Alexander Abreu and Havana D'Primera, one of the most important Timba groiups performing today and winner of the Música Popular Bailable category in Cubadisco 2013 for their recording Pasaporte, has been booked for two performances in the Midwestern United States. The first performance is at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 7, 2014; the second is at the Logan Square Auditorium,  2539 N. Kedzie in Chicago Illinois on Friday, August 8, 2014. Tickets for the Minneapolis performance are being sold via Eventbrite; Tickets for the Chicago performance may be purchased at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/742435
This group is a must-see if you are able.

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Maykel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor will play their UK debut concert tonight in London at Electric Brixton! They just began a month-long tour of Europe coming off of a fantastic trip to Argentina where La Máquina de Cuba thrilled audiences in Buenos Aires and Rosario. The summer tour includes France, England, Germany, Italy, Belguim and Spain. You will be able to catch the combination of Maykel (Blanco) & Maykel (Fonts) singing their hit "Dale Lo Que Lleva" on June 30th at Latinoamericando in Milan and July 5th in Geneva at a concert including Lázaro Valdés and Bamboleo. If you can't make either of these concerts, check out the video below from the concert one week ago in Rosario. Click here for the full list of concerts on the European Summer Tour 2014.

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Pupy y los Que Son Son canceled in Seattle (Jazz Alley) & San Francisco (Stern Grove Festival) - sad news indeed that Pupy will not be playing at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in Seattle, Washington, Tuesday and Wednesday July 15 & 16. His July 20 concert at the iconic and free Stern Grove Festival in San Francisco is also canceled. Que pasó Pupy?

Adalberto and Paulito FG Call Out Troubled Promoter - we've already reported Adalberto Álvarez's dissatisfaction with Miami based promoter Alexis Somoza Erice (a Cuban national working under the names Zarabanda Producciones and/or 2-22 Productions) here = http://www.timba.com/blog_posts/all-west-coast-shows-for-Alberto-canceled = and now adding insult to injury is the latest blast from Paulito FG on his FB page, 

"En el mes de mayo fuimos contactados por el Sr Alexis Somoza reportándose como representante de la Empresa 2-22 Productions, el cual alegó incluso estar llevando a cabo en ese momento una gira artística al maestro Adalberto Álvarez y solicitó nuestra disponibilidad para hacer lo mismo con nuestra agrupación a finales del mes de junio...  

...Llamo la atención de hechos como estos a todos lo que de una forma u otra se dedican con todo respeto a esta labor de llevar el arte y la cultura de nuestro país y si valoran y consideran con honestidad la valía de nuestros artistas por todo el mundo a fin de que no sean engañados ni manipulados por tales elementos que amparados en supuestas empresas artísticas y proclamándose representantes y promotores musicales, no son más que desfachatados buscavidas, estafadores , timadores y oportunistas de ciertas y determinadas circunstancias que enmascaran su verdaderas intenciones de aprovecharse de la demanda y el prestigio ganado con el sacrificio, talento, empeño y dedicación de los buenos artistas."

Read Paulito's full post here = https://www.facebook.com/paulito.fg

Bamboleo's USA tour for this June with Mr. Somoza was also canceled after shows were booked and advertised (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pg16f1GHO4). 

Miami prepares for upcoming Salsa Dura Album SALSANIMAL - After his Grammy winning homage to the salsa legends of the 1970's (RETRO - read Bill Tilford's review here), Marlow Rosado y la Riqueña will release their third album entitled SALSANIMAL on July 29. 

La Riqueña counts with Cuban musicians Guillermo Cobiellas (trombone) and Ivan Odio (trumpet). 

The original compositions feature Marlow's hard-hitting, salsa dura style -- including one dedicated to his home town and late father called "Cataño" -- with guest appearances from Premio Lo Nuestro Winner and Dominican singer Alex Matos, singer Domingo Quiñones, "el poeta de la rumba" Mayito Rivera, of Los Van Van fame, singer Hermán Olivera, singer El Checo Acosta from Colombia, pianists Larry Harlow & Richie Ray, Jon Secada and new rising star vocalist De La Torre.

Here are a few videos covering the "making of" SALSANIMAL.

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Elito Revé y su Charangón, La Aplanadora de Cuba, have released the final master of the brilliant hit song "Muévete pa'quí". The original version with lead vocals by Hector Valentín was released in 1999 on Elito's first CD as director of the orchestra following the death of his father: "Changüí en Casa de Nora". The remake features Puerto Rican superstar Gilberto Santa Rosa on vocals. Wow! I will admit that I have always thought of his vocal stylings as more suited to salsa romantica, but that smooth voice of his works fine with the hardcore charangón changüí-timba. He is known for his talent as a sonero and his güías with La Revé are a credit to his talent. This song is destined to be an international hit, that will hopefully make more "regular salsa" fans open up a bit more to Cuban music. The version that leaked out four months ago has already become a dance-floor favorite.

"Muévete pa'quí" is part of the 2-CD set "La Aplanadora de Cuba", that was released in Cuba at a gala concert in La Tropical on June 22nd. Hopefully it will soon be available outside Cuba via the usual on-line vendors. In case you've been under a rock for the past year, the album contains 24 songs: twelve new songs and twelve remakes featuring collabration with well-known artists, such as Santa Rosa and José Alberto "El Canario", who sings lead on the Revé classic "No seas celosa". Other guest artists include Mayito Rivera, Paulo FG & Muñequitos de Matanzas, Haila, Buena Fe, Gente D'Zona, El Indio (ex-Revé) & Mandy Cantero, El Gallo & El Indio (Sixto Llorente), Issac Delgado and Haila. Well, you get the idea, and that's just the first CD! So until "La Aplanadora de Cuba" becomes available worldwide, here is a taste of the new "Muévte pa´ quí" from a post at Elito's Facebook page to whet your appetite!

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