Another Cubadisco has come and gone and the big winners in the categories of greatest interest to Timba fans were Juan Formell & Los Van Van and  Alexander Abreu & Havana D'Primera. The list of nominees was impressive. In addition to Van Van and Havana D'Primera were La Charanga Habanera for "No mires la carátula", Arnaldo y su Talismán for "Mango" and Sixto Llorentes' debut solo album "Lo que sucede conviene"  Son del Indio. Still, I knew Van Van would win. The smooth production of "Arrasando" was bound to catch the judges' ears.  Indeed "Arrasando"  also won for Best Recording.

The Traditional Music category was won by Pancho Amat y su Cabildo del Son for "Yo traigo un son", also a double-winner taking the Anthology category.

Closest to my own heart is the winner of the Ópera Prima category (first work). Havana D'Primera's "Haciendo Historia" was my personal favorite from 2009 so I am happy that the judges saw fit to award Los Primeros with the Best First Work award. The band has taken Havana and now the world by storm with their combination of poetic lyrics and serious timba. And on stage there is no harder working singer than Alexander Abreu who gives everything at each performance as if it were his last.

In honor of their award, Patrick Bonnard has shared a few of his pictures from the "Haciendo Historia" tour 2009/2010. Click here or on the picture below to see more.  The complete gallery is at Patrick's website .

Alexander Abreu & Havana D'Primera - winners Ópera Prima Cubadisco 2010
Photo ©Patrick Bonnard used by permission

Congratulations to all the Cubadisco winners and hasta la próxima .

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Things are happening quickly right now and there are new dates being added almost daily, so I recommend that you keep checking the tour pages for Manolito y Su Trabuco and Pupy y Los Que Son Son because all the dates we have are listed there. I know there are still dates more concert dates on the way as soon as they are confirmed. The most recent additions are:

Pupy y Los Que Son Son 
June 20, 2010 - New York City, NY - S.O.B.s 
June 22, 2010 - Boston, MA. - Wilbur Theater

Manolito y Su Trabuco 
May 29, 2010 - Arlington, VA - Yorktown Bistro

We are also beginning to get in tour dates for Europe Summer 2010 so start checking the Tours Section to plan your summer vacation.

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You may have noticed that the dates for Elito Revé y Su Charangón in the US conflict with the dates that were previously reported for the Euroepan Summer 2010 Tour. The agency Musicalia has sent out a press release to explain the cancelation and information about the next European Tour.

"The Cuban Agency Musicalia reports that the orchestra Elito Revè y su Charangón  will not make Summer Tour 2010 scheduled for Europe because it canceled the contract for breach, with the company that represented him in that continent. The next tour to Europe was made in the month of October-November 2010, with the launch of his new album De que estamos hablando ".

Our loss is the US fans' gain. But at least we know that the Charangón will be back in Europe this fall following the release of the new album which is hot, hot,hot!

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Septeto Santiaguero kick off a summer tour of Europe on July 3 in Valencia, Spain. The tour will last 6 weeks and will take the group to 7 countries throughout Europe. Septeto Santiaguero is an excellent example that son is alive and well in Cuba. The release of their new CD,  "Oye mi son santiaguero", will coincide with the summer tour. The CD features some special guests such as Ricardito and Reinaldo Creagh, former members of the legendary Vieja Trova Santiaguera. In preparation for the upcoming CD release, they have published the first video single at YouTube, "Esa niña, qué cintura!". Check it out below and catch them on their tour this summer .  And cuida'o ! There is a sort of an updated Marilyn Monroe skirt flying up scene in the video...only with a very short skirt.

Septeto Santiaguero with "Esa niña, qué cintura!"

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