Wow. This the hottest summer ever. I feel like I'm a kid again and in the stinking hot suburbs of Brisbane. It's cool though, this heat. I mean, I know it's melting the South Pole and we're all gonna die ... but hey, it feels so gooooood.

What isn't cool:
#1. My office. I mean it's literally cool; but not figuratively - it's fucking 19ºC in there - I have to wear a cardigan in the middle of summer; and still my fingers turn blue. I walk out and spread my arms wide and raise my face to the sky in an embrace of the heat. Even after the sun has turned in for the night; it's still hotter outside – a comment on both the heat of the day and the chill of my office.
#2. The Sydney salsa scene. Whinge, whinge. I just went to a club, straight from work. Did a dance class, which wasn't bad - basic Cuban style. Well, more or less, Cuban-style. When it was over; the DJ played a couple of tepid, old-school Van Van tracks; then ripped straight into the NY - or at least, non-Cuban, music. He even played (the second time I have heard it there) some watered-down version of Aqui cada uno viene con lo suyo; instead of Manolito's kickass version from Locos por mi Habana. If I weren't so lazy, I'd edit and upload a snippet of it, with its awesome horns, so you could hear what I'm talking about. But it's 11.20pm; I haven't eaten since breakfast, and I'm gonna hit the hay. Otro día.

Sunset in Centro Habana, 2004

This morning I was listening to Andar la Habana, a recent track by Acheré, a group featuring Cuban expats - Luis Bu (of Manolin's band) and Yordamis (formerly of Bamboleo). It's a great timba track; and the lyrics, with their references to Havana landmarks - La Rampa, La Tropical, El Prado - really touched me (truth be told, I actually started to tear up; as I remembered these places and what they mean to me - oh my god, I'm crying now just even thinking about it). Of course many timba songs reference the places of Cuba, and Havana in particular; but there is an added poignancy when these are sung by people who were born there; raised there, and ultimately left. I know exactly how they feel. (Except for the bit about having been born there and raised there. D'oh!)

About six months after my first trip to Havana, in 1999, I went to a preview screening of the Buena Vista Social Club. As the movie began, the opening chords of Chan Chan playing against the backdrop of Havana's streets, I became overwhelmed by nostalgia and longing. I began weeping - and didn't stop until the film's final credits rolled. When it was finished, I said to a friend who was with me, "Jeez, I started crying as soon as the titles went up and I didn't stop for the whole movie!" She said (embarrassed), "I know!"

All these years later; the city and its streets; its people and its music still have the same effect on me. It seems that Havana has become the great love of my life. And like any long-distance relationship, it's a challenge to maintain - but I can't seem to forget her, nor stop longing to be under her sun.

Words and photo © Gabriel Wilder 2005

MiPod’s greatest hits
(week of December 18, 2005)

1. Tirso Duarte - La Habana Me Quiere (from his recent album)
2. Manolito - La Raspadura (CD: Hablando en serio)
3. Manolín - Tarea pa' la casa (demo)
4. Vitaly y su Timba Habanera - Mi Musica Cubana (CD: Desnudar tu cuerpo)
5. Manolito - Comunicate (CD: Hablando en serio)

Danny Lozada, on stage at Casa de la Musica, Centro Habana, 2002

For a long time (it felt like years, but it was probably only months) it felt to me like the world of timba - which had taken up residence in my heart - was turning into a ghost town: reggaeton seemed to be usurping the genius and warmth of those uniquely Cuban sounds; and taking its place in Havana ... but now, gracias a dios - timba lives!
In my previous post; I gave timba a medical check-up and pronounced it alive and kicking (scroll down to read more and hear samples of new songs); and since then, even more has happened to illustrate my point.
First, I've managed to get my sweaty little paws on Manolito's latest CD - in my next post (or sometime or other) I'll review it and post some more song samples (sneak peek: it's GREAT).
Second, Bill Wolfer, a dedicated timbero with an astonishing musical background (he has played with Stevie Wonder, among others) has returned from Havana, where he regularly goes to record with Cuban luminaries such as Manolito's El Indio. He has a report online about his recent trip - and if you haven't read his reports about his previous trips, they are definitely worth a read too.
Third, Lester Rodriguez (go to comments for my "state of timba" post): bienvenidos al mundo de la timba - or more correctly; welcome to the online world of timba. Lester has loved timba for a while; but only just got hooked up to its online world. It's always great to hear from other timba freaks - if there is anyone else out there; please join us at timbageeks where we fight and unite on a regular basis, all in the name of our great passion, timba; or simply leave a comment on my blog. Lester asked me how I got into timba - I started to reply, then thought that perhaps this tale would be better told as a post; so I'll get started on that as soon as I get the hundrum workweek out of the way. Perhaps others can share their stories about how they found their true love as well ... as long as that true love is timba. (If your true love is death metal, or the girl next door, there might other more appropriate venues for you elsewhere ...)

© Words and photo Gabriel Wilder

“Yo soy Van Van de siempre
Yo soy Van Van de ahora”

Another great photograph from Cristian Muñoz, he of the magic lens. Los Van Van's singers, from left: Abel "Lele" Rosales, Yeni Valdés, Roberto "Guayacán" Hernández and Mayito Rivera.

Just as it seemed that timba was limping towards the grave; it jumps right back up on its feet and starts temblequeando (seriously shaking its hips). Y gracias a dios! It's not like I enjoyed being a harbinger of doom ... It's just that with the perpetual and monotonous beats of reggaeton dominating the Havana music scene, I was becoming seriously depressed.

But timba lives - as some of us say at timba geeks (or wear on t-shirts):

Timba o muerte - Venceremos!

Leading the way - as he has done since he left Los Van Van in 2001 - is Pupy y los que Son Son. The group released two great albums during the past year - Buena Gente and Mi Timba "Cerra" (currently near the top of my itunes playlist: Del Trabajo a la Casa Ø - a great, melancholy, R&B-flavoured timba track). Composer/pianist Pupy, now 59 years old; was a stalwart of Los Van Van, who formed in 1968 and still hold sway with the Cuban public decades later. Pupy has taken their trademark songo sound, and beefed it up, with kickass horns and hungry young singers, like "Pepe" Jose Gomez and Mandy Cantero. His is one of the must-see bands in Cuba today.


Not far behind him is the much younger, but very talented, Tirso Duarte. Late of Pupy's group, the pianist/composer/singer (above, centre; onstage with Michel Maza and Elito Revé's group; photo courtesy Cristian Muñoz) has also played with other leading Cuban groups such as Charanga Habanera, Pachito Alonso and the once-influential NG la Banda (now, sadly, a mere shadow of their former groundbreaking '80s selves). He has also contributed to the more traditional Afro-Cuban All Stars, who recorded his Adivinador on their recent album Step Forward, and makes a star turn on Fidel Morales' excellent album Salsa Son Timba. Most exciting, is his new CD - an album of unmistakable yet innovative timba. Energetic; sophisticated, gutsy ... I won't bore you with the adjectives: here's a snippet Ø of an early demo of one of the album's tracks. Look out for the official release.


One of the recent, and most interesting, trends in Cuba, is the resurgence of changuï. Leading the charge is Elio Revé; the son of Cuban legend of the same name, he has added some timba touches to this traditional rhythm; creating a supercharged version of a classic sound. Live, these guys kickarse big time: they're fast and supertight; and the combo of tres and piano really kicks things along. It's interesting that people respond so warmly to what is, despite a few modern innovations, still a pretty traditional sound - both in Cuba and right here in Australia: last weekend, local band Mi Tierra played a great gig of all my timba favourites. When it came to their version of Revé's Se Sigue Comentando; the dance floor was packed with dancers of all persuasions: casineros; mamberos and, uh, LA stylers - everyone got into it. It has a joy and energy that's hard to beat. To see a clip of theirs, go to muchoswing.com, click on "music and dance", and scroll down. To see yours truly dancing to Elito's version of the classic Mi Salsa Tiene at Havana's La Piragua in 2004; go to Farandulera's web site and scroll down to November 26.

Not strictly timba, but still bloody good, is the aforementioned Fidel Morales con su Proyecto Nega CD Salsa Son Timba. Featuring (as mentioned above) Tirso Duarte, as well as Angel Bonne, Bamboleo's Tanja Pantoja (in one of her best performances), El Indio (who does his best with the album's most irritating track, Pare Cochero) and Klimax's Juan Carlos Hechevarria. In a similar vein is Vitaly y su Timba Habanera's Desnudar Tu Cuerpo; which features vocalists Pepe (mentioned above), Rosendo "El Gallo" Diaz (formerly of Manolito u su Trabuco and Elito Revé's group) and the pocket-sized vocal genius Calunga (Manolito, Klimax). Good luck finding it though - it appears to be released through a Slovenian label, called Nika, and doesn't seem to be easily available, except through Amazon UK .

Other groups contributing to timba's resurgence are former Charanga Habanera bassist Pedro Pablo's Rebambaramba Ø, Santiago's Salsa Matriz Ø and Salsa Mayor Ø.

Read a first-person account of the timba re-evolution by Martin Karakas, a timba geek currently in Havana.


Roll call: Where have all the timba geniuses gone?
(A random and by no means conclusive list)


Los Van Van This year, more than five years after their last studio album, they released Chapeando. Worth the wait? I think so. Others disagree. Despite being obsessed with a handful of their tracks (Somos Cubanos; De la Habana a Matanzas, Soy Todo, Ni Bombones ni Caramelos), Los Van Van were never top of my timba list, but Chapeando put them right up there. A bunch of demos preceded this album by many months; and when I was in Havana in 2004, I heard them so often I thought: I never want to hear these songs again as long as I live. Then I came home; Chapeando was released and I recanted. Favourites: the title track; Anda Ven y Quiereme (great vocal performance by Lele, above) and the kickarse Agua.

Manolín, el Medico de la Salsa The self-proclaimed king has struggled since he left Cuba in 1999; releasing a disappointing pop album in 2003. His latest track, while not exactly timba - more timba-esque - is addictive listening; with a slow groove that tantalises with its tightly-sprung energy Ø. Hopefully, this is a sign that El Medico is back in his white coat, and ready to cure our musical ills; but if not, his back catalogue is so brilliant it will keep me despeloteando well into my dotage (there's an image I'm not sure I want to see...).



Manolito y su Trabuco They of the brilliant CD Se Rompieron los Termómetros, and other enduring classics such as the rumba/timba tour de force Ven, Siroco Ven, Marcando la Distancia and Havana's hometown theme, Locos por Mi Habana are, thankfully, still swinging Ø. Manolito's (at left; photo by Cristian Muñoz) playing is smile-inducing stuff; Amaray's voice still has that great soulful sound and El Indio keeps keeping on.


Alain Pérez The bass player and composer/arranger now lives in Madrid. He contributed to Issac Delgado's recent album Prohibido - there are some nice tracks there; but it's hardly comparable to the genius he displayed on Con la Punta del Pie - and latin pop/rock group Habana Abierta's latest, Boomerang.


Juan Carlos Gonzalez Pianist/composer/arranger, now living in Barcelona, he contributed to one of my all-time favourite tracks, Charanga Habanera's Te Voy a Liquidar (among others), and arranged and produced Danny Lozada's brilliant CD Tanto Le Pedí. Gonzalez now appears to be MIMA (missing in musical action).



Danny Lozada Composer, singer and loco, his 1999 CD Tanto Le Pedí is a timba classic (see also JCG, above). In July/August of 2002, Lozada y su Timba Cubana played every Thursday afternoon at Casa de la Musica, Galiano. It was some of the best live timba I've ever seen. His 16+ piece group fired every week; with Lozada - part repartero; part comedian - outstanding as their leader. After his second solo album, Lo Mejor de Mi Corazón, Lozada left Cuba and now resides in Miami.


Paulito FG Repartero extraordinaire, his Con la Conciencia Tranquila was a groundbreaking work. He still sparkles occasionally, but now spends a great deal of his energy on pop/reggaeton crossovers.


David Calzado, composer and musical director of Charanga Habanera. All right, many will quibble with this, especially those who were knocked out by their recent Canadian tour. But to my mind, he has a way to go before the sins of the Latin pop CD Charanga Lite/Buena Onda can be ameliorated, and the recent demos - though definitely timba; lack spark and originality, and are a long way from a return to form. I look forward to being proved wrong!

All links go to timba.com; for the bands' official web sites, click here.
To buy timba: timba.com or descarga.com