"#Latino" is the fourth album released by Simon Monserrat & Djeli and their second release of 2017, the first being "#Afro", which dropped in July of this year. The title pretty much sums up the album. It is a trip through the Carribean with stops in Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela and Colombia.

Some of the songs are served straight up such as "Oye mi songo" - self-explanitory - and "Mofongo" - a tasty son montuno - while "La rumba que traigo yo" and "Sabiduria antigua" are fusions, the former Cuban rumba with flamenco the latter a very modern cumbia-fusion with rap by MC Rico Pabon. "Suena tu tambo" is a classic descarga which features solos by Richard Ortega (piano), Monserrat (percussion) and Mats Hermansson (trombone) that allow the musicians to show their chops. "Latibonito" is an Afro-Haitian track, something new to me. A much slower song with vocals by Roger Chatelain, it has a melancholy quality with beautiful solos on violin and flute and almost feels like a slow cha-cha-chá as it progresses. "El Quitipla" picks up the pace again with a fusion of Afro-Venezuelan music and lead vocals in Portuguese from Brazilian Simone Moreno.

Monserrat performs most of the percussion on the album and also flute on "Sabiduria antigua". He has collaborated on the album with musicians such as Puerto Rican Jerry Medina, Colombian Roger Martinez and Cuban trumpet player Yuliesky Gonzalez. Monserrat is based in Sweden and the album features many well-known names from the Swedish timba scene such as Thomas Eby, Richard Ortega, Oldrich Gonzalez, and Raciel Garces Espinoso. See the track list below for more information on particiating musicians. I also want to mention Erik Steen who plays a mean flamenco guitar and Santiago Jimenez on violin.

I recommend that you check "#Latino" out at Spotify. It is available for purchase at the usual digital retailers and streaming sites such as iTunes and Amazon. 

Track list:
1. Oye mi songo ft Jerry Medina, Moncho, Thomas Eby
2. Mofongo ft Yuliesky Gonzalez, Oldrich Gonzalez, Roger Martinez
3. La rumba que traigo yo ft Raciel Garces Espinosa, Angeles Gomez, Erik Steen
4. Sabiduria antigua ft MC Rico Pabón, Marina Johansson
5. Suena mi tambo ft Richard Ortega, Raciel Garces Espinosa, Mats Hermansson
6. Latibonito ft Roger Chatelain, Santiago Jimenez, Martin Pålsson
7. El Quitipla ft Simone Moreno, Dekula Kahanga
8. Oye mi songo ft Jerry Medina, Moncho, Thomas Eby (bonus track)

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ENGLISH: Lima, Perú will play host to a weekend of Cuban dance workshops presented by Arturo Rojas and Fredyclan. The workshops will be taught by Arturo, Fredyclan and the divine Yanet Fuentes. This is the first time Fredyclan and Yanet Fuentes  have appeared in Lima. The workshops will range from ladies and men's styling to rumba and afro-cuban to casino and son.

I expect that these names need no introduction to timberos and casineros but for any newbies out there let me present them. Fredyclan is a dancer and choreographer and has also made a name for himself as a singer with hits such as "Yo Vengo de Cuba" ft Alexander Abreu & Havana D' Primera, "Yo Soy Bueno" ft Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco , "Tranquilo Calmao", "La Calle EstáQue Arde" and more.  Yanet Fuentes is a dancer who has appeared in television and film and has even been a choreographer for Shakira. Rounding out the instructors is Peruvian dancer and choreographer Arturo Rojas who is based in Sweden.

ESPANOL: Lima, Perú será la sede de un fin de semana de talleres de bailes cubanos presentado por Arturo Rojas y Fredyclan. Los talleres serán impartidos por Arturo, Fredyclan y la divina Yanet Fuentes. Esta es la primera vez que Fredyclan y Yanet Fuentes han dado clases en Lima. Los talleres van desde styling  de mujeres y hombres hasta rumba y afrocubano, hasta casinos y son.

Imagino que estos nombres no necesiten ninguna introducción a timberos y casineros, pero para los novatos, déjenme presentarlos. FredyClan es bailarín y coreógrafo y también se hizo un nombre como cantante con éxitos conocidas mundialmente comoo "Yo Vengo de Cuba" ft Alexander Abreu y Havana D 'Primera, "Yo Soy Bueno" ft Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco, "Tranquilo Calmao", "La Calle EstáQue Arde" y más. Yanet Fuentes es una bailarina que ha aparecido en televisión y cine e incluso ha sido coreógrafa de Shakira. Completando los instructores está el bailarín y coreógrafo peruano Arturo Rojas radicado en Suecia.

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ENGLISH: On a cold, rainy night  27 October 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden, 1000 people sweated and grooved the night away to the music of El Chacal, Havana D'Primera and FClan. The concert was organized by DJ Isra and Ritmico and was the first time I saw El Chacal or FClan and two years since the last time I saw Havana D'Primera. One very important note before posting the link to the concert review: take cash to the Havana D'Primera concert! They are selling CDs, DVDs, t-shirts and ball caps. I had no cash and came home empty handed but with a full heart. Click here for the concert report. 

To find a Havana D'Primera concert near you click here.

The remainnig dates fior El Chacal
03-11  Danzon - Vienna, Austria
04-11 El Diablo Tun Tun - Milan, Italy
05-11 Salsa Na'ma - Brescia, Italy
07-11 Donoma - Civitanova, Italy 
09-11 La Crespa - Modena, Italy
11-11 Sala Zenith - Madrid, Spain
12-11 Suite 191 -  Barcelona, Spain

ESPAÑOL: En una noche fría y lluviosa el 27 de octubre de 2017 en Estocolmo, Suecia, 1000 personas sudaron y pasaron la noche bailando con la música de El Chacal, Havana D'Primera y FClan. El concierto fue organizado por DJ Isra y Ritmico y fue la primera vez que vi a El Chacal o FClan y dos años desde la última vez que vi Havana D'Primera. Una nota muy importante antes de publicar el enlace para la reseña del concierto: ¡lleva efectivo al concierto de Havana D'Primera! Están vendiendo CD, DVD, camisetas y gorras de béisbol. No tenía dinero y volví a casa con las manos vacías pero con el corazón lleno. Haga clic aquí para ver el informe del concierto.

Para encontrar un concierto de Havana D'Primera cerca de ti dale clic aquí.

Las fechas restantes para El Chacal
03-11 Danzon - Vienna, Austria
04-11 El Diablo Tun Tun - Milán, Italia
05-11 Salsa Na'ma - Brescia, Italia
07-11 Donoma - Civitanova, Italia
09-11 La Crespa - Modena, Italia
11-11 Sala Zenith - Madrid, España
12-11 Suite 191 - Barcelona, España

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