NG La Banda at SOBs

NG La Bnada @ SOBs Following on the heels of the recent concert by La Charanga Habanera, El Tosco & NG La Banda will perform June 16th at SOBs in New York. You can already order your tickets on-line. Don't miss out on your chance to see the band that started it all! And if you're a reggaeton fan, SOBs will feature Gente D'Zona and El Chacál on June 11th!

The musical genre we now call Timba was created by NG La Banda, but as Cuban music expert Arturo "Marcané" Gómez points out, it was not created out of thin air. As our "Genealogy of Timba Family Tree" shows, Pachito Alonso and Gérman Velazco played with Orquesta Revé and he and José "El Greco" Crego, Carlos Averhoff, and José Munguía played in Irakere along with flautist and leader, José Luis "El Tosco" Cortés, who had previously written and played for Los Van Van.

NG La Banda - sIMPLEMENTE lO mEJOR NG La Banda amalgamated the innovations of the groups that came before it with many of its own to create a type of music that wasn't Son, Songo or Rumba - nor was it Rock, Jazz or Funk. It had ample amounts of each blended in, but its most potent component was something entirely new - something that was born in the streets and barrios of Havana in the late 1980's as the Berlin Wall crumbled. Cortés called it "Timba". illustrates, NG began as an all-star group which drew members from the most important pre-Timba bands.

Tuesday, 09 November 2010, 09:42 AM

Prepárense bailadores y timberos! This Friday, November 12 - Sunday, November 14 Copenhagen will once again host the Latin Festival at Amager Bio. By day you can take part in dance workshops in Reggaeton, Salsa, Rueda, Rumba and Afro-Cuban Dance/Orishas. By night enjoy dance shows/competitions followed by first class music from:
Friday November 12: Egues y Su Cuban Beat and Pupy Los Que Son Son
Saturday November 13: La Empresa and Manolín "el Medico de la Salsa"

This festival is well worth making a timba trip. Pupy is simply not to be missed and this may well be the first time that Manolín has performed in Scandinavia, at least I think it's the first time since I got into timba back in 2003. So hitchhike if you have to but get yourself to Copnehagen this weekend! You can book your tickets in advance so you don't get left out in the cold. Just look at some of what you have to look forward to!

Pupy y los que son son - Calla Calla

Manolín - Somos lo que hay

Wednesday, 06 October 2010, 04:24 AM

Lazaro Valdés & Bamboleo Lázaro Valdés & Bamboleo

Lazarito Valdés and Bamboleo have been on tour in the US with shows in Florida, New York and Virginia. The exceptional combination of Lázaro's music, Ronnys' charisma and Tania's complete domination of the stage, backed up by a stellar group of musicians is not to be missed. Bamboleo has remained at the top of the hit parade since Lázaro founded the group in 1995 and is still the epitome of hardcore timba. You can catch them at their final engagement of the US tour at S.O.Bs in New York on October 9th. Do yourself a favor and don't miss this last chance to see the band live before they head back to Havana.

Sunday, 05 September 2010, 12:56 AM

Things are solidifying around the US tour of Adalberto Álvarez y Su Son which begins next week! We have published a number of concert dates and will update with more as soon as they are confirmed.

If you've never seen Adalberto live you are in for a treat. The music is perfectly suited to the dancer and the band sounds as good live as on CD. Plus you get the excitement of the interaction with the bandmembers. You will be surprised just how hardcore well-played son can be! On my last visit to Cuba I went to see Adalberto every week. This band keeps you coming back for more.

They have a new CD, "El Son de Altura", on the way...any minute now it should be released. As usual it is on my must-buy list. Here s a little sample from the CD, the hit "El Melón".

Adalberto Álvarez y Su Son con su nuevo éxito "El Melon" del disco "El son de Altura"