Why is April International Timba Month? Although one cannot put an exact date on the birth of Timba, people tend to go along with the idea that it was with El Tosco & NG La Banda that took the many innovations that had been present in Cuban music and brought them together also adding a few of their own creating what we now call timba. Today NG La Banda celebrate their 27th anniversary. That is the main reason that April was chosen as International Timba Month. However both Azúcar Negra and Klímax also celebrate anniversaries in April, which just makes it that much more appropriate.

Here is an excellent video - courtesy of ex-NG drummer Calixto Oviedo - of one of my favorite NG songs "La Bruja", filmed at the Montreaux Jazz Festival. If you will be in LA this month, don't miss Calixto Oviedo & The Cuban Jazz Train at Trattoria 25! It will be a great way to spend an evening for International Timba Month.

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           ACAS at Kuumbwa Jazz Center - all photos by Tom Ehrlich - full gallery coming soon

The current incarnation of Juan de Marcos and the Afro-Cuban All Stars may be the best in its legendary, star-studded 20-year history. They'll be in LA at the Catalina Bar & Grill tonight through Saturday and in Phoenix on Sunday.

De Marcos quipped that when he started the band he was the youngest member, surrounded by octogenarian legends. Now he's the oldest and he's assembled a blazing hot young band that's as much about innovation as celebrating the past.

Tany Allende, Caleb Michel, Asley Rosell, Marcos Crego, Jiovanni Cofiño

The rhythm section is tight, intense and never too loud - with de Marcos' daughter Gliceria on vibes and synth, ex-Klímax pianist Marcos Crego, ex-Revé musical director Jiovanni Cofiño on bass and a stunning young rhythm section with Arizona-born Caleb Michel on timbales, Tany Allende on congas and newcomer Asley Rosell on bongó.

Juan de Marcos

De Marcos has become an excellent singer and now uses only one additional lead vocalist, Emilio Suárez, who's also started contributing original compositions. 

Juan de Marcos, Laura Lydia González

But what continually blows me away about this band is the horn section. While finding a spot in the band for his younger daughter Laura, de Marcos hit on an idea that works so brilliantly it's a wonder that no other bands have adopted it. Placing a bass clarinet below three trumpets creates a completely unique sound and an ensemble capable of sounding as in tune as three trombones, and as ferocious as the agile, but often unruly combination of trumpets and saxes.

Laura Lydia González

Laura Lydia González combines the accuracy and perfect intonation of a classical player with the bite and rhythmicattack of a percussionist. She also solos on the standard Bb clarinet as I've never heard it played - almost reinventing the instrument. The traditionally straight-laced clarinet tends to be more accurate but less expressive than the sax, but Laura plays with a wailing, soaring tone that sounds more like a soulful trumpet. If you're anywhere near LA or Phoenix don't miss this one.

                   Juan de Marcos, Emilio Suárez, Laura González, Gliceria González

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INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY IN HAVANA, APRIL 30, 2017

April 30 is the 5th annual International Jazz Day, and Cuba is the host country for the All Star Global Concert this year!  Actually, there is more or less a week of activities around this day, and more than 50 prominent artists from 14 countries (including, of course, Cuba) are participating.  Best of all, the website http://jazzday.com/concert/   will be streaming a special concert live on the 30th.   For a lot more information, visit the website just mentioned.  The lineup is stunning, and this writer deeply regrets not being there in person.   

New Website for the Instituto Cubano de la Música

The Instituto Cubano de la Música has an excellent new website, and even though they tell me that it is still a work in progress (what website isn't, really?), it already has a lot of useful information. 
Check it out at  http://dcubamusica.cult.cu/

Film:  Esteban by Jonal Cosulluela with musical score by Chucho Valdés

I will be watching this in Chicago this week, but I believe that it is traveling the festival circuit now.   It is the Director's debut, and it is about a boy who is musically gifted.   You can read more
here

New from BIS Music:  Cuba y Puerto Rico Un abrazo musical salsero

Not the first Cuba-Puerto Rico project by any means, but the promo video looks and sounds promising.    More after this writer has tasted more of it.    

CUBADISCO 2017


Cubadisco 2017 is coming in a couple of weeks.   Watch for more information soon.

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Here's an intimate glimpse of one of the very first performances of the first great timba band of the 21st Century - Pupy Pedroso y Los Que Son Son - with the devastating front line of Tirso Duarte, Pepito Gómez and Mandy Cantero. Visitors to Havana will recognize the venue as the "Piano Bar", a converted house down the road from the ENA conservatory where students and visitors hang out. Changuito played regularly with the band at this point and various luminaries sit in - Mayito & Robertón of Van Van, Don Pancho Terry, etc. Part 1 highlights include a Changuito solo and Mayito sitting in on Seis semanas.

Click here for the history of Pupy Pedroso, and here for Tirso Duarte.

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