAN DRUMMER 
CALIXTO  OVIEDO:  CALIXTO 'S WAY
at JAZZ STANDARD NYC / TUESDAY JULY 9th 2013

The Jazz Standard series "New Dimensions in Latin Jazz" presents the first installment of a Cuban drum festival with the US/NYC debut of the legendary Cuban master drummer  Calixto Oviedo and his all-Cuban jazz quintet,  Calixto's Way.

"One of the most important representitives of Latin jazz in the world of drumming, creator of a new Cuban sound...  Calixto Oviedo is the Elvin Jones of Cuba."
- All About Jazz, Italia

Calixto Oviedo is a living encyclopedia of Cuban drumming and percussion, from the profound roots of African-influenced folklore to the hottest dance music and the cutting edge of jazz. One of the creators of the dynamic timba rhythm when he was the drummer for the iconic Havana group NG la Banda, Oviedo's innovative and brilliant percussive techniques have made him the in-demand drummer for The Afro Cuban All Stars, Buena Vista Social Club, and Arturo Sandoval. His current project, an all-Cuban jazz quintet, is named for his critically-acclaimed album, ” Calixto's Way”.

Calixto's Way Quintet
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Piano: Gustavo Ramírez -- Bass: Nestor Del Prado
Tenor Saxophone: Carlos Averhoff Jr  --  Congas and Percussion: Mauricio Herrera
Drums: Calixto Oviedo

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