MisterBryans

The Twitter Curve

We interrupt our regularily scheduled music posts to bring you this public service announcement

 

What 'the twitter curve' means to me?  That there's a pont of insanity reached when the maintenance and feeding of the blog/twitter/facebook/email flow becomes more time consuming than the work it is intended to promote. A parallel insanity comes when the feeding of the blog/twitter/facebook/email flow become more fun than the work it is intended to promote.

Just so you know. Asymptotic is a real word that means 'of a probability distribution as some variable or parameter of it (usually, the size of the sample from another distribution) goes to infinity.'

You're welcome.

Calle Real - Me Lo Gané

DJ Salsani gives it a 'two-thumbs-up-way-up' review at the Planet Timba blog

Once again, Calle Real has created a fine collection of music which is even better than their previous release. I have, of course, some favorites on the CD, and when I received the 4 promotions tracks in Spring there were certainly also some that appealed to the audience’s tastes... especially the track "Mi amigo José" moved the floor - and it was lovely when individual dancers approached me later to ask if it was a new Calle Real release ;-)

I'm tending to agree with Ani, this Calle Real album is a serious record. well put together, well composed and recorded. I'm not sure that I've found the dancefloor track yet (it's probably the opening song 'Somos Familia') but i would recommend it to all timba fans around the world.

Maracatu Nunca Antes R.I.P.

 

Aline Morales and Telmary in a photo by me

It's been a sad week here in Toronto as people come to terms with the fact that one of our most loved music groups is no more.

There's an email list where band members have expressed their appreciation to Alex and Aline, the co-leaders of Maracatu. Hopefully it will get posted somewhere, it's a remarkable outpouring of respect and admiration. Here's what I wrote......

"It's like performing inside a volcano" was how I described to my friends the sensation of playing with Maracatu Nunca Antes. It was also like joining a family, a sophisticated, generous and obsessed family all inspired, organized and taught by two remarkable personalities, Aline Morales and Alex Bordokas. So I want to thank both of them for enriching my life in ways I could never have imagined. I also want to thank the Maracatu-family for making me feel at home from day one.

I hope - somehow - that the 'museum' that the baque is retired to is visible to all, so that those who come after us can see for themselves how much Maracatu Nunca Antes changed the music culture of Toronto and made it better.

All the best

Curumin in Toronto - July 10th

Alex from Uma Nota and Sergio from Dos Mundos are presenting this very cool Brazilian artist Curumin tomorrow at the El Mocombo.

If you are like me and just getting familiar with the latest trends in Brazilian music, Curumin is one of the most successful of the Brazilian musicians working in the samba/funk/soul/urban territory.

Here's a bit of the blurb

Brazilian recording artist Curumin has been winning over audiences and critics worldwide with his signature Samba-Soul-Funk sound. Mixing the groovy exuberance of classic MPB with a touch of eclectic musical madness and a whole lot of soul, Curumin has quickly become a superstar in his native Brazil. His 2005 Quannum Projects release Achados e Perdidos put his name up on many music lovers’ radar and with his 2009 release Japan Pop Show, Curumin is preparing to bring his refreshing live show to Canada for the first time. Expect to see Curumin simultaneously playing drums, singing, and rapping effortlessly over his repertoire of breezy, playful songs, accompanied by his three-piece band.

Here's some music. Curumin - "Sambito (Totaru Shock)" feat. Tommy Guerrero: 
http://worlds-fair.net/media/curumin/Sambito.mp3

Update: Here's Denise Benson's Preview

Brazilian producer and vocalist Curumin is an underground hero in his home country and it’s easy to hear why. Over the course of two albums, 2005’s Achados e Perdidos and 2008’s Japan Pop Show, he blends samba, soul, bossa nova, hip-hop and electronics into something entirely his own. Curumin bridges Brazil’s rich musical traditions with club cred and is known for his impeccable shows, which involve drumming, singing and rapping, and a three-piece band.

The Funk Scene in Rio

Pretty good little doc complete with English sub-titles.........

One of the points brought up in this film was how samba was expensive whereas baile funk parties were 'affordable' Which made me think of how salsa/timba in Cuba is mostly presented in clubs where the admission charge precludes all but the super-rich and the tourists.

Maracatu Nunca Antes at Pride

photo by Jacklyn Atlas

Consumers guide to new Cuban salsa

Lets see.....

The new Charanga Habanera is out at Descarga.com and Itunes (and is getting a HUGE reaction)

The Havana d'Primera debut CD is now out on Descarga.com

Calle Real launched their second album last month at a showcase which Michelle caught on video. Called 'Me Lo Gane', the album is now available on iTunes. Timberos of the world unite, this is your music.

Arnaldo y la Cosmopolito 'En Otra Dirreción': Tirso, Mandy, Lester (ex. Maikel Blanco) and Wilmer of Azucar Negra join veteran baseplayer/arranger Arnaldo Jimenez for a studio album with tons of good songs. Available at Descarga.com 

What is it with Sweden and timba music? First Calle Real, and now a new group called La Tremenda with a self-titled CD Available at Descarga.com

Reggaeton Fever

Here's a Reuters article about Cuban reggaeton. Not too much new here if you've been following the story but a decent intro if you haven't.

I loved hearing how the artists give their music to the taxi drivers to promote.

There's a quality compilation that's just came out titled......Cuban Reggaeton, available at Itunes and Descarga.com. Planet Records have done a good job of licensing the major songs of the winter of 08-09 - with key titles such as 'Gerente' (El Micha), 'El Animal' (Gente de Zona), 'La Estafa del Babalao' (Kola Loca) 'Conmogio No' (Los Intocables Feat. Jacob Forever Y El Micha) Also includes a great track from Charanga Habanera that I thought was going to end up on their Caratula album, 'Partiendo en la Habana'.

Update: In the comments Gabriel corrects some shoddy Reuters reporting.

Update #2 Baby Lores defends the revolution with a Fidel tattoo

The Alexander Abreu Interview

Is posted here at Timba.com

Kudos to Gabriel Wilder for taking the time to record/transcribe/translate this highly informative interview with the leader of Havana DPrimera.

Alexander Abreu touches on topics such as: the difficulties of developing an audience in Cuba, his time with Paulito FG, the influence of The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the varieties of genres that went into the making of Haciendo Historia, the status of Los Van Van, Cuban reggaeton, etc etc - there's a lot to think about here. The kind of interview that gives a good sense of both the artist and the world he lives in.

It sure doesn't hurt that Gabriel is a professional journalist in her 'real' life.

(Photo credit Patrick Bonnard)

La Crises - Roberto Linares Brown y Alberto Alberto

Cambio: Iran and Cuba

What a remarkable essay. Ernesto Hernandez Busto (editor of the Penúltimos Días blog) takes a schematic of the political system of Iran and lays it over top of Cuba - for some revealing results.

He even goes on to project a political crisis ('a hypothetical scenario') in Cuba much like what we are seeing in Iran these days.

Sure, there are lots of obvious differences between an Islamic theocracy and a one-party state, but I cant help but think that the Cuban government is casting a wary eye at present day Iran as an example of how things can easily get out of control.

Yoani Sanchez is taking note of the events in Iran for slightly different reasons. And I'm wondering if she knows the story of Hossein Derakhshan aka Hoder, the Iranian/Canadian who is considered the 'blogfather' of the Iranian blogging revolution. Who this very day sits in a jail somewhere in Iran in the custody of the Islamic Revolutionary Court.

Message From Samuel Formell

via Kevin Moore

PRIMERO QUE NADA ESTOY SUPER CONTENTO POR LA CONVERSACION QUE TUVE CON CONTIGO MI CUÑI.

EL ACCIDENTE OCURRIO DE ESTA FORMA COMO A LAS 3 DE LA TARDE DEL MIERCOLES PASADO DIA 17 DE JUNIO , ESTABA EN LA COCINA DE MI CASA COCINANDO VARIOS COMESTIBLES MARISCOS, Y PESCADO, TAMBIEN ESTABA COCINANDO UNAS PASTAS, CUANDO EL TIEMPO DE LA COCCION DE LAS PASTAS ESTABA LISTO, AGARRE LA CAZUELA QUE CONTENIA AGUA HIRVIENDO CON LAS PASTAS PARA ESCURRIRLAS EN EL FREGADERO Y HUBE DE RESBALAR PORQUE EL PISO ESTABA MOJADO Y AL CAER TIRE LA CAZUELA AL FREGADERO, Y DESGRACIADAMENTE DIO EN EL CANTO DE LA MESETA Y ME SALTO UN POCO DE AGUA A LA CARA.

GRACIAS A UNA BUENA EVOLUCION ESTOY TOTALMENTE RECUPERADO, SOLO LOS 3 PRIMEROS DIAS FUERON INOLVIDABLES POR EL ARDOR Y EL DOLOR, ADEMAS DE LA INFLAMACION EN LA CARA, AL 5 DIA ESTABA DESINFLAMADO Y CON CAPAS FINAS DE POSTILLAS, Y HE SOLTADO CASI TODAS LAS POSTILLAS Y SIN MARCAS NI NADA POR EL ESTILO, TENGO UNA CARA NUEVA Y MUY LISA.

POR TALES MOTIVOS TUVIMOS QUE CANCELAR LA GIRA DE VERANO EN EUROPA, DONDE TENIAMOS PRESENTACIONES EN EL FESTIVAL LATINOAMERICANDO DE MILANO, BARCELONA, MADRID, PARIS, LONDRES, ROMA, ENTRE OTRAS DENTRO DE ITALIA Y ESPAÑA.

LA SEMANA PROXIMA ESTAREMOS ENSAYANDO PARA LA PROXIMA PRESENTACION EL DIA 12 DE JULIO EN EL FESTIVAL DE JAZZ DE MONTREAL.

LOS QUIERE MUCHO,

SAMUEL.

Bottom line (for us North Americans) is that Van Van will be playing Montreal Jazz Festival as scheduled.

I hate all-caps.

Maracatu Nunca Antes at Pridefest

For those out and about on Sunday June 28th, Maracatu will start playing at Church And Hayden (one block South of Bloor) at 1:45pm - then march down to the Wellesley St stage for a double bill/trade-off with Samba Squad.

Willy Chirino in Toronto

Friday September 25 at The Sound Acadamy

I'm curious as to the last time Willy Chirino was in Canada, if ever. Anyone know?

Update: A commenter tells me that Telelatino brought Willy Chirino to Ontario Pliace in Toronto in 1999

Charanga Habanera's 'No Mires La Caratula'

Franz at Planet Timba has assembled all the videos for the new Charanga Habanera release into one place. The following is my current fave

The new album is now available on iTunes Canada. Search under David Calzado y su Charanga Habanera. If you prefer hardcopy, here's the Descarga link

Michael Jackson

This blog is not about American pop music, but i think it's worth noting something that I haven't heard in the avalanche of media that has followed his passing. Namely that Micheal Jackson was equally popular all over the world.

One can speculate why this happened (the reach of his videos, his race, etc) but it seems clear that people in Somalia, the Caribbean, the Philippines, latin America, all shared equally in that remarkable period in the 80's when Micheal Jackson transformed pop music forever.

Gilles Peterson in Havana

The legendary music producer spent 10 days in Havana recording a project

.......that will be part of a double CD I'm releasing on Brownswood in October called Havana Cultura - the other CD is a 16 track comp ranging from hip hop (Obsession, Aldeanos etc) Reggaeton (Gente de Zona, Free Hole Negro)
Spanish sung soul (Diana Fuentes, Danay, Yusa) Jazz (Harold Nusa Lopes) and a couple of descargas.

I'll be working on a couple of Havana Cultura live shows here in Canada in September. As soon as I know the details, I'll post them up. It could be exciting.

Pupy Pedroso In Toronto October 23

 Pupy Pedroso is bringing his band and Candido Fabre to Canada in October with a play in Toronto at the Phoenix Concert Hall on October 23.

I'm sure there will be other Canadian dates but they havent been announced yet.

Pupy's show last May at the Opera house was about 9 out of 10 on the awesome scale. He's bringing his new singers - so we'll get to see what that sounds like.

Update: DJ Melao is coming up from Florida to be part of the pupy tour.

Advance tix will be available in the next few weeks, check by Cubaintoronto.com for locations

Havana D'Primera News

It looks like the long wait for the release of Havana D'Primera's 'Haciendo Historia' is finally over.

Prodland USA, the mail-order company has it for sale.

Anacaona Lula Lounge July 17th and 18th

 

(photo by me)

Here's a review of Anacaona at The Art of Jazz festival from Joyce at Live Music Report.

On the first night (pictured above) Anacaona did a really slick show in front of a room full of jazz afficienados, who were all highly entertained.

The next day, dressed in jeans, Anacaona gave a free concert to a bunch of (mostly) Cuban people - who all went nuts.

I get the feeling that the two nights at Lula Lounge will be more like the free concert.

Here's the Lula link for Friday

So We All Don't Forget

Via Phil Peters, some bad news about Cuba's economy

The message of a Juventud Rebelde article, recounting interviews with officials and university economists, is that things remain tough: the Cuban diet will be affected, there is less liquidity, investment plans are being cut, tourism and remittances are likely to decline, and international credit will be harder to obtain. The economists urge cutting red tape that is slowing the distribution of unused farmlands and “changing the work incentive system” throughout the economy. But again the strongest message seems to be an exhortation to conserve energy and other resources so as to reduce Cuba’s import bill.

Van Van News

Samuel had an accident in his kichen, but all is ok and it shouldn't affect their Montreal play on July 12th.

Right?

UPDATE: All the overnight chatter and bla bla indicates that the Montreal concert is intact and that we can all go back to our knitting classes.

Speaking of Guitar Players

Here's a nice video profile that The Toronto Star did with Pabloski Rosales. Pabloski is known for his tres playing - but is also a wicked electric guitar playar in the soul/funk style of an Earth Wind and Fire. (Good soul singer too)

One of the more eloquent and well-spoken (in Spanish and English) of the Cuban musicians who lives in Canada, Pabloski once explained to me that the difference between life in Canada and Cuba was that - and I'm paraphrasing.."In Canada, if they don't say you cant do it, then it's allowed, in Cuba, if they dont say you can do it, then it's not allowed."

La Calle G

Rockeros, góticos, emos, reguetoneros....young people in La Habana hanging out on Calle G

Elmer Ferrer

The latest addition to the Toronto Cuban music scene, (at least for the summer) is mega guitarist Elmer Ferrer, seen here in a photo from Yasmina at last Fridays KingBombo Habana show at Lula.

Timberos would know Elmer from his solo at the end of 'Corazón' on Van Van's Chapeando album, he's also played with with Silvio Rodrigues, Interactivo and many others.

He's in town to do some gigs with his band and to release his new album called "No Guitars Allowed"

Los Van Van/Afro-Cuban All-Stars in Montreal July 12

Yikes!

On July 12th The Montreal Jazz Festival will be holding a free concert featuring Los Van Van, Afro-Cuban All-Stars and Ben Harper. It's the final night of the 30th year in operation, and typical of The MJF, they are going out with a big BANG.

More details (in French) here

KingBombo Habana NXNE June 19 Lula Lounge

The Cuban Alternative Music Showcase/Presentation for NXNE 09 with Telmary, Alberto Alberto, Elmer Ferrer, Glenda del Monte, Rich Brown, and DJ Billy Bryans

KingBombo Habana NXNE
June 19
Lula Lounge
1585 Dundas West
10pm to 2pm
Lula.ca

Billy Bryans Productions and Lula Lounge present the NXNE edition of KingBombo Havana on Friday June 19th at Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas Street West. Doors open at 9pm. Admission is $15.00 (Free with an NXNE wristband)

Lead by rapera Telmary and singer Alberto Alberto, KingBombo Habana is an evolving line-up of Toronto's potent Cuban music scene - playing the new 'alternative' sound of Cuba where the deep traditions of afro-cuban, son and salsa music meet the new world of hip-hop, jazz fusion and timba music.

The KingBombo Habana NXNE showcase will feature special guest guitarist Elmer Ferrer, who single-handedly developed the art of the Cuban electric guitar -  and who has performed around the world with artists such as Sting, Interactivo and Los Van Van.

The evening will also feature an opening set from one of the rising stars of the Toronto Cuban music scene, keyboardist extraordinaire Glenda del Monte

Another special guest for the evening is Canadian bassist Rich Brown of the fusion groups 'rinsethealgorhythm' and AutoRickshaw, augmenting  the KingBombo Habana line-up of regulars which includes keyboardist David Virelles, violinist Yosvani Casteñada, saxophonist Luis Deniz, and drummer Frank Durand amongst others.

Part showcase, part concert 100% dance-party, King Bombo Habana NXNE will be a night of afro-cuban hip-hop, timba, funk, and alternative Cuban music.

Says Lula Lounge general manager Tracy Jenkins, "We are real pleased to be a part of the NXNE festival and no performers from the Lula Lounge line-up are better suited for NXNE than Telmary and Alberto's KingBombo Havana."

The  evening is organized by Billy Bryans, music producer, DJ and promoter long active in Toronto's latin and world music scenes.

Below please find the bios of the principal performers at KingBombo Habana NXNE

For all media information and other enquiries please call Billy Bryans at 416 887 8439

Telmary

 A jazz poet 'rapera' from Havana, Cuba with uncanny communication skills,  Telmary embodies the 'next wave' of Cuban music that has emerged from the island since 2000. 'A Diario', her debut album, featured appearances from Cuba rapper Kumar, members of Los Van Van and Spain's Ojos de Brujo. and in 2007 was awarded the Cuban Music Award for best hip-hop album. The album was released in Europe, Japan and Colombia gaining rave reviews. In Canada, Telmary has appeared at the Montreal Jazz Festival, Luminato in Toronto, Harbourfront, Jane Bunnett's Global Diva Concert, and with Cuban music icon Pedrito Calvo at Lula Lounge.

Alberto Alberto

One of the leading voices of the new generation of Cuban vocalists, Alberto Alberto was born in Matanzas, Cuba.  He went on to perform and record with many of Cuba's finest musicians including: Manolito Simonet,  Irakere, and Chucho Valdés, Since moving to Canada in 1999, Alberto Alberto has lead the wave of Cuban musicians who have transformed Canada's latin music scene. He has toured internationally with legendary Cuban bandleader Maraca and  has recorded several albums with pianist Hilario Durán. In 2006 and 2008,

Glenda del Monte

With her classical music virtuosity and talent, Glenda del Monte  has won almost every competition and award in her field  - from the Toronto Arts Council, Royal Conservatory of Music, University of Toronto Faculty of Music, York University among others. Her versatility and musicality has enabled her to perform with  a variety of artists such as African superstar Ricardo Lemvo , Canadian music icons The Parachute Club, salsa superstar Alefredo de La Fe amongst others, amonst others.

Elmer Ferrer

In a country with a reputation for great music, Cuban guitarist Elmer Ferrer is one of his country’s biggest and brightest young musical stars.  Since graduating from Cuba’s National Arts School in 1992, he has  single-handedly pioneering the use of the electric guitar in a country not known for blues and rock and roll. perfromong with Internationally recognized names Silvio Rodríguez, Chucho Valdés, Sting, Interactivo, Los Van Van, and Maraca  With his first CD as a soloist, Elmer Ferrer won the Best New Album Award at the 2003 Cubadisco International Music Fair, and  has been leading his own project: the Elmer Ferrer Band, “known for wowing the crowds with blues rock sprinkled liberally with Cuban jazz” (The Ottawa Citizen, 2007).

Anacaona in Toronto This Weekend

The Song is called Dudas. As you can see, Manolito is guesting on piano.

I am playing with Anacaona this weekend at the Distellery, both on Saturday night and Sunday day (1pm) for a matinee. All the show details are over at Cubaintoronto.com.

fyi Anacaona was a famous native American woman who resisted the Spanish invaders in the Caribbean.

Echalo Un Palo

thanks to Neil Watkinson for reminding me of this song by Junior & De Calle featuring Jota B

Los Aldeanos

Cuba, Vol. 1: Los Aldeanos for SPIN Earth from Alexandre Archimbaud on Vimeo.

The New Charanga Habanera CD

(Sophie Giraud's classic shot of David Calzado at Lula Lounge in the fall of 2005)

Melao has sound samples over on his TimbaStars site for the new Charanga Habanera CD 'La Caratula'. Go check it out. Sounds like there will be lots of fine songs to carry us all into the summer.

Once again, director David Calzado has managed the difficult task of replacing a lead singer and principal composer (Leonid Torres) this time by recycling Dantes “Ricky Ricon” Cardosa. (Who I actually met once at a rather bizarre business meeting I had in Vedado with his then girlfriend, singer Arleynis Rodriguez. Nice guy.)

For me, the Leonid Torres/Calzado relationship had dried up creatively by the last album, and it was clear - both on and off stage - from CH's appearance here in Toronto in 07 that Leoni was bored by the whole circus and wanted to get on with his own career. So depending on how you are counting, we are entering the 5th (or 6th?) incarnation of the group that began as an actual charanga band - flutes and violins - way back whenever.

Meanwhile, I've had this one new Charanga Habanera song for about 6 months listed as 'Lo Que Va A Partir La Habana' which I really liked a lot, although I haven't played it out much because it's a pre-release of dubious sound quality, which as many of you know, I hate playing over club sound systems. What's most interesting about the song is the integration of the generic reggaeton pulse with the piano tumbao and vocal sonorities of classic timba. The kind of musical fusion that Charanga Habanera are best at pulling off, imho. (I dont know if the song is on the new album)

I do have some final cuts from 'La Caratula', so I'll start playing it out tonight at Babaluu. Always love getting new music.

The 'Business' of Music

From Andrew Sullivan's Blog (Richard Florida guesting with a post called Why Music Matters)

The way I see it, that music is a "fruit-fly industry" - one that can tell us a lot about the nature of technology, new business models, and the economy in general. Music is a highly competitive business - a hyper-competitive market in miniature, where competition for sonic, technological, and talent advantage spurs rapid evolution and change. New recording and network technology means that barriers to entry are lower than ever. Music is often the first sector to experience the full force of disruptive technology. It was the first industry to face the file-sharing crisis, and other industries like film and publishing are now learning from its experience. Musicians are quintessential examples of free-agent workers, mixing income and seeking out affordable, creative places to do their work. And the concentration of musical talent and firms into clusters and scenes - in an industry which requires little in the way of capital infrastructure and fixed costs - can help us better understand geographic clustering across a wide variety of fields.

From the point of view of someone who has worked in music all his life, 'sacrificial lamb industry' feels like a more accurate term to describe what the music business has become in the 21st century, but I understand entirely what Richard Florida is getting at. Music's unique ability to be portable, universal yet infinitely divisible has made it the perfect leading indicator for how we will all live and work togther.

Ricardo Abreu R.I.P

The leader of Loss Papines died on Tuesday in Havana. Here is an article from Juventud Rebelde

Se ha ido Papín. Dueño de un estilo personal, que irradió pasión con sus toques llenos de folclor, y logró dibujar a Cuba, también desde esa zona de la melodía nacional.

Fue rumbero siempre y estuvo impregnado del don de caminar con soltura por esa manera de hacer música desde un instrumento de cuero.

Fue así desde su nacimiento, el 19 de diciembre de 1933. Y mantuvo su singular ritmo en los grupos musicales que integró, como en los conjuntos Modelo, Estrellas de Chocolate y el de Félix Chapotín.

El célebre Cabaret Tropicana lo tuvo en escena desde 1955, un trabajo que conjugó por aquella fecha con la agrupación Guaguancó Papín, la cual daría lugar a la creación de Los Papines, a inicios de la década de 1960.

Junto a sus hermanos Luis, Jesús y Alfredo (ya fallecido), Ricardo emprendió el mayor proyecto de su vida. Encauzó con éxito un conjunto donde las voces y la percusión se dieron la mano.

Con guaguancó, columbia, yambú y otras variantes de la rumba, y sin dejar de lado los boleros y los sones, Papín fue aplaudido con su grupo en escenarios nacionales y extranjeros.

Su visión de la solidaridad y el compromiso lo llevó a Angola, donde cumplió misión internacionalista. En la música fue reconocido su talento con la medalla Alejo Carpentier y mereció la condición de Vanguardia Nacional del Sindicato de los Trabajadores de la Cultura, entre otras distinciones.

Aunque la falla de su cerebro ocasionó este martes su deceso, la lucidez de sus notas musicales y la destreza de su toque se escuchan hoy en toda Cuba y en el mundo, donde Los Papines son un emblema. Los demás tambores callan hoy, para que el solo eterno de Papín se escuche.

Here is the link to Michelle White's post in Timba.com

Cubadisco News

Yumuri won the Cubadisco Award in the Música Popular Bailable category, beating out Pupy Pedroso.

Oh well. Music awards all over the world (the Junos, Grammys etc) often produce results that seem separated from the er, actual music. (And I like Yumuri)

Sting, Los Van Van and Omara Portuando all picked up awards as well.

Here's a category list.....

Más allá de todo (PM Récord y Bismusic), de Pablo Milanés y Chucho Valdés, se llevó el galardón en Feeling; SeñalesLa Evolución (Bismusic), de David Blanco, en Rock; Catalejo, del dúo Buena Fe, en Trova-Pop-Rock; y Cubano Cubano (Bismusic), de Yumurí y sus Hermanos, en Música Popular Bailable. (Egrem), de M Alfonso, en Fusión;

Manolin's FU To Miami

Last week everyone was buzzing about Manolin's new blog, especially the post entitled "Bienvenido al Infierno" where he denounced Emilio and Gloria Estefan and 'La Mafia de Miami'.

I wasn't quite sure how I felt about Manolin's rant until my friend Bee sent along this comment which sums ups my feelings precisely

a bit lengthy but it is SO worth a read. nothing (we) didn't know, but still, good to hear that someone is speaking out.

There are so many new realities emerging in the Latin music industry, in Cuban musi in Miami politics and Cuba/U.S. relations, the question that I would have about all that power that the Estefens wielded is - does that power even exist any more?

Waiting For Obama

Or maybe, it should be, waiting for Hillary at The State Department

Here's an article in Billboard (the music industry trade magazine) about some of the anticipated tours of Cuban artists in the United States

Encouraged by President Barack Obama's remarks in April that he's seeking a "new day" in relations with Cuba, U.S. promoters have quietly begun planning stateside concerts by Cuban artists for as early as June, pending their ability to secure permission from the U.S. Department of State to perform in this country. Washington, D.C., hasn't authorized such visits since 2003.

The acappella group Vocal Sampling, an international festival favorite, and the Grammy Award-nominated traditional son ensemble Septeto Nacional have applied for U.S. visas. Los Van Van, the pioneering Castro-era dance group often referred to as the island's Rolling Stones, hopes to launch an extensive summer tour in the States. International Music Network, the Gloucester, Mass., booking agency that handled the Buena Vista Social Club's U.S. tour in the late '90s, is exploring the possibility of booking fall tour dates for some of the group's surviving members.

It sounds like the strategy to get Cuban artists into the U.S. is to simply start applying for work visas  - and hope that one of them gets approved, thus setting a precedent.

Good luck to them.

Three Articles of Interest

Mona Malarsky sent me this review she wrote for Examiner.com of Tiempo Libre's new album 'Bach in Havana'

The new album ranges from carnival-style street music to spiritual reveries—all inspired, in one way or another, by Bach. In the infectious “Tu Conga” Gomez takes the theme from the “Fugue in C Minor” from the first book of  The Well-Tempered Clavier and bends it into a Möbius strip of non-stop percussion and vocals. “Air on a G String,” a bolero featuring guest artist Paquito D’Rivera on alto sax, uses Bach’s “Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major,” to weave a lyrical fantasy that seems to hover like a gull over a gently rippling sea.

Most audacious is the “Kyrie” which opens with Bach’s actual “Mass in B Minor,” then swivels into a jazzy meditation with piano, horns and percussion. Its backbone is a series of polyrhythms played on batá drums. The beautiful, two-headed batá is a sacred instrument in Santería ritual, used to call forth the religious spirit as just as Bach used the church choir. Yet in this “Kyrie,” Gomez seems less interested in prayer than fun.

Her's a preview of an interesting concert in Seattle with Hilario Duran. (Thanks Glenda!)

Now based in Toronto, Durán brings the inherited knowledge of more than a century of Cuban music to the bandstand whenever he performs. But it's rare that he gets the opportunity to explore his entire stylistic range, which is what makes tonight's concert at Town Hall Seattle such a rare and welcome event.

Produced with support from a grant by the Allied Arts Foundation of Seattle, the event features Durán in a kaleidoscopic array of settings, including solo, duo and an improvisational new music trio featuring violinist Irene Mitri and Andy Schloss on radiodrum, an electronic instrument that uses sensors rather than percussive contact to create sound.
.....

If the Durán/Schloss/Mitri trio offers a glimpse of future directions for Cuban-inflected music, the pianist's solo set provides a tour of state-of-the-art Cuban jazz. He'll also join the eight-piece Charanga Danzón, Mitri's ensemble dedicated to elegant Cuban dance styles dating to the late 19th century.

And finally, via Kevin at Timba.com, a review in the New York Times of the ex-Pupy singer Pepito Gomez

He worked hard, and charismatically. Grinning, hectoring the audience by yelling the beats of the clave rhythm between verses, he came to the lip of the stage to improvise one chorus after another. (In a version of Alejandro Sanz’s reproachful, love-sick “Aprendiz,” he improvised without words.) It wasn’t a show full of complicated arrangements, and Mr. Gómez carried a lot of it; in that equation, his klieg-light voice grew fatiguing. But there were just enough diversions — fluent, wise solos by the trumpeter Richie Viruet, the flutist Itai Kriss and the violinist Eddie Venegas, full of flow and tension — that when he resumed singing, you were ready to face the heat again.

Some Good News About CKLN?

This note came to me from Verlia Stephens re CKLN

Dear CKLN Community Members, Volunteers and Friends,

Some important events have taken place over the last few days in our efforts  to return CKLN to a place where we demonstrate commitment to our mission  through volunteers, students and community members.

We have learned that the group, led by Tony Barnes, that occupied CKLN for many months has dropped its lawsuit against the RSU. In addition, it appears that all members of this group have now resigned from their “board”.

We have spoken with RSU and continued dialogue with members of the board  consisting of Mike Harnett, Mercedes Otway, Peter Toh, and Mary Young . Both of those groups have committed to us an interest in developing plans that would lead to open, public elections for a new Board of Directors for CKLN.

We are happy to announce that Sunday June 14 has been set, tentatively, as the date for those elections. The location is to be determined. We will announce more about that meeting as soon as possible. Community, volunteer and former core staff elections will be held on that date.

All of you, in this community of volunteers, students and listeners, have done much work to get us to the point when a return to the station is within reach. We are now in the moments where we can start to rebuild this great community radio station. Some of this work will include energizing our friends, some of whom may have given up, resigned to the belief that the station could not be won back. Please help get the word out.

What CKLN now becomes will depend on the commitment of you in the communities to whom CKLN has given voice for 25 years. The hard work of winning the station back is now almost over. The hard work of reshaping this great community radio station is just beginning.

In Solidarity

Conrad Collaco
Heather Douglas
Geoff MacDonald
Arnold Minors
Ron Nelson

I'm hoping that what this means is that CKLN can reconstitute itself back into a functioning radio station that serves the local community and the university - like it used to.

The 'Truth' of Cuban Reggaeton

Here's an interesting article from Havana Times by Dimitri Prieto-Samsonov, a Cuban/Russian university teacher, explaining the phenomenon of reggaeton in Cuba today

But Reggaeton has a unique quality: it has something that the Russians call “Pravda.” That word, which was the title of the main Bolshevik, and later Soviet newspaper, means not only “truth” or “justice” but also something like “testimony”, “shared living experience”, or “moral rectitude.”

It refers to the creation of an avenue for communicating the experiences of the people and for assuming with sincerity what is actually happening.

Reggaeton has brought out into the open lifestyles that many of us knew existed but prefer not to talk about; lifestyles that even some of us have lived at different times in our lives.

Those lifestyles are difficult to accept. And when those Reggaeton artists scream to the four directions of the wind what is happening “on the streets”, many Cubans are not as bothered by the rhythm as by the harsh lyrics that do not attempt to embellish the facts, but on the contrary, turn into art the life experiences that many have shared in secret, but which are difficult to accept at such close range.

The author is using his academic background to get at something which to me, as a music guy, seem quite obvious. A generation of young Cubans have adapted the genre of Puerto Rican reggaeton, and have made it their own.

Doesnt matter if it's "all the same","not real music', "has vulgar lyrics", "a passing phase", blah blah blah. Every generation - all over the world - takes up their own music. (This was mine, btw)

I think it's a healthy sign. The kids are alright.

Meanwhile, I hope Prieto-Samsonov elaborates on the "lifestyles that many of us knew existed but prefer not to talk about"

Top 10 Cuban Salsa Top 5 Reggaeton: Spring 09

Salsa/Timba

1) Cuando El Rio Suena: Havana D'Primera
2) Mi Songo: Los Van Van
3) Mi Destino: Mailkel Blanco
4) Ve Bajando: Pupy Pedroso
5) Un Amigo En Madrid: Alain Daniel
6) Y Dale Juana: Azucar Negra
7) Piste 5: Pachito Alonzo
8) La Que Va Partir La Habana: Charanga Habanera
9) Cubano Cubano: Yumuri
10) Las Mujeres: N'taye

Reggaeton

1) La Estafa del Babalawo Cola Loca
2) Tu Veras:Yulien feat Paulo FG/Jacob Forever
3) El Animale: Gente de Zona
4) El Trio: Yulien Oviedo feat William Sanchez
5) Dicen por Ahi Eddy K

Ricardo Lemvo This Saturday

I've always loved African salsa, ever since I discovered Africando early on in my days of DJ'ing - when  the typical Colombian/Newytorkino/Romantica salsa  began to wear a little thin and before I immersed myself in Cuban salsa and timba.

If Africando was number one for me, Ricardo Lemvo was right behind. His Putumayo CD's always had one ot two great club songs - plus I loved the fact that he played soukous - the African party music from Congo that I had played as a drummer way back when.

What I didn't realize until a couple of years ago - was that Ricardo Lemvo's music director has been for many years El Niño (Jesus Perez) the Cuban arranger/musician who lives in Montreal - a great talent along the lines of our own Roberto Linares Brown.

So this Saturday coming will be a blast, all the best local players led by Luisito Orbegoso, El Niño in from Montreal, plus many of the members of SalsAfrica such as Yeti on vocals and Mark Kelso on drums. It's easy for me to say as I'm lucky enough to be DJ'ing this event, but even if I were just a music fan, I would be saying guys and gals, don't miss this.

Here's a review of the new Ricardo Lemvo CD that I did for Lula.ca

Silvio Denied

Sigh. What better opportunity was there to open a new era of political and cultural reconciliation between Cuba and the U.S.? For iconic voice-of-the-revolution Silvio Rodriguez to become the first Cuban artist in the Obama era to travel to the U.S. to celebrate the 90th birthday of the legendary 'this-land-is-your-land' folk singer Pete Seeger? Talk about a kumbaya opportunity.

But no, visa delayed, permission denied. wtf Hillary.

All those proposed tour schedules of Cuban artists touring the U.S. this year? Forget about it.

On a related note,  this I did not know. Namely that Pete Seeger is responsible for inflicting the much-maligned song 'Guantanamera' on generations of Anglos born since  about 1962.

Seeger is celebrated in Cuba for making the song "Guantanamera" famous around the world when he took a traditional melody by Joseito Fernandez and recorded it with phrases from poetry by Cuban Revolutionary hero Jose Marti.

Pete, how could you.

Formell on Arrasando

From Cubaencuentro, some quotes from Juan Formell about the new Van Van album 'Arrasando'. Acting only as the record producer for the recording, Formell acknowledges 'passing the torch',

dejando en manos de mi hijo Samuel la dirección musical, con las colaboraciones en las orquestaciones de Boris Luna, Jorge Leliebre y Roberto Carlos Cucurucho, quien participa además como compositor",

He also answers the musical question (that I had wondered about) of why Arrasando featured such predominant strings,

Podía parecer algo agresivo, pero por el contrario el término arrasando lo hemos utilizado, en este caso, para borrar lo mal hecho, lo de mal gusto, el facilismo, lo demasiado reiterativo; en fin, la falta de creatividad. Es por eso que nos propusimos hacer un disco con buenas composiciones y, sobre todo, con grandes orquestaciones

Cubadisco Nominations

Here are the nominees in the Música Bailable category., where all the Cuban timba and salsa music is found

Adalberto Álvarez y su Son - Gozando en La Habana
Gardi - Lo que tú querías
Giraldo Piloto y Klímax - Solo tú y yo
Manolito y Su Trabuco - Control
Orlando "Maraca" Valle - Lo que quiero es fiesta!
Pupy y Los Que Son Son - Tranquilo que yo controlo
Yumurí y Sus Hermanos - Cubanocubano

I would vote handsdown for Pupy's ' Tranquilo que yo Controlo', which was arguably the best of the four recordings that he has made since going solo. My second and third place votes would go Klimax and Yumuri. I thought that the Manolito, Adalberto and Maraca's recordings all lacked a certain consistency in the material - although they all yielded some fine songs.

I don't know the Gardi recording at all. I have liked some of his earlier work.

From Sarita Leyva and Billy Bryans

To all friends and patrons of Cuban Sunday at Babaluu

Due to a communication error, last week a cover was charged to people attending Sarita's 8:30 pm casino rueda dance class at Cuban Sunday at Babaluu.

We sincerely regret the error.

We would like to clarify what the cover charge will be for the regular Cuban Sunday at Baballuu starting May 10th

The cover charge WILL START AT 9PM.
It will be $7.00 (including coat check) for men and $7.00 for women (women will receive a ticket for a domestic beverage or non-alcoholic item)

Sarita's intermediate casino rueda class will commence at 8:30pm

Thanks to everyone including the management and staff at Babaluu for helping make Cuban Sunday at Babaluu the success that it is.

Dont forget, this Sunday is our special Rumba Abierta "El Solar" party starting at 6pm.

Monday Morning Links

A New York Times article on the kinds of discussions that could lead to Cuban music and cultural groups being allowed to tour the U.S. again.

Gabriel from Yemaya's Verse is back in Havana again, blogging on a regular basis. No one else captures the experience of hitting the craziest city in the universe - for the greatest live music in the universe.

Michelle White blogs about the 11th Anniversary of  Azucar Negra.

The Toronto Star's Morgan Campbell interviews Cuban baseball players Jose Contreras and Alexei Ramirez (Chicago White Sox) about the easing of restrictions on visiting Cuba and sending money to their families.

Here's a link to the website for the Kingston Cubafest, which takes place from May 1 to May 9. Music highlights include Jane Bunnett with her Embracing Voices show (featuring Telmary and Desandann), the Caribe Girls and Los Naranjos. I heard somewhere that the Cuban Minister of Culture Abel Prieto is visitng as well.

The Strange Case of Barbara Grave de Peralta

Check this out.

According to an April 10th story in Cubaencuentro, Cuban pop singer Barbara Grave de Peralta faces a sentence of seven years in jail for 'proxenetismo', which in English means procuring or pimping.

This story has bounced around the Cuban diaspora, with a post on  Zoe Valdes' blog who in turn quotes Carlos Otero on his Facebook profile. There was also a brief mention on Penultimate Dias.

The general consensus of the reaction is that Barbara Grave de Peralta is being framed.

The first part of the story appeared in Cubaencuentro in late February when the singer and her two young kids faced eviction from her apartment in Vedado, accused of renting out her house to foreigners - which is illegal in Cuba, but by no means uncommon in an economy where a few extra dollars a month can make all the difference.

The singer was interviewed by telephone by cubaencuentro which reported

.....que hace dos semanas (ella) fue citada por la Dirección de la Vivienda de Plaza y supo "extraoficialmente" que podrían desalojarla de su casa. Las autoridades le comunicaron que habían recibido denuncias de que la permuta que ella había realizado en el año 1999 era una "compraventa". Según Grave de Peralta, esta semana visitó su casa una inspectora de Vivienda para notificarle el desahucio, pero ella se negó a firmar el documento.

In Miami, the TV presenter Carlos Otero publicized her case via his Facebook profile

"Ella tiene dos hijos pequeños y no tiene, a partir de mañana, donde vivir. Le quieren confiscar su casa por el simple hecho de rentarla a unos extranjeros, pues ella no tiene dinero suficiente para mantener su casa y sus hijos. Todo esto me lo explicó ella en una carta ayer", escribió Otero en su mensaje.

There was also a this TV interview from Miami posted on February 23.

But sometime in March, Barbara Grave de Peralta's legal problems turned considerably worse - and now she sits in a jail cell (Manto Negro) facing the possibility of a seven year prison term for using her home as part of a prostitution ring. All based on government evidence from various 'jiniteras' who, according to family members who attended the trial, were either coached or pressured or coerced into testifying against the singer.

Here's how Cubaencuentro describes it

Según Eduardo Ferrer, esposo de la cantante, la Fiscalía presentó un grupo de "jineteras" con orientaciones de acusar directamente a la cantante.

"Una de ellas dijo que no la conocía de nada, dejó entrever que no iba a hacer lo que le estaban indicando los investigadores, y entonces la acusaron de perjurio", explicó Ferrer este viernes a CUBAENCUENTRO.com.

Obviously I'm in no position to judge the actual evidence - but not a lot about this story makes much sense. How (or why) did the charges against the singer go from renting her house to foreigners to using her house for prostitution? Why is she being labeled 'una extravagante' and 'antisocial' - Cuban Orwellian legal language -  that would seem to apply more to the punk rock band leader Gorki Aguila, who's run-in with the Cuban authorities last year was documented by Yoani Sanchez.

To the extent that I can find out who Barabara Grave de Peralta was before all this began, (I could find no artist bio, not even a promo photo) the last thing she would remind you of is a badass punk rocker taking the piss out of the old men who run Cuba. Her videos reveal a rather mild pop diva in her 30's singing Europop - who once sang campesina music, the kind of singer you might see on those Cuban variety TV shows. But like Zoe Valdez said to one of her commenters, this issue here is not whether we like her style of music.

A few years ago, I spent an eye-opening afternoon at the tender mercies of the Policia Especialidades in Havana over missing papers for a casa particular where I was staying, so I understand a little bit how the 'apparatus' works in Cuba. Running afoul of the many regulations and laws in Cuba around renting out casas is a very serious, intimidating business.

It's April 21st, and there has been no news since the reports that I quoted. If anyone has any info, please send it along.

Update: A Cuban friend, familiar with these situations suggests the following scenario..."The most likely thing would be that some extranjero at some point has brought a jinetera to her house and thus the charges start spreading"

Egrem's 45th Year Anniversary Video

Knaan Talks Some Sense About Somalia

Miami Kicks Some Butt

The song is called Abriendo Puertas and features artists such as Michel Calvo and 90 Millas. Produced by pepe montes