Issac "El Supercubano" in France photo by Patrick Bonnard

On July 22, 2011 timberos around the world rejoiced at the release of a new timba single by Issac Delgado. The song, Salsa, Timba y Amor, was only available in Europe. Just one week later an entire CD, Supercubano, was released at iTunes in Europe and the US. The album is a mix of timba, salsa, cubatón, rumba and even one bachata. Issac collabrorated on the album with a number of artists such as Alain Pérez, Manolín El Médico de la Salsa, La India, El Micha, Baby Lores, Gente D'Zona, Baby Lores and Los Generales. If you're in Madrid tomorrow you can catch some of the new songs, as well as any number of classic Issac hits, at the concert at Florida Park.

Track list:
El negro vuelve a La Habana - with El Micha
Perdona
Salsa, timba y amor
Somos Cuba (Mira como vengo) - with Gente D'Zona
Que no se te olvide - with La India
Mienteme
Pa'l Bailador
Mala cabeza
Que no se te olvide (bachata version)
Somos Cuba (extended version) - Baby Lores, El Micha, Gente D'Zona, Manolín, Los Generales, Alain Perez

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Maykel Blanco y Salsa Mayor arrived in Cali two days ago to prepare for tonight's big show at Teatro Jorge Isaacs. Maykel Blanco and Tirso Duarte are friends, but tonight they face off in a mano a mano contest to please the dancers in Cali. Let's hope someone uploads video of this event for those of us not lucky enough to be there! Here is a short greeting (2 takes) that Maykel and the singers recorded for the fans.

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Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Located at the 59th parallel, just shy of the polar circle it is a city where the days are short in the winter and seem neverending in the summer. Stockholm City is home to almost
830 000 people and the greater metro area houses 2 million. I have to ask myself how did this rather medium sized city tucked away in the remote reaches of northern Europe develop such a thriving Cuban cultural life? We have our ups and downs, but there are always a core goup of Cubans and Swedish Cuban music & dance fans that are working behind the scenes to maintian the club life and the concert life. How is this reflected, you ask? Well take a look at the Cuban dance/music related activities we have going on in March. The list below does not even include the Saturday timba parties at El Benny, the Sunday matinee at Cumbé or Mi Salsa! You will see why I am so spoiled that I can say "if a DJ doesn't play music to my liking I won't come back". I have so much to choose from!

Calendario de Marzo
3/5 Liga Habanera & Dance show & Workshop by Tropicana Stockholm - Club Guantanamera
3/7 Ladies Afro-Cuban dance day (in honor of International Women's Day) - Cumbé
3/12 El Médico de rap Cubaton & Reggaeton + Robertico "Galán" & "Moreno" - Club Guantanamera
3/12 Calle Real at Fasching
3/13 Gilito y Su Clave at Mosebacke by Cuba Nocturna
3/19 DANCE SHOW: Saúl Perez & Diasmanin Silva 22.30 La Rueda de Casino - Club Guantanamera
3/25 Havana D'Primera at Kägelbanan by SELAM
3/26 Raices Afro-Cuban dance & music show - Club Guantanamera
3/31 Maykel Blanco y Salsa Mayor at Kolingsborg (Slussen)

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Photo courtesy of Patrick Bonnard

2011 may be a bad year for the economy but it is turning out to be a great year for timba! At Festival Caliente in Rome, Ricardo Amaray announced that the band will be releasing a Live CD at the end of December. They played no fewer than five estrenos in Rome and they are all brilliant ! Esto es Trabuco! We have Manolito's masterful tumbaos, Miguelito "Pan con Salsa" with his teclado sabroso, Eutemio and Caldarón sweetening the mix with their strings, El Chino slapping and sliding on the electric bass during the bombas with the stellar percussion section pounding out an irresistible beat, the metales are tighter than ever with Robin Martinez, and both Robin and David Bencomo give extra power to the coros when they aren't playing. Ladies and gentlemen, this CD will be on every timbero's hoilday gift list!

So what are the estrenos? La cuenta no da - a reggaeton influenced song with Amaray on lead and the great hook ¿Dónde está la plata? ¿Dónde está el billete? , A la medida - a romantic son with Mayami on lead, and already a favorite of mine but it is not among the Rome videos, Callejero - fast-paced timba with Pepitín on lead, a guaranteed dance floor hit. There were three more estrenos that I don't know the names of performed in Rome, but I can at least tell you that they are all serious timba, lo que más te gusta .

Thanks to Benini Digital you can check them out yourselves at YouTube. Here is one to get you started, I'm going to hazard a guess and give it the working title Déjala . Enjoy!

Amaray sings an estreno from the upcoming live CD @ Festival Caliente in Rome

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