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The new album by José Luis Cortés & NG. La Banda -- “Mis 22 años” --  a tribute to the 22 of existence for the project, one that was at the very forefront of the genre since the 90's, was recorded between February and June of last year at Egrem Studios in Havana. It's a 2 disco set. 

Listen to the song CALABAZA with Tirso Duarte on vocals now on Radio Timba

The album counts with more than 30 all-star guests -- Chucho Valdés, Juan Formell, Pedrito Calvo, Tirso Duarte, Tania Pantoja, Vania Borges, Elito Revé Lázarito Valdés,  Manolito Simonet, Lázaro Dagoberto González Jr., Rafaelito Lay, Mayito Rivera,  David Calzado, Adalberto Álvarez, Giraldo Piloto, Changuito, César Pupy Pedroso, Alain Daniel, Angelito Bonne, Ricardo Amaray, Cristian & Rey, Coco Freeman and Yeny Valdés.

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Before we get to my 2013 Winter NAMM (Anahiem) report, here are two excellent upcoming TIMBA shows that are not to be missed.....

Pedrito Mártinez Group in Washington DC -- Click here to read the full report from our D.C. correspondent Rosy Estrada. Rosy notes..."Heralded as one of the top percussionists in the Cuban music scene, New York-based Pedrito Martínez will be making his first appearance in the Washington, D.C. area since his 2005 performance as a former percussionist with Yerba Buena at the Kennedy Center. The Pedrito Martínez Group, a quartet of talented musicians and singers, will be performing live at the Artisphere, in Arlington, Virginia, on Saturday, February 9th at 8:00pm."

The very next day farther west we have Manolín "El Médico de la Salsa" at Café Cócomo in San Francisco. Click here for tickets. Excitement is in the air becuase Manolín with be backed by bassist Jiovanni Cofiños band -- an established group in Las Vegas. Jiovanni was the musical arranger and bassist for la Orquesta Revé in early 2000, writing the smash hits 1999, Dale Agua Al Dominó and Se Sigue Comentando!!  

Next we have a lighting round review of this year's Anaheim Winter NAMM (National Association of Music Mechants) Trade Show. I was there Thursday, Friday and Saturday and in my 10+ plus year of attending I've never seen it so busy. Rumors of 94,000+ or almost 100k people attended this year. 

yes we believe in music -- not open to the public -- get your pass and hotel early 

The new outdoor stage at NAMM. Right smack in front of the convention center. Tower of Power ripped it up Thrusday evening where I ran into...

NG La Banda / La Maquinaria / Afro-Cuban All Stars master precussionist Calixto Oviedo

Calixto has a bunch of stuff going on and upon his arrival from Sweden was immediately secuestered by all the pecussion greats for intense sessions of NAMM farandulation. Co-author of the now top Afro-Cuban study method for percussion on the planet Beyond Salsa Percussion, Calixto is sponsored by Tycoon Percussion among others and has an upcoming interview with Modern Drummer magazine, not to mention his La Maquinaria live DVD recording concert in Boulder on Feb 10nth with ex-Pupy star singer Pepito Gómez. 

Looking good Tycoon. A shout out to fellow TIMBA enthusiast George Balmaseda (Artist Relations Manager) and Ivy Yu (General Manager at Tycoon Percussion).

Another company besides Tycoon making great inroads into Latin percussion is German company MEINL. They have a slick new series of ciongas and timbales.

The new Latin percussion series from Meinl. Artists relations manager German Baratto shares a growing interest into Latin percussion and Cuban music. 

The Beyond Salsa series from our mad scientist extraordinaire and walking timbapedia Kevin Moore made waves at the show, catching the attention of Modern Drummer Editorial Director Adam J. Budofsky. 

Stay tuned for coverage of Calixto Oviedo and the Beyond Salsa Percussion books in Modern Drummer Magazine. http://www.moderndrummer.com (the world's top drum magazine).

SF Bay Area pianist Ben Heveroh lays down some montunos of a new Fazoli piano. Wall to wall, dedicated floors of piano and other gear can be found in great abundance at the NAMM Show.

Now back to post-NAMM show gear lust withdrawal....

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Las últimas noticias de Feri DJ desde Lima, Perú
sitio oficial de Cuba All Stars Perú = http://habanastars.com
oprima "saltar este paso" - press "skip this step"

Official roster released !! 

"Cuba All Stars" se presentará en el Estadio de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos en el marco del  Cubaníssimo 2011, el sábado 17 de diciembre. 

Las entradas ya están a la venta en Teleticket de Supermercados Wong y Metro. Y ademas del descuento de pre venta se suma un descuento adicional del 20% si es que las entradas son compradas  con tarjeta de crédito Metro. 

Serán más de 40 músicos que se alternaran en escena e interpretarán los mejores temas que ellos ha popularizado, convirtiéndose realmente en una orquesta de lujo. A continuación esta es la nomina oficial  de los integrantes de "Cuba All Star" integrada por músicos cubanos de reconocida trayectoria.

Dirección Musical - Juan Formell / Adalberto Álvarez

Pianistas - Maykel Blanco - Lázaro Valdez (Bamboleo) - Roberto Cucurucho (Van Van) - Dorgeris Álvarez ( Orq Adalberto Álvarez) - Toni Rodríguez (Habana de Primera)

Tecladistas - Boris Luna  (Van Van) - Jusef Díaz ( Klimax) - Gretchem Reve  (Orq Reve) 

Bajistas - Yandy Martinez (Habana D' Primera) - Pavel Molina (Van Van)

Batería / Timbales - Samuel Formel (Van Van) - Giraldo Piloto (Klimax) - Rodnie Barreto (Habana D'Primera)

Guiro - Julio Noroña (Van Van )

Flautistas  - Jorge Leliebre (Van Van) - Jose Luis Cortes "El Tosco" (NG la Banda)

Congas - Guillermo del Toro ( Habana de Primera )

Bongó - Keisel Jimenez (Habana de Primera)

Trombonistas - Hugo Morejón (Van Van) - Amaury Pérez ( Habana de Primera) - Dheyane Rivera (Orq. Adalberto Álvarez )

Trompetistas - Orlando Vásquez (Habana de Primera) - Hyuni Martínez  (Habana de Primera) - Adán Gómez (Orq. Adalberto Álvarez)

Cantantes / Coros
Los Van Van  - Yenisel Valdez - Abdel Rasalp (Lele) - Roberto Guayacán Hernández (Roberton) - Mandy Cantero (el animal)
Orq. Adalberto Álvarez - Michael González - Walter Jusvir (Mantecado)
NG la Banda - Tony Calá
Maykel Blanco - Yordis Larrazabal (Maykel Blanco y su salsa Mayor ) - Yaser Ramos
Habana D' Primera  - Alexander Abreu
Grupo Klimax - Leonardo Garrido - Reiner Rojas - Noel Diaz
Bamboleo - Yuneisi Sastre - Ailyn Dallera - Ronnis López
Solistas - Emilio Frías "El Niño del Charangon" - Tania Pantoja (Ex bamboleo) - Leo Vera 

Also new this week from Los Van Van is "La Maquinaria". 

La Maquinaria - Los Van Van
1. La maquinaria
2. Recíbeme
3. Qué tiene ese guajiro
4. Mis santos son ustedes
5. La bobería
6. Eso que anda
7. Control
8. Un año después
9. Yo no le temo a la vida
10. Final

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view the complete photo gallery here
fotos cortesía de Peter Cheyne y  Patricio Sobrado

In the first weeks of August 2011, Calle Real was invited to play in Japan on a tour named Vivela Salsa tour 2011 = http://www.vivela.jp/2011/info_en.html

Since I moved to Santiago, Chile in 2010, I had played with the band in Israel in April 2011, and now I looked forward to meet the boys again for a 10 days tour in Japan.

I had a vague idea of what Japan was! But mostly from movies and design, a modern high-tech society on top of a disciplined aged culture with a passion for rituals. It pretty much summed my impression of Japan before the tour.

Visiting Japan with Calle Real, it did not change my generalized view of Japan in its essence, but it made me view it from the inside and added soul and flesh to the picture already in place. But to be honest, Japan vastly exceeded my expectations!

I had the wrong impression that the disciplined part of the culture would not let the Japanese people enjoy themselves unless very rigid conditions were fulfilled. And I was astonished by the vivid and joyful spirit of the salseros and timberos from Japan when partying, listening or actively receiving our music into their hearts, or when showing us appreciation as the dedicated fans they were.

I got enchanted by the details of the rituals in normal Japanese life. When waiting for the elevator as an example.

Everybody entering an elevator respectfully agrees with their eyes communication and body language who is going to enter first, the children, followed by the women and the man last of course, and if you are already are in the elevator, the entering people do nicely great you. This is different from many other cultures where entering the elevator is almost a race. read more...

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