Yuly y Havana C

Yuleisis Greenidge, better known as Yuly, is the director of Havana C, a group that has been around for five years but really broke into the scene in 2012 with their mega-hit "Bailando". Yuly plays guitar, piano and percussion and is a product of the Cuban music school system, which she attended from grade school at Alejandro García Caturla to La ENA and El ISA. She was a member of the all-female salsa band Caribe Girls, but left for artistic reasons. 

Yuly founded her own band, but wanted a mixed group of both men and women. In 2009 they recorded their first CD "Bajo de control". It was a salsa CD but never really took off and received limited distribution. Yuly decided to change the sound of the band and looked for new ways to incorporate other Caribbean genres such as reggaeton, plena and bomba. The result has been a resounding success. Havana C has become very popular among young Cubans who appreciate this playful, light style of dance music. When the band is not touring, they have a Wednesday peña at Casa de la Música Miramar.

Havana C is currently doing its first tour of Europe together with Alexander Acosta, an ex-Havana C singer who is best known to timba fans for his time with Orquesta Revé and now for his new solo album "Desafio". I spoke with Yuly before the show in Stockholm about the band, what it's like to be a female director in a male-dominated world and about the direction that Havana C has taken. The video interview is in Spanish. An English subtitled version will be coming soon. So if you don't speak Spanish, check back with us in a week.

Interview in Spanish with Yuly

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The latest from Ivan Llanes' group in New York...

Also, another New Cuban Express album, Expectativas, is due for release on September 3rd. This writer has heard the tracks, and this is even deeper than the first New Cuban Express recording, the self-titled, GRAMMY-nominated album by Manuel Valera's group. If you are into Latin Jazz (or any kind of Jazz, really), this will be an essential acquisition for you when it comes out. In the meantime, those of you on the East Coast can see most of the group (Joel Frahm is subbing for Yosvany Terry, but do NOT let that stop you for a second) performing at the following locations over the course of the weekend:

July 26-27:  Bohemian Caverns in Washington, DC
July 28: An Die Musik in Baltimore, MD
July 29: Hartford Jazz Society in Hartford, CT

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24th Annual San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 
Friday, August 9 - Sunday, August 11, 2013
Plaza de César Chavez Park, Downtown San Jose, CA
Click HERE for tickets

The 24th annual San Jose Jazz Summer Fest is the hottest event of the summer featuring a stellar lineup of international stars, emerging artists and regional favorites. You’ll enjoy more than 100 bands on 11 stages playing jazz, salsa, Latin, blues, R&B, New Orleans and more. It’s the biggest live music event in Silicon Valley—the perfect summer experience with tasty food, wine and microbrews; jazz for kids and after hours events for the grownups.

click HERE to visit the full Event Page with extended video

Focus On Latin Jazz & Salsa
Every year, San Jose Jazz Summer Fest features more Latin jazz and salsa than any other festival in the West. In 2013 they’ve expanded their roster of Latin artists, presenting them on stages throughout the festival. Highlights include two performances by Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra; MacArthur “genius” grant recipient Dafnis Prieto, who performs a set that is 100% improvised; Transcendental Ensemble, which brings its take on the fiery street music of Bahia, direct from Brazil; Colombia’s Audiotrópico which delivers an authentic Latin sound carefully built atop influences of jazz, electronica and funk; Saxophonist Yosvany Terry, who merges sounds of his Cuban homeland with contemporary currents he found in the New York jazz scene; and the great John Santos Sextet presiding over our Latin jazz jam that you can take part in.

The ambitious lineup on this year’s Kaiser Permanente Salsa Stage will transport you to three major centers of salsa culture. On Friday, you’ll experience the sounds of New York played by the Josh Jones Ensemble performing a tribute to Ray Baretto and Louis Romero’s Mazacote playing NYC-style salsa dura. Saturday, it’s Puerto Rico—highlights include Edgardo & Candela performing with the great Cuban timbalero Calixto Oviedo and Orquesta Saboricua, playing Puerto Rican-influenced New York salsa. Saturday headliner Ricardo Lemvo takes salsa global by combining the classic sound with pan-African styles. On Sunday we travel to Cuba, birthplace of son, rumba and the contemporary timba, with the award-winning Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco. Closing the day is Cuba’s greatest dance band, Wil Campa Y Su Gran Union, the salsa stage’s biggest hit at last year’s Fest. While the styles may differ, every band plays exciting, danceable music, so get out there!

General Admission:
Single Day: $20; Weekend Pass through 7/31: $45; Online until 8/9: $55; At Gate: $60
Click HERE for tickets

VIP:
Weekend Pass through 7/31: $250; Thereafter and at gate: $300; Sat or Sun, $150 per day
Click HERE for tickets

San Jose Rep Stage General Admission: Sat, Sun - $10 per day
Click HERE for tickets

Children (Ages 5 – 12): Daily Pass: $5; Weekend Pass: $15
Click HERE for tickets

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Here's Tom's first gallery from the amazing but way-too-short Klímax tour. 

The new Van Van album, La Fantasía, is coming very soon - we'll have a lot on this almost immediately.

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