Tour Updates

I have updated the tours section with more dates for Tirso Duarte and El Indio who are currently touring Europe. Among other dates, they will be playing at the SalsaMistad Festival in Paris on May 22nd. On May 21st Donald Flores will provide the dance music for the party.

thursday, 25 july 2024, 12:04 am

Leonel Limonta Fans are eagerly awaiting the new Azúcar Negra CD "Se acabó el pescao" hoping it will be out in time for their holiday shopping. Limonta tells us that he will be able to give us a release date very shortly. He is leaving for Mexico at the end of this month and plans to take the CD with him. So if all goes as planned we may be able to buy it by the end of October! Stay tuned for more!

In the meantime, Limonta has released a demo CD titled "Salsa y mucho más". It is available at iTunes in Europe, Canada, USA, Japan and Mexico as well as Amazon and Emusic(usa). So while you wait for the new CD, you can get yourself a fix of Azúcar Negra.

Track List:
La mala de la película
Qué risa me da
Identidad
Así somos
Lo tuyo no tiene nombre
La pasamos bien
Amor por Internet
Mi barrio

thursday, 25 july 2024, 12:04 am

In just under a week the 10th Annual Contest of Popular and Traditional Cuban Dance and Rueda de Casino will take place in Parque Céspedes in Santiago de Cuba. While the contest name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, it is a very accurate descriptor of the event. Couples who wish to compete must be acredited by the provincial commitee of UNEAC (Unión de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba). Competitions will be held in Danzòn, Son, Mambo, Cha Cha Chá, Pilón, Mozambique, Casino in couples and Rueda de Casino. Winners will be chosen in each category and an award will also be given to the couple that has the best overall command of Cuban dances. This will be the first year that a Children's Contest will be held for ages 5-15. The children's contest will take place the 15th and 16th of October. If you are going to be in Santiago don't miss this opportunity to see over 100 years of Cuban popular dances as interpeted by the best local dancers. The event will also include music performances by artists from Santiago de Cuba.

thursday, 25 july 2024, 12:04 am

We have updated Orlando "Maraca" Valle's tour section. As usual Maraca's schedule is rapidly filling up so if you want to book you should get in touch with Celine soon. Fans, take a look at the schedule and find a concert near you.

Maraca by Tom Ehrlich

The band has some exciting additions this year. While young soneros seem to be an endangered species, Maraca has added both Alexei Sánchez "El Nene", and Lester Ciarreta to the group. You know Alexei "El Nene" from Azúcar Negra and Elito Revé, where he both composed and sang several of the hits on the "Se sigue comentando" CD. When El Nene left Azúcar Negra it was actually Lester Ciarretta who filled his place, moving over from Salsa Mayor. Well now both these young sonero/timberos are together in one band under the leadership of one of the most sucessful young bandleaders in Cuba today. French DJ Jack El Calvo informs us that Maraca even has other new musicians including a new trumpet player, from Klímax. Stay tuned for video of the new Maraca line-up!