Meet Gema Corredera

In January 2013, Cubana Jazz vocalist Gema Corredera, currently a resident of Miami, released a fine new album, Derramando Luz, that is winding its way through the early round of the 56th GRAMMY Awards process. We'll be reviewing it soon, especially since Gema is backed by some familiar names including Yosvany Terry (who is Music Director for the project and co-produced), Yunior Terry, Manuel Valera, Osmany Paredes, Alfredo Chacón and Obed Calvaré. Here is a video clip about the release:

Speaking of Yosvany Terry, congratulations Yos for being awarded the Cintas Fellowship 2013 for composers! More about this in our Movimiento en Miami report, which also features a guest article by Eva Silot Bravo about Danay Suárez this week.

wednesday, 16 october 2013, 07:03 am

The newest recordings from members of the Valdés dynasty are doing well this year. We already reviewed Chucho's Border-Free earlier in the year, and it is currently a Latin GRAMMY nominee (Latin Jazz); Chuchito Valdés also has two recordings currently nominated in the 14th Latin GRAMMY Awards (one in Latin Jazz, one in Folklore in a collaboration with Andean folkloric music legend Eddy Navia.) Here are reviews of Grand Piano Live and Carnaval En Piano Charango.

Bill Tilford doesn't doubt for a moment that the following statement will start a few fights, but in his opinion, Timbalive's new Con La Música Cubana NO! is not only Timbalive's best album, but also the best wall to wall Timba dance album (as opposed to Timba plus other things mixed in) to be released by a band based in the United States in many years. Here's his case, before anyone else makes theirs, please actually listen to the album first...

While we're here, congratulations to Miami's Leslie Cartaya for her Best New Artist nomination in the 14th Latin GRAMMY awards. We reviewed her eclectic solo debut CD, No Pares, a few months ago. She would be known previously to fans of the Afro-Cuban Funk band Palo!

wednesday, 25 september 2013, 07:34 pm

The Latin GRAMMY awards are getting most of the industry's attention right now, but the Lotus Festival in Bloomington Indiana will be presenting Cubadisco winner Roberto Fonseca on Friday, Sept. 27 at 10:30pm. Roberto's recording Yo won the Cubadisco 2013 awards (Cuba's equivalent of a GRAMMY) for Fusion and Recording, and it was also nominated in Jazz and Design. Bill Tilford spoke with Roberto on the telephone Tuesday night, and you can hear that conversation (in English) here (audio quality is mediocre but listenable, and Roberto is interesting).

Roberto is also opening for the Buena Vista Social Club concert at Orchestra Hall in Chicago on Sunday the 29th (if you haven't bought your ticket yet, that one is already sold out.)

saturday, 21 september 2013, 10:06 am

Available Now: Expectativas by Manuel Valera & New Cuban Express

Expectativas is the second New Cuban Express recording, and like the first one, it is extraordinary. You can read a review of the recording here. Better yet, an extended sample of one of the TimbaJazz tracks, Chamber Timba, is posted on manuelvalera.com
This is available now through CD Baby, Amazon.com and iTunes. The group will be performing at a CD release party November 6 at the Jazz Standard in New York.

Available September 17: Conga Buena by the AC Jazz Project

Conga Buena is a potent mix of Afro-Cuban Jazz and modern Cuban dance music, and the AC Jazz Project, led by Josiel Pérez (ex-Maraca and Klimax) features alumni of many of Cuba's best bands. This recording features some heavy hitters like Luis Conte, Jimmy Branly, Kamasi Washington and Dennis Chambers. The recording will be available for purchase from CD Baby and iTunes. The group will be performing its CD release party on September 26 at the Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles, California.

Available October 18: Con la música cubana no by Timbalive

Timbalive is coming out with a brand new Timba album, Con la música Cubana no, on October 18. The group will be touring Europe in November 2013. More about the album closer to the release date, but in the meantime, Timbalive has been floating a single from the album. Here is their official video of that song, Conmigo No: