Are we having fun yet?  Yes we are...

Despite dire warnings from a very small handful of self-appointed members of the Purity Of Our Party Patrol that the presence of a non-native taco here, an alcapurria there and the inclusion of some non-Cuban musicians in the entertainment roster would inflict irreparable emotional trauma on attendees, a very large crowd had a very good time at Festival Cubano last night in Chicago.  We'll bring you a full report in a couple of days, but if you are in or near Chicago, get there today, the last day of the Festival. Timbalive, Cachao Mambo All Stars, hey, if you aren't already hooked yet, go to thecubanfestival.com for the rest of the lineup, where and when its at etc. and that should finish the job.  

(What are those weird blotches in the center by Alfredo's head?  We don't know either, but we decided to leave them in because they remind us of our favorite science fiction movies, and we're curious to see whether anyone accuses him of being from the 8th dimension now.  We'll have crisp, blemish-free pictures of him and the band for you in a couple of days...)

One of the highlights was when Alfredo de la Fe, wired for sound, took his violin out into the crowd to solo.The crowd went crazy, and it got more fired up after that as the evening progressed. By the time Jerry Rivera was on, it was like a Rock concert, but in a good way. 

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On Tuesday, August 6 at 7:30pm, Cuban percussionist/composer Enildo Rasua will be performing at the Jazz Standard in a quartet with Troy Roberts on saxophone, Ben Winkleman on piano and Ricky Rodriguez on bass.   Enildo is the creator of the "Third Hand" technique which uses three drumsticks to play both drum kit and other percussion instruments at the same time.  Enildo's career covers a lot of ground both as a performer and an instructor, and this should be worth checking out. 

On Wednesday, August 7 at 9:30 pm, 11:00 pm and 1:00 am, composer/pianist Osmany Paredes, another artist in the new wave of Cuban Jazz musicians shaking things up in New York, will be performing at the Zinc Bar with his quartet. Osmany's early career included time with Charanga America, Enrique Jorrin and Bobby Carcasses. He later founded the group Menduvia and now leads the Osmany Paredes Quartet.  He has also performed in several prominent groups, and this performance is also worth checking out. 

It is also worth keeping an eye on the calendars of both of these clubs because they have become two of the most important venues for this music in New York. 

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Every village has its idiot, and this one had a couple of them running about in the audience, but that didn't bother the 99.9% of the people who understood that the object was to celebrate, and celebrate they did.  The neighbors were all invited too, and they came to the party in droves.  Festival Cubano gave Chicago a much-needed Timba fix while scratching the itch for traditionalists and the youngsters as well, and for that, we salute it. 

Click here for part 1 of our coverage with a story and photo gallery.  Part 2 will follow soon.

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Photo courtesy of Ivan Soca Pascual

Havana has a wonderful tradition of free concerts at the end of the year. They are off to an early start this weekend with two free mega-concerts. The first took place last night on the Stairway of the University of Havana. To put it mildly, the concert was well-attended. Los Van Van closed their national tour with a free concert and also the official release of the new CD "La Fantasía".  If you're in Havana pick up a hard copy. It isn't up at digital retailers yet, but hopefully next week. Samuel has said that it's Van Van's best CD. It's too early for me to say, but it is definitely the best since "Chapeando", maybe even the best since "Llegó...Van Van". Without question it is going to be a favorite of dancers, so keep an eye out for it.

Una Luz Por La Esperanza - Buena Fe Tonight!

The other big free concert this weekend takes place tonight at Carlos III and Boyeros. Buena Fe are holding a concert in honor of the doctors fighting ebola in Africa. The show starts early at 7:00pm so families with young children can participate. Buena Fe is also working on a new album which should be out soon.

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