Attention Timba Lovers in New York! A free screening of the Los Van Van concert documentary Eso Que Anda / Van Van Fever is happening on Friday, April 1rst, 6:00 pm at the Bronx Museum of the Arts (presented by Havana Film Festival New York). 

Cuban Ian Padrón follows Los Van Van, the most popular band in Cuba since 1969, during their last tour in Cuba attended by more than 1 million people and examines the band’s history and future plans. In addition, The Pedrito Martínez Project will be playing with an unique interpretation of Caribbean-tinged Afrobeat rhythms. So, cool Timba movie + live Cuban music....can't be beat on a Friday night in NYC! Please snd pics if you go.

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It was twenty years ago today...Juan Formell taught the band to play. Actually forty, and as far as Miami is concerned, its more like ten years since Los Van Van's last appearance. At that time the show was cancelled due to the protests that rang clear -there is an understanding between the Cubans who lost everything and have suffered in exile. In response to this, another message has also continued to ring true. Los Van Van is a group of artists that herald a lasting musical movement, used by many to get in touch with their culture and shun the political spin. Inside of that tension many wish they could enjoy the music more openly and that some of the barriers can be brought down.   

This picture is the present. One that would have been impossible just two years ago. Take a good look at it. Corporate America is behind it. Maybe you should be too?

Many thanks to Eli Silva for this outstanding photograph. An ex-trumpet player based in the Miami area, Eli writes music reports and has an extensive photo gallery here on TIMBA.com. To solicit his professional photography services you can contact him at photographybyeli [at] aol [dot] com. Te botaste con esta foto Eli.

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Get ready for this upcoming show. Kicking off their US tour, Los Van Van, celebrates José Martí's January 28th birthday with a special peformance at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park in Key West, Florida. The band is also celebrating its 40th anniversary. 

Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door. Gates open at 7pm for this three hour concert event. Martí was in Key West during the late 1890's to deliver a speech in support of Cuba's independence movement. 

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Check out how Paulo FG handles this loving farandulera. When the bomba gear begins she decides that grabbing the mic stand is not enough, she's gotta "get some of that action".  Mayor tembleque ensues. When that is not enough she jumps on hoping for a ride, fully dangling from his neck. A water break is needed...and the stellar imprvisation begins...

(after Paulo grabs some air, and water......)
Las cubanas, con su gozadera
Se le puede dar un deo, se coje la mano entera
A esas cubanas, que son abusadoras
Tu no te ves muy dafne, y yo tengo mi señora

crowd: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

No me metas en compromiso, no me metas en eso
Que ya bastante tengo, que andan diciendo
Dicen que yo, por aquí, dicen que yo, por allá
Me cojen los paparazi y después, y me van a ripiar

Ahí está la gente de TIMBA, punto com
Y después dicen que Paulito es un puto, puto, puto, punto com
Y no puede ser, yo estoy tranquilo
Por que la cojen conmigo, si yo le dije a Michael pa' rriba

Pero lo que pasa es que la gente
No se da cuenta y quiere ponermela dura
Sobre todo cuando tu llegas, cuando estás pegao
Cuando eres figura, se te arriman por al lao y te rayan la pintura 

NEW CORO
Cuando estas pegao, cuando eres figura
Se te arriman por al lao, y te rayan la pintura

(When your hot on the charts, when you are a public figure
They rub up against you and scrape your paint)

HELL YEAH! Boooommmmbbbaaaaa. Te la comiste Paulo con ese coro.
Thank you delaa24 whoever you are for this great video. Aché pa' tí.

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