Here's the first gallery from Manolín's incredible show with Jiovanni Cofiño and Ángel "Pututi II" Arce at Café Cócomo in SF.

Book News: Volume 1 of Beyond Salsa Bass should be out soon.

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Here's  Part II of Tom's Manolín photos. On drums was the electrifying Ángel "Pututi II" Arce from the original band that took Havana by storm in the 90s. Also from that band was trumpeter "El Niche" Romero, now a Bay Area resident, joined by Roberto Morris (ex-Sur Caribe).

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Tom Ehrlich has posted the first of several galleries of Juan de Marcos' triumphant sold-out return to the Bay Area. The band is in great form and JdM has really hit on a great idea by writing for three trumpets and bass clarinet. The clarinet sounds way better than a bari sax and the lines are written in a way that crystalizes the trumpet harmonies. If you get a chance to see a later show on the tour, check this out. The singers and the entire rhythm section are also sublime, as are the acoustics at the new SF Jazz facility. This gallery is from the souncheck. Later this week we'll have more photos from the clinic and two of the concerts. Click here for the rest of the tour which is working its way to the East Coast, including a full week at the legendary Blue Note. [Kevin Moore]

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Legendary NG La Banda bassist Feliciano Arango (winner of the timba.com readers' poll in that category) and his co-author, bassist Cherina Mastrantones, have finished their second book (first book here). This one has all the best NG tracks transcribed all the way through and joins Standing in the Shadows of Motown as one of the best bass books every written. I hope to join that list in about a month with a book on Alain Pérez, but more on that laterl  

As someone who has spent far too much time transcribing Cuban basslines, I'm knocked out by the choice of material and the quality of the notation to say nothing of the subject. I rank Arango among the four most creative and inspired tumbao creators - the other three being Humberto Perera, Pedro Pablo Gutiérrez and Alain Pérez. I've got Alain covered - with four books plus audio and video coming soon (also Melón video), and Rob Holland keeps threatening to write a book on Humberto, who's also covered in Roots of Timba. That leaves Pedro Pablo. We only have this. Hopefully Rebambaramba, or someone else, will bring Pedro on tour soon.

Meanwhile, Arango's current group, Los Hermanos Arango, will be "in residence" at Berklee School of Music for 10 days in late February and there are encouraging signs that they may play elsewhere (Chicago perhaps). Their visas are good until July, so if you have any suggested venues, please write in. [Kevin Moore]

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