HAVANA D&#39;PRIMERA - LA VUELTA AL MUNDO

I can say this with confidence and without having listened to a single track yet - one of the biggest timba releases of 2015 has just come out! Alexander Abreu & Havana D'Primera "La Vuelta al Mundo" is now available at CD Baby in MP3, MP3-320 and FLAC (lossless) format! I have downloaded mine already! Havana D'Primera is one of very few groups whose albums I will buy without having to listen first. But as soon as I have had a chance I will be back with preliminary thoughts! Go get your copy now! Click here to listen or to download.

thursday, 25 july 2024, 12:04 am

NG La Banda

Yes timber@s, once again it's time to celebrate the birth of our favorite music, which we have not-so-randomly placed in the month in which coincides with the founding of NG La Banda. As we gather again to congratulate ourselves on our excellent taste, let me point out that despite fears that timba is dying, the new generation if timberos has already given us two excellent new albums in 2015: "La Vuelta al Mundo" by Alexander Abreu & Havana D'Primera and Maykel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor's live CD/DVD "Cerrando Filas" recorded at their 10th anniversary concert last year. Other indications of the health of the genre are the excellent 2014 debut album "Llegó La Verdad" by Emilio Frías "El Niño" y La Verdad - who will celebrate their anniversary on June 28th with guest José Alberto "El Canario" at La Tropical - and the young group Yadiel Bolaño y La Tabla who have just released their first CD, which is being highly praised by DJs.

And the established bands continue doing brilliant work. Los Van Van's "La Fantasía" released earlier this year is undoubtedly one of their best. And we hear more about the upcoming release by Elito Revé y Su Charangón - "La Salsa Tiene Mi Son" - an album with remakes of some of the Charangóns biggest hits from the 90s featuring national and international stars. We've been waiting for this one for a long time. It was recorded at Abdala studios under the musical direction of Aisar Hernández and direction of Elito Revé. It will distributed nationally by Bis Music and internationally by Sony. No, I still don't have the actual release date but let's hope it's this spring. In the video below Elito talks about the new album.

Also just in time for International Timba Month Kevin has released his "Restoration Project" Suspension Concert video (below). He has combined the best available audio with the best available video (VHS recording from television) to create the complete concert from start to finish. Because the television transmission was cut off during "Usa condón", the final part contains only the audio, but it's worth listening to. It brings home the passion and locura of the late 90s in Havana. So timber@s - enjoty the month of April as spring returns and we count the reasons we have to be thankful for having enriched our lives with Cuban music.

thursday, 25 july 2024, 12:04 am

Cubahinama Festival 2017 - Bamboleo

Congratulations to Lazarito Valdés' who celebrates his birthday today which also happens to be the first concert of the Europe 2017 Spring tour for Bamboleo, tonight in Strasbourg, France at the Cubahinama festival. The tour will take them to France, Italy, England, Switzerland, Tunisia and Serbia. Click here for the list of concert dates .

Felicitaciones a Lazarito Valdés en la ocasión de su cumpleaños, que también es el día del primer concierto de la gira de Europa 2017 para Bamboleo, que empieza esta noche en Estrasburgo, Francia, en el festival Cubahinama. La gira los llevará a Francia, Italia, Inglaterra, Suiza, Túnez y Serbia. Dale clic aquí para ver la lista de conciertos.

thursday, 25 july 2024, 12:04 am

Why is April International Timba Month? Although one cannot put an exact date on the birth of Timba, people tend to go along with the idea that it was with El Tosco & NG La Banda that took the many innovations that had been present in Cuban music and brought them together also adding a few of their own creating what we now call timba. Today NG La Banda celebrate their 27th anniversary. That is the main reason that April was chosen as International Timba Month. However both Azúcar Negra and Klímax also celebrate anniversaries in April, which just makes it that much more appropriate.

Here is an excellent video - courtesy of ex-NG drummer Calixto Oviedo - of one of my favorite NG songs "La Bruja", filmed at the Montreaux Jazz Festival. If you will be in LA this month, don't miss Calixto Oviedo & The Cuban Jazz Train at Trattoria 25! It will be a great way to spend an evening for International Timba Month.