Legendary NG La Banda bassist Feliciano Arango (winner of the timba.com readers' poll in that category) and his co-author, bassist Cherina Mastrantones, have finished their second book (first book here). This one has all the best NG tracks transcribed all the way through and joins Standing in the Shadows of Motown as one of the best bass books every written. I hope to join that list in about a month with a book on Alain Pérez, but more on that laterl  

As someone who has spent far too much time transcribing Cuban basslines, I'm knocked out by the choice of material and the quality of the notation to say nothing of the subject. I rank Arango among the four most creative and inspired tumbao creators - the other three being Humberto Perera, Pedro Pablo Gutiérrez and Alain Pérez. I've got Alain covered - with four books plus audio and video coming soon (also Melón video), and Rob Holland keeps threatening to write a book on Humberto, who's also covered in Roots of Timba. That leaves Pedro Pablo. We only have this. Hopefully Rebambaramba, or someone else, will bring Pedro on tour soon.

Meanwhile, Arango's current group, Los Hermanos Arango, will be "in residence" at Berklee School of Music for 10 days in late February and there are encouraging signs that they may play elsewhere (Chicago perhaps). Their visas are good until July, so if you have any suggested venues, please write in. [Kevin Moore]

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Two different roundtable discussions in Miami and Chicago this week look promising for those who are able to attend. The Chicago event, From Cuba to Chicago: Pedro Páramo and Havana Blue, will take place on Thursday, March 14 at the Instituto Cervantes and is a panel discussion about artistic exchanges with Cuba.  Artists from the River North Dance Chicago, the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, Chicago's Goodman Theatre and Cuba's Teatro Buendía will participate in the discussion. Chicago will host the world premieres of Havana Blue and Pedro Páramo in the near future.  
This event is free to the public, but reservations are needed (for reservations, see the web page at  GoodmanTheatre.org/CubatoChicago)

The Miami event, Cuban Music in the Transnational Context,  is a panel discussion featuring the musicians Gema Corredera, Yosvany Terry and Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez with additional panelist Eva Silot Bravo.  This is also on Thursday, March 14.  According to the announcement, there will be a music demonstration along with the panel discussion.  This is also free to the public and will be focusing upon  the impact of musicians who have emigrated to cities like New York, Miami and Madrid and how they are affecting the music globally. Timba.com's regular visitors will note that Yosvany Terry (as well as Yunior Terry) has been mentioned on our site more than once as an artist of special interest in the new music being produced today. 

Also, the Creole Choir of Cuba returns to Chicago after their triumphant performance there in 2011 (you can read our review of that performance here.) This time, they will be performing at the Old Town School of Folk Music on Wednesday, March 13 at 8:30pm. This is a full audiovisual experience, and we recommend it highly. 

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The latest Alexander Abreu & Havana D' Primera video features dance guru Maykel Fonts and the London-based Key2Cuba dancers. This video is dedicated to, and in memory of the writer, Simon Gavron and directed by Kerry Ribchester. The video tells the story of two Cuban boys who grow up in the same barrio fighting and enacting an 'Eye for and eye, tooth for a tooth ' mentality with each other until Alexander Abreu shares with them his philosophy of rising above injustice with elegance.

Nueva Trova Icon Sara González has died - Singer-songwriter Sara Gonzalez, one of the original voices of the New Cuban Song Movement, has died in Havana, official media reported. She was 60. Gonzalez produced music for film, television and radio as well as her solo albums, and she also participated in several album collections. She studied guitar and viola and began her professional career in the early 1970s as a member of the musical group Los Dimos and in an occasional duo with singer-songwriter Pedro Luis Ferrer. During the course of her career, Gonzalez shared the stage with artists such as Joan Manuel Serrat, Mercedes Sosa and Pete Seeger, among others. source

New Cuban music documentary "Cuba: Island of Music" - , Filmmaker Gary Keys' tribute to Afro-Cuban jazz, the film is a behind-the-scenes look at music's role in the daily life of Cubans. Filmmaker Gary Keys (Memories of Duke and Dizzy's Dream Band) brings the audience into the heart and soul of Havana, through a vibrant mosaic of street musicians, big bands, dancers, religious rituals, and classic cars. Keys shows us Afro-Cuban music in New York City, with the music and commentary of jazz legends Billy Taylor, Candido Camero, and Chico OFarrill. See the full 1:17 minute film here.

New timbatón video: Vampira Malvada Charanga Habanera feat Yulién Oviedo - courtesy of our Italian reporter extraordinaire Cuba Soy Yo. 

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Here's the next installment of Tom's 3- or 4-part series on Juan d'Marcos & the Afro-Cuban All Stars at SF Jazz.  And here are the remaining tour dates. Next stop: Waterbury Connecticut and then on to NY for a full week at the Blue Note.

Coming: Havana d'Primera at Yoshi's SF - May 31 & June 1.

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