Ladies and Gentlemen this year, as every year, it is time for me to remind you that timba was "officially" born this month in 1989 with the formation of NG La Banda by Maestro José Luis Cortés on April 4. So today we celebrate that momentous event that eventually changed all of our lives. Thank you El Tosco for starting the timba trend!

How will you celebrate International Timba Month? In the US you should catch one of the remaining concerts by La Charanga Habanera . In Europe you can find Los Van Van and here in Scandinavia we have the Viking Line Cuba cruises with Elito Revé y Su Charangón, La Charanga Forever and Yumurí y Sus Hermanos. I plan to celebrate with a few timba cruises assuming I can get free from work which has been unusually busy for me this spring.

So let's all look back with a bit of nostalgia on the band that started it all: NG La Banda with one of my favorite songs, "La Bruja" from back in 1992.

deja un comentario

continue reading Timbera Mayor

Carlos must have a time machine to keep coming up with this stuff. This is more from the concert - the only known video concert - with the insanely great Sergito Noroña on piano (he played on Con la conciencia but left the group in Jan. 1998 - this concert is Dec. 1997). Mayito and Lele, Sr. both sit in. [Kevin Moore]

Keepers of the Flame - Chuck Silverman is relaunching his Keepers of the Flame Cuban Rumba Drumming Traditions project. This could be amazing. Please check it out and consider helping in whatever ways you can.

deja un comentario

continue reading La Última

photo by Tom Ehrlich

After thrilling packed houses in New Jersey, Louisville, Las Vegas and LA, la CH rolls in to the Bay Area tonight and tomorrow (Mon. & Tues) at Yoshi's SF. Click here for tickets and video. See you there!

Live Issac: Click CONTINUE READING for three mind-bogglingly great versions of Issac's classic Por qué paró, which will be studied in the most minute detail in Volume 7 of Beyond Salsa Bass. [Kevin Moore]

deja un comentario

continue reading La Última

While Miami is working itself into a veritable frenzy in anticipation of the upcoming Havana D'Primera plus El Pikete on Friday the 24th (see video below), San Francisco...yet again...proves itself as the top market for hardcore Cuban Timba with an unbelievable trifecta on SATURDAY JUNE 1rst: two (2) Havana D' Primera shows at Yoshi's SF at 8 and 10pm, to be followed by -- for the very first time in the USA and their first stop of their USA tour -- Bárbaro Fines y su Mayimbe from Lima Perú, just a few minutes away at Café Cócomo for an 11:45 show. 

Take your Havana D'Primera ticket stub and get $5 off at the door for the Mayimbe 11:45pm show !! We'll be seeing you there. All west coast timberos and timberas will be dancing FULL FORCE. Mayimbe has a second show at Cócomo on Sunday as well. 

For advance Mayimbe tickets click here

Coast to Coast TIMBA !!!  --  Havana D' Primera  --  El Pikete --  Bárbaro Fines y su Mayimbe

deja un comentario

continue reading Pa' Ponerte en Talla