Los Chamacos de La Charanga Habanera - photo courtesy of Linda van der Eems

David Calzado y su Charanga Habanera start their US tour in Miami on Friday May 20th with a concert at Twelve Club. I haven't seen them live since 2013 and there have been some changes since then such as Andy Fornet joining on timbales and the singer line-up is now Leisdel Gonzales Castillo, David Montes de Oca, Alexis David Zamora, Heikel Valdes and Chico de la Rosa.  The tour will also take them to California, Washington State, Texas, New York and New Jersey. Click here to find a concert near you.

To catch up with the band check out the new promotional video "A Lak Lak". Special thanks to Linda van der Eems for keeping everyone updated with "La última".

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Tonight at Salon Rosado de la Tropical in Havana, Elito Revé y su Charangón will give a concert to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the charangón. It is also a part of the festivities surrounding Cubadisco 2016, which is appropriately themed Música Bailable this year. I hope our own Bill Tilford is able to attend this event and give us a first-hand account. This is a must-see concert for anyone who is in Havana. Special guests include Juan Carlos Alfonso, Issac Delgado, Mayito Rivera, Mandy Cantero, Paulo FG, Haila, Christian & Rey, David Blanco and Grupo Moncada.

The anniversary concert comes right on the heels of the release of "La salsa tiene mi son", which we have been awaiting for years. You can find it at digital retailers and if you're in Havana I bet they'll be selling in hard-copy at the concert.

Timba.com congratulates Elito and all of the members of the charangón - past and present - for their 60 year anniversary.

Available now at online retailers!

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Photo courtesy of Maykel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor Official Facebook page

Te escapaste

Maykel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor are in full swing with their Summer 2016 tour of Europe . They have played three gigs in Italy where Dancer/Singer Maykel Fonts joined in performing his duet "Dale lo que lleva" with Maykel B and adding some spice to "Bembé" with his world renowned rumba moves. Tomorrow Maykel B and the boys will be at the "I am Cuban All Star Festival" in Corfu, Greece and they will be in my own town of Stockholm, Sweden this Friday May 27th where they will appear with our own Calle Real!

Calle Real in turn has already performed several concerts this year in Ethiopia and France. Both bands released their latest CDs in December of 2015. Maykel Blanco released his fifth studio album "Que no me quiten la fe", which is also Cuba's first Blu Ray disc and Calle Real finally gave fans a long-awaited third album "Dime que?!". Both are excellent CDs and highly recommended. Stay tuned for the reviews (I apologize for falling behind in that). In the meantime you can enjoy a little concert video of both bands performing songs from their new CDs.

Maykel Blanco y su Salsa Mayor & Calle Real in Stockholm May 27

Calle real - Te lo di

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June 23th - 27th Guantanamo will again play host to the National Changüí Festival. This year the festival is dedicated to three important anniversaries: the 100th year anniversary of the birth of tresero and founder of the group Changüí Guantanamo - Chito Latamblét, the 60th anniversary of Orquesta Revé, and the 25th anniversary of Los Morenos del Changüí. It is also dedicated to the Guantanamo Diaspora - especially the artists and musicians.

So what does the festival have to offer?

The main activities are:
• Contest for best new Changüí song in honor of Pedro Speck.
• Competitions for treseros, bongoceros, marimbuleros and dancers.
• Rafael Inciarte Seminar: Seeds, Parallels and Projections of Changui
• Meeting Families, Musicians and traditions.
• Traditions in projection
• Changüí and Cumbancha, now. The World's Longest Changüí.
• Tributes, dances, community changüí parties, exhibitions, audiovisual materials.

The concerts will include the participation of Elito Revé y su Charangón, Oderquis Revé and Pancho Amat y su Grupo. There are usually also timba groups participating, but I haven't seen a list yet. If you are in Cuba I strongly recommend making a trip to Guantanamo for this event. While there you should also try to attend some of the community Changüí parties. I went to la Casa del Changüí in Yateras in 2007 and it was really a wonderful experience. I have posted some of my pictures from Guantanamo and Yateras for your viewing pleasure.

The contact information to sign up for all of the events is below, but many events are also free or just require payment of the entry fee to the Casa del Changüí.

Registration fees:
National Participants 50.00 CUP
Foreign participants 50.00 CUC

Contact:
Paradiso Agency. Artex
Email: paradiso@scgt.artex.cu

Elito Revé y su Charangón perform Fresquecito from their 50th anniversary at the
3rd National Changüí Festival in 2007

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