Viva Milano!

I love that smile.

While the folk at Fiesta in Rome haven't got around to putting pics from this year's event up, the guys in Milan at Festival Latino Americando have already put up video from their 2006 concerts (the Milanese would say this is as one might expect). Among the highlights are Manolito y su Trabuco's 15-minute version of Marcando la Distancia (click on the link, then click "visualizza il filmato" below their bio), which was the song that shook me out of a reasonably dark mood on that particular Saturday night in Milan. It features a nice solo from flautist David Bencomo: El Indio mentions his name, Manolito pushes him forward, and he bows, then walks back out of the spotlight. Manolito then shoves him onto the front of the stage, so he can have his moment in the sun. Nice bit of humility, beautiful bit of playing. The sound in this clip is fantastic - you can hear everything - including those gorgeous strings from Orestes and Nicolas - perfectly.

Bencomo (left) sounding sweet.

This page has a link to a bunch of video clips from the Milan festival, including Charanga Habanera, Issac (great version of No me mires a los ojos), NG La Banda (Necesito una amiga ... awwww), Los Van Van and the "Cuban Grammys" night, which features seemingly all of Trabuco backing singers El Indio, Vannia, Pedro Calvo, and probably others - the song is Son de la Loma, so I didn't stick with it to see who else was involved. There are also performances from plenty of non-Cubans. If you're interested in that kind of thing.

Postscript: I was talking to a techie at work and he asked me why I went to Italy, and I said, oh to hang with some Cuban bands. And he said: "Does that officially make you a groupie?" And I said, "Uh, I guess so ..." Though I guess the guys I knocked back - note to would-be suitors: please don't knock on the door of my room at 3am and EXPECT ME TO LET YOU IN (uness we have a prior arrangement, of course) - would probably say that if that were true, I didn't do a very good job ...

So basically, I can get my arse into another hemisphere to see Trabuco, Pupy et al, but I can't get it downtown in time to see members of Van Van jam with local son outfit Armandito y su Trovazon, nor to a lunch with them the next day (I had an acupuncture appointment - and I really needed it, honest!).

I had heard that the Van Van guys would be having dinner at La Cita, the day they arrived (Thursday), but I couldn't get myself off the loungeroom floor and into the shower for some reason, and by the time I arrived at 10pm, the harbourside restaurant was a zoo: absolutely packed, with various members already being feted and wooed by various locals. Kian, one of the organisers, kindly introduced me to a few members - Lele, Roberton and Samuell - but I found that, though it had only been about a week since I was speaking Spanish in Italy, getting the words out was like pulling teeth. I did chat briefly with Samuell about Italy, and he told me that last year when they played the festival in Milan, they had a record crowd of 18,000 peeps.

Soon after, the group split up - Sydney only has two nights a week that play Cuban music, and they are both on the same night - so Kian was taking a posse down to Cruise Bar. I decided to go, not feeling really in my element with the son crowd. Cruise is also on the harbour, almost under the bridge and with a spectacular view of the Opera House. Samuell and Boris were down there, then, later, string section Farjado and Irving (the best and most enthusiastic dancers of the bunch), and trombonist Edmundo. I guess the rest stayed at La Cita (not sure, as I didn't get any reports back). DJ Dwight was getting stuck into the Cuban music, which was great, though there was a mite too much changui for my liking - except for Michel singing Tu Zorreo with Reve - how good is that? At the end of the live track, when Michel says "applauso" we all clapped. I spoke to Boris about the legendary Vanvanera Masaco, and he showed me a video from his phone of her dancing at one of their recent Japanese concerts.

The next day I had a message from Sherylanne about having lunch with the band, but I had the aforementioned acupuncture appointment, and by the time I got down to the restaurant, most of the band had left. Spoke for a while to Santiago, an Argentine who has lived in Japan for 13 years and works for a company who tours salsa groups there. Interesting guy. Interesting life change: Buenos Aires for Fukuoka.

That night outside the theatre, I was greeted by about every salsero in Sydney. It surprised me a bit, because I thought the in-liners/on2-ers wouldn't have gone, but Van Van seemed to have united the scene. The theatre seemed full and I saw faces I hadn't seen in eons. And there were Cubans I'd never even seen before.

I had a ticket to the "dancefloor" - basically a bit in front of the stage without seats - and so did a lot of other people. It was crammed and really uncomfortable - I was pushed back against the railing for most of the night, though I imagine it would have been worse right up against the stage.



The band came out to Chapeando and the crowd greeted them with a mighty roar. The sound was crystal clear and I thought what I always thought when I see them (every time in fact): gee they're good. That lovely voluptuous sound with its oceans of strings. Why am I so lukewarm on them? Then they followed it with Timpop con Birdland - a good 20-minutes' worth (at least) - and I remembered why. That song is an absolute disaster for me - if Van Van are El Tren, this song is the trainwreck. I can't think of any part of it I don't actively dislike. Mayito was totally out of control, as usual. Would it kill him to sing with a bit of taste? We know he has a set of pipes on him - does he have to try and prove it at every turn? And the Hey Jude bit - I love the gospelness of the band, and that is more obvious live than on record - and it's unique among timba bands. I love it. But Hey Jude?

The next few songs were also epic in length, and this is the other thing for me with Van Van - they can't hold my attention. I aways find my mind wandering off when I see them - this never happens with the other timba bands I love. Guess I'm not, and never will be, a Vanvanera...

I do love, however, Despues de Todo and Anda Ven y Quiereme, and I thought Yeni and Lele were both great with audience. Yeni is always a star in my book - I love her grace and humour - and Lele had a warmth and communication going that was palpable.

The concert actually really picked up for me as it went along: they did Soy Todo, which they didn't play at either gig I saw in Havana this year, and which I adore, though again: loooong. Ditto for Ven Ven Ven.

Juan Formell was more MC than anything, displaying not bad English (Mayito had a go too - his was less good); and playing very little. He was directing the band a bit, when Samuell wasn't. Pavel played the electric rather than the baby bass, and with Cucurucho still down with hepatitis, synth duties seemed to be shared by Collado and Leleibre (with Boris still on piano - "mucho trabajo para mi" he told me the night before when I asked him about it).

Somos Cubanos was the closer - the same jazzy arrangement I had seen them do in Havana, but with a mega look-at-me-I'm-a-star solo from Samuell. The crowd loved it.

The encore was Te Pone La Cabeza Mala, which I have never seen them do and which was such fun - it was the encore, and, with a cast of Cuban thousands, the perfect end to the gig.

The crowd never flagged; the response was amazing. And gratifying. An inflatable kangaroo was being thrown around the audience, and as the band left the stage, Roberto nabbed it.

After the show, it was onto the club in the hotel where they were staying. Dwight was playing Que Hablen los Habladores when I arrived, and I thought it would be all downhill from there, but it turned out to be a good night. There were dance chums I hadn't seen - or danced with - in a long time, and also dances with my girls Rinske and Caitlin. Violinist Irving had promised me a dance earlier in the day but reneged (huh!); too busy with a little group of local Cubans and Aussies.

The band were off to Adelaide the next day to play, then onto Melbourne, which I heard had a crowd of 2000 - all right!

Next on the Aussie circuit: Pupy y los Que Son Son!

[Missed post]
Manolito y su Trabuco
Genoa, Italy, August 3

Pic by Jennifer

So we found out that there was no room to go on the bus to Cittanova Marche with the Elite. The good news was that Trabuco were going to Genoa - in the direction of Milan, where we wanted to end up, and they had a guagua grande - plenty of room for two timba freaks. The catch: they were leaving at 6.30am. Be there at 6, warned Bencomo - no later than 6.30am. They were in a hotel on the other side of the Ciampino airport - that whole area is a pretty dead and depressing part of town, at any time of day, let alone 6am. But after about two hours sleep, we were up packing and getting into a shuttle bus. Downstairs at their hotel the place was deserted, so I lay on the concrete outside waiting for them to descend one-by-one into the grey, muggy morning.
Everyone settled down and soon there were sleeping bodies everywhere, legs and feet spilling over into the aisle, some second-rate R&B on the DVD player, El Chino awake, and obsessively playing Tetris.
We made a pee stop after about four hours at a service station where members of the entourage spent time discussing mobile phones with a 3 salesman.
A couple of hours after that, we arrived in Genoa, a pretty, historical port town - a bit like Havana, but smaller. There was time for a nap - if you can call lapsing into unconsciousness for half an hour "napping" - and a shower before going out for a bite to eat at a portside restaurant.
It rained heavily as we were leaving and although it was a brief shower, it had an effect on the crowd: the turnout was small; though enthusiastic and extremely vocal. And as usual, the band performed well.
I think, though, that they're missing Cristóbal, the trumpet player who had been with them for more than 10 years and recently left the band - less than two months ago, I realised, as I saw him play with them in Havana in June. Now there are two trombones and one trumpet - not sure if they plan to replace him - and the brass doesn't have the same hot sound that it did when I was in Havana, when the metales were surely one of the best, if not the best, horn sections in town.
They did a version of Dijiste Mentiras without all the reggaeton stuff at the end, which is the first time I've heard that, live. Manolito just cut it off - although I didn't see him direct the band. (How does he direct the band? I've seen them play often enough and I still can't figure it out. I asked Riverón too - didn't catch the answer.) Though tiny, the crowd refused to let them go at the end, and they did two long encores, which incuded Marilu, Hablando en Serio and the potpourri (ick).

MTC and I had just been discussing before we left for the restaurant how while most of the Trabuqueros are really friendly, Amaray had so far said nothing at all to us (ditto for my whole time in Havana). So anyway, we get to the gig and we're hanging in the backstage area, and suddenly he starts fooling around with us. He was saying (in English) "I speak English well." I said, uh, no, actually, you don't. He was fooling around trying out black American slang. I advised him against it - I said that most foreign chicas are not going to take well to being called "woman". But hey, what do I know.

Trabuco's very lovely Miguelito and Riverón after the gig.

After the show we hung out a bit at the back of the stage in the open air by the sea, chilling, talking about various things. Tried to talk timba geek stuff with Riverón, and I did - and he was articulate about it all, but I didn't have the sense to whip out my camera and record it, so everything he told me has pretty much gone into the ether. Sorry guys.

While we were headed back to our relatively cosy hotel, they were going to spend the night on the bus, travelling back down south for a gig the next night in Potenza. Then after that gig, they were going to get straight back on the bus to drive the eight hours or so (possibly more) back to Milan. When they got back to Milan, they would have a few hours to rest before they hit the stage at the LatinoAmericando festival on Saturday (the report is here). Sheesh.

So I've come back from Italy with a slight crush on Los que Son Son's Mandy. Not a real crush - I don't wanna jump him or anything - just a fanatica's crush. Live - man! Canta como un león!
Y'all gonna think I'm mad for posting this, but I love this clip of him singing Pogolotti - there is this great bit in it now, where he just kind of goes off. As usual, it's shitty quality and I probably missed the best part but this really takes me back to that concert; outdoors on a Milan summer might; a big crowd; total excitement in the air - the expectation of Manolín; my Trabuco buddies drinking rum over on the side, and Mandy, totally fierce.

But in the end, I suspect you had to be there...

OK, here is a short clip of Paulito and Manolín at Milan (read the review here). It isn't great quality, but hopefully, it'll give an idea of ... well, what it was like to be there.

Hey! Let's go another round
NG la Banda, Pupy y los que Son Son, Manolín, Paulito FG
Rome, August 15

THE SOUNDCHECK
So I took the Mac to the soundcheck, thinking I'd have time to sit down and write. Fat chance. Much better. I got a kickass show and was able to stand on the stage videoing and taking pics. I kept filling up my memory cards and dumping the stuff onto the Mac, then filling it up again. Ran out of batteries for my camera, but luckily found a tobacconist there who sold them.

The bands were all swapping personnel - sometimes out of neccessity, sometimes for fun. Pupy's metales and baterista had gone back to Cuba, so NG's metales, and Alan, were playing with them, and also as part of the backing band for Manolin, along with various other members of NG (really, Manolin's group was NG with Pepito. In Milan it had been NG with Jannier).

NG's front line

First, NG ran though a jazzy number, and it sounded really good. Really.

Next was Pupy - Timba a Pogolotti, La Balada de Billy and La Borrachera - three of the best songs in timba ever. It was during La Borrachera that my camera ran out of power unfortunately. Of course I could have gone and looked for new batteries immediately ... but who can resist the lure of La Borrachera? I actually can't think of a timba song as irresistible to the dancer in me as this one - actually, as irresistible to the casinera in me. I've been quite happy to dance sola these last few months, but that song was just made for throwing people around a dance floor. Or a backstage area. So I stopped filming and danced with NG's bass player chica, Dallana, who dances very well indeed.

The metales del terror (are they still called that?) weren't very familiar with the Pupy repertoire, and there was much shouting and arm-waving from a cast of thousands (Mandy, Pupy, Pepe, El Tosco) in the form of direction.

Pupy with Mandy and El Tosco

Next piano and bass players swapped over (Cristóbal took over from Reinier; Prida from Pupy), and they had a go at De la Habana and La Expresiva with a meld into Pogolotti (with variouos musos swapping back) - and I realised with excitement that we were going to be treated to a little Habana ode of three of the best songs by the groups present (although Manolín's newie, was to be performed as part of La Bola, as it was in Milan). "Oh-oh, La Habana," sang Mandy, Pepito, Jannier, Barbara and Monica. "Oh-oh, La Habana!" It was fantastic. At one point, Paulo's horns were playing with them there too. That was very cool. There was some trouble with the segue from De La Habana into Pogolotti, and I'm not entirely sure they got that sorted out, but, piffle. It was awesome.

After that, the Manolín songs were rehearsed (it wasn't a soundcheck so much as an ensayo), wihout Manolín (Paulo wasn't there either, the word was that he was sick). There was some trouble getting the new song down. (And when they played it later, actually it was a dog's breakfast, but it didn't matter). Pepito and Barbara and Monica were doing vocals - no one knew the words to Me pase de copas. Barbara, NG's luminous singer, was taking the piss out of the drawly coro of Me falta la Habana: "Que La'aban'e'La'abana."

It was a fantastic vibe: almost all the musos were hanging out on the stage taking turns to play (some were drinking out the back); swapping instruments. When Mandy wasn't singing he was playing congas or drums (he was wearing all yellow, and when he wasn't playing, he was drinking, the beer in his plastic cup perfectly-colour co-ordinated with his outfit). Others were dancing, or just hanging out at the side of the stage, talking to fellow musos. The jefe in charge was El Tosco, madly directing everyone, yelling "Pupy! Pupy! Pupy!" - bossing everyone around; calling his bajista "niña"...

Tony Calá was looking at me a bit, then eventually came over and asked my name and where was I from and did they speak English there. He's an odd guy: he's always apart from the crowd; sits on the outside seat in the bus so no one can sit next to him. Verrrry strange.

Soundcheck went until after eight, then we all piled back into the bus for the hotel and had about 50 minutes, before we went back. Everyone got ready in time - Mandy hijacking MTC and myself to say, have you got gel? We walked down the long corridor of the Hotel Palacavicchi with a huge group of Cubans , collecting more along the way. By the time we got back to Fiesta, it was almost time for the groups to start.



THE CONCERT
I stayed talking to Cristo while NG did the jazz stuff, then went to the side of the stage for Santa Palabra. Their singer Barbara is lovely on stage. Such a bright light. I hadn't been there long when they wrapped up and the Pupy guys hit the stage. Pogolotti - awesome. Billy - huge. Borrachera - monstrous. What can I say? I fucking love those guys. And Pupy too. What a honey. It seemed like the played for seconds before El Tosco was looking at his watch and winding them up, ushering them off stage to make way for Manolín with the NG girls and Pepe as backup.

As in Milan, suddenly the side of stage area was bursting with peeps, all with phones and cameras, trying to get pics/footage of the legend in action. I disentangled myself from the crowd and went and stood at the back behind Alan, thumping and crashing away.

Manolín was lively and playful, and the crowd - a big one too - ate it all up. The Falta Habana stuff in La bola didn't seem to work I didn't think, but it might have sounded better if you weren't getting an earful of cymbals.

While I was standing there, Paulo came over and gave me a big wet kiss on the cheek. If anyone else did that, it would be like, eeewww, but when it's Paulo, it's like, swooooon. Jajaja. He looked pretty suave - nice lightweight black suit, possibly linen, and white shirt. He's so foxy.

One left, the other stayed ...

His set was Te Boté, Pasta con Tostones and Libertad. And if he was sick, it didn't show: he moved well and sounded great. At the end of Libertad, Manolín stepped out of the wings. Paulo sang: "Te fuiste, y perdiste..." and Manolín laughed like it was the first time he'd heard it. They seemed to have a lot of fun together though.


Then they started the Havana trilogy, with De la Habana, La Expresiva and Poglotti, and every singer in the joint on stage in a big line - some with not very much to do, it seemed - there sure weren't enough mics to go around. It probably looked brilliant from out front, but from the side, it was like Cuban muso soup. And I hate to say this, but I don't actually remember how this grand finale played out. It was so overwhelming. Chaotic might be the word I'm looking for. It was better at soundcheck - more about the music and less vying for the spotlight. Still of course I was grateful to be there. And when it was all over, it was like a yawning void opened up, with just the faintest echo of what had been ...

"Se me mete en la sangre..."

© Gabriel Wilder 2006

Trabuco in Rome on August 2. From left: Amaray, Pupy's Jannier, Pepito (background, guiro), NG's Monica, El Indio (Tony Calá is behind him).

I'm back in Sydney. The flight(s) weren't bad, but I'm thoroughly knackered. I have a long report in the works about the final gig - a repeat performance with NG la Banda, Pupy, Manolín and Paulito, including the day's soundcheck/rehearsal. That'll be up as soon as I'm compos mentis. Until then, there is a bunch of timba pics from the trip (picturesque Rome pics will follow later) up at flickr - the slideshow is here.

Risotto is not a soup, nor a stew. I'm not Italian, but I know that much. Last night I could have done with a spoon to eat my scampi risotto, the rice, sitting as it did in a thick sauce cream and tomato, the little scampi heads rising out the centre as if to say, "help! get us out of this glug!" Despite its stickiness, it didn't taste too bad though, and I imagine a salsa discoteca on the outskirts of Rome isn't the best place to go looking for authentic Italian cuisine, but what can you do when you're a timba geek in search of action?
La Tropical, in Parco Rosati, like its namesake in La Habana, is a big leafy outdoor venue, with a big circular dance floor (two actually). We arrived, sat down, ordered risotto soup. As we listened to the DJ play Alexander Abreu and Grupo Danson's Mi Musica, we saw a dude walk by: middle-aged, dark-skinned, blonde hair, flamboyant glasses ... El Tosco? Si! Jajaja. The DJ sudddenly started playing NG la Banda. Eduardo Piloto, brother of Giraldo, sat down and chatted with us. He looks just like his bro and is just as charming. Soon after, Pupy's Bombón walked by. The first day we met, at Palacavicchi, the night Trabuco played, he had said: we're going to dance later. We'd bumped into each other at various places in Italy without ever actually getting around to it, and it was kinda a running gag by this time - entonces, vamos a bailar esta noche? Jajaja. He was with a Pupy posse of Osiris, Jannier - guess he hasn't left the group (way to start rumours, girl) - Pepito and Renier (a total fly guy in baseball cap, basketball top and diamente necklace). El Tosco's pregnant chica was there too, taking it easy in a chair.
The music was great: 100 Van Van songs, 100 Pupy songs, three Mamborama songs, Manolin's Me Falta la Habana and ... the occasional bachata (blurgh). As I danced with Eduardo, we saw next to us, a tiny Italian couple - maybe 12 years old each. The girl with long pig tails and teeny tiny shorts, dancing supercharged casino, with all the arm-tangling moves. Soooo cute.... When they finished, Eduardo tried to get the boy to dance with me. He declined, saying he was tired and thirsty. Bless.
There was a great vibe here. When Tirso's Un Mal Sueño came on, I grabbed Bombón for that promised dance, and we headed to the crowded floor where we got slapped around by over-enthusiastic dancing Italians. The three tracks by Mamborama got great responses too - the dancefloor was packed for all them. I saw Pepito dancing to Puro y Temba. Osiris danced some stylish casino to Michel's La Madrugada. Cool night. Very cool. This place is a must for any timbero/casinero who comes to Havana. A bit of a trek, but worth every step.

From left: Susi, Angel (keyboards), Jannier and Chiry

Paulito, Fiesta, Rome, August 10
The scene: I'm at fiesta where peeps are setting up stalls and the band is setting up on stage. Ni Paulo, ni Cristobal están. It's actually really hot - it was pretty cool this morning. Weird weather, that it's hotter at 7 than noon. Some hideous little Roman insect is biting me and I didn't bring my insect repellent.

7.30pm
Paulo is here - I didn't see him arrive. I asked him to play Sin Etiqueta. He was a bit more positive than when I asked Manolito to play La Raspadura, but he could just be bullshitting. Paulo's always friendly, which is not really what I expected. He always smiles and says hello with a kiss. Very charming.
Pupy's Jannier is hanging around here. Does the fact that he's here and all the rest of Pupy has gone mean that he's left the band? I wonder where Pupy went? We had a message from Pepito that just said they were playing on the 15th (which we already knew). Wonder how they're filling up their days? Obviously not wandering around the Colosseum.

8:45pm
Cool soundcheck. I stood on the stage near Maikel (pianista) and videoed a bit. Paulo was directing from the back of the stage. And weird: a lot of the time he was directing Angel (tecladista, musical director), like doing the gear signs to Angel, then Angel would give them to the band. Relay. Bit odd. Jannier was on stage and he was standing next to me, and Paulo pointed in our direction - and Jannier looked at him and pointed to me - "her?" And he gestured no, no, YOU. Claro. He wanted him to soundcheck his mic for some reason - so he didn't have to I guess. They were playing Confio en ti and Pasta con Tostones. It doesn't look good for Sin Etiqueta, despite what he said.

9pm
We've just eaten pollo asado which I liked but MTC didn't. With a bitter lettuce salad. Not meant to be bitter, I don't think, just bitter cause the lettuce is old I think. Chips. The band is sitting at the same long table Trabuco sat at. It's almost funny to be here again in this same place, just a bit over a week ago I was here going mental greeting Trabuco. Jajajaja.


1:30am. The Elite bus, about to go back to the hotel
Knackered again. This crazy rollercoaster. Paulo was good but Cristobal had me filming it for him, so I kinda missed it in a way. Hard to enjoy it when you're holding a camera up and worrying about the frame. Maybe that's why I didn't enjoy it as much as when I saw him in Havana. Also the choice of songs I think: although he does Te Boté, Admiradora, Libertad, El Punto, which all sound great live, he also does Me gusta tanto, Esta Manía and Pasta con Tostones at every gig.

Great eye candy as usual though - Paulo moves so well. I can see why the fans fall in love with him. Always puts everything into a show too.

There were a lot of Cubans in the audience, including a woman with two kids, one of whom insisted on hitting me for almost the entire show. Nice. Afterwards, the Cubanos flooded the backstage area for autographs and kisses for their babies from Paulo.

Sara (Paulo's manager) has just got onto the bus, she looks AMAZING. She's so beautiful and she dresses like a star. She's wearing a low-cut pale pink sequinned mini with a pale pink cardie the same length. Death-defying stilettos. Mane of black hair. Green eyes, perfect make-up.

Latin Americando fiesta: NG la Banda, Pupy, Manolin, Paulito
August 8, 2006
The guagua left the hotel packed with the above mentoned bands and a few Trabuqueros - Chino had returned from hanging out with friends in Milano specially to see it - some of the other guys coudn't be bothered though. Just like another day in Havana I guess - except with Manolín!
Inside the bandroom at the gig it was chaos - millions of people everywhere - but the various groups had only brought a select group of players and some musos were playing with everyone. There were horn players looking over charts - it was NG's horn section plus Gerardo, a trumpet player from PFG's group. Rehearsal had consisted of a two-hour soundcheck apparently. I said hi to Pepito; asked Mandy if he remembered MTC and I from the drunken night at the Palacavicchi in Rome (when we were returning from the Trabuco gig, he heard us in the corridor, opened his door, and stood there, shirtless, rum in hand, asking us how to say como estás in Italian). He said of course! Jajaja. I'll bet. The MC did an interview with Pupy, Manolin and El Tosco and Paulito, which they showed on the big screen.

From left: Manolín, El Tosco, the interviewer, Pupy and Paulo.

I went outside and watched NG, who I didn't think much of. They did a dead boring jazz number that went for about four days. Then Echale Limon and Santa Palabra. Also it was really loud. Cristobal, the bajista with Paulo was complaining about how loud it was (he was right: El Tosco's flute was piercing). There was quite a big crowd, though Cristobal didn't think it was big enough. It was more people than the club they had played at on Friday. Or whenever the fuck it was. (I have no idea what days it is - I'm not alone - the band members can't remember either.) Anyway.

NG only did three songs - and the crowd was loving it. Then Pupy, Mandy, Pepito, Jannier, Osiris, Reinier and Bon Bon came on - not sure if there were any other personnel changes. It was Timba a Pogolotti - magic. Total magic. I went into the crowd to dance. Mandy was on fire. The metales for all of Pupy's set weren't that great. Too many of the mambos were missing. Then Jannier did La Bala de Billy, which I'm not mad about and I went backstage to look for Cristobal who had wanted me to video him with his camera. He was at the back of the stage and I just tripped up the steps, tra-la-la. A bunch of musos was up there, all with cameras of some sort. Paulo was with Susi (his back-up singer and gf), Manolín, Cristobal etc. You couldn't see much really, but the sound was pretty good, and a better vibe. When they started Borrachera, I went "oooohhhh!" and Paulo looked at me. Danced my ass off. Susi started leading Sara, Paulo's Italian manager and one of the most beautiful women you will ever see in your life, then she led both of us which was cool. Then I led her. Jajajaja. God I always get so thirsty dancing to that song. It's fast I guess. Love it.
After their set, Pepito sat, exhausted in a chair - the long drive up from Rome had done him in, and he looked so sad sitting there, all tuckered out. Kinda cute though, with his suit and sticky-up hair. Like a little boy.

Manolín was next, with Pututi on timbales and the young chica from NG La Banda on bass, playing off a chart. Me pase de copas and La Bola, which had the coro from his new song, which is very cool, Me falta la Habana. The crowd loved him. So did Paulo. He was dancing - that was very cool. He really got into Manolín but he seemed to dig Pupy too. It was good to see him moving like that, loose. I'd never seen him like it; dancing like no one was watching. Just grooving. Smiling. There were a lot of manly hugs going on backstage too. Paulo and Manolín couldn't keep their hands off each other. Kinda sexy.

It was actually cool being behind Manolín, because he kept turning around to direct the band, so you could see really clearly from there how the band was operating - hopeless to get any footage or even a picture though, because all the other musos were doing that, and I would have just had shots of other people's arms holding up cameras ...

He was pretty good really. Actually he was great. The way he got the crowd going. Not the two songs I would have preferred, but a lot of fun. I knoow his time in Havana has passed, but you can still see what got/gets everyone excited about him. He's charismatic - almost jubilant - and it's infectious. And he's in good shape, physically, too. Kinda spunky.

After that, Paulo started with Te Boté which sounded good. He had Jannier singing with him instead of Chiri, who had stayed behind in Rome. His group members were Pututi, Cristobal, Jannell (congos - who played with Manolín too). His trompeta Gerardo. And his tecladista, Angel, but not his pianista. When they started Con la Conciencia, I went running out the front to dance.


Paulo was in top form. Looking hot, in a white shirt (his favourite - he must have a million), working the crowd. Nothing like a bit of competition to get the creative shit flowing. You could feel the egos - in between the hugs - backstage between him and Manolín. Actually PFG did the most songs. Followed it up with, oh god, the dreadful Pasta con Tostones. Really. That song is no good no matter how you dress it. And he keeps doing it here cause it's his ode to Italy and Cuba. Sigh. For Libertad, Manolín came out. PFG sang to him "Te fuiste, y perdiste, yo no, me quedé" Jajajaja fucking funny. Manolín laughed, then sang: "y lo mató con el dato, y lo mató con los detalles". That was pretty fucking cool. They had a bit of a sing off after that but that was the best bit, and of course I couldn't get my camera out in time to get it. I got a bit of stuff but it's mostly the crappy end bit when Tosco comes out being lame. Manolín and Paulo had great chemistry together. It really sparked.

And they're doing it again in Rome on the 15th. I'll be there. Any timberos in Italy, get your ass out to the racetrack at Campanelle. It's totally worth it.

On Sunday Orquesta Adolescente was sposed to play the Milan festival, but on Saturday they announced that it would be Orquesta Aragon - no está mal! Tooled around during the day - sweating over another Van Van piece for their forthcoming Sydney gig, resting, taking pills for the headaches that come and go - but never go for long enough it seems.

Took a cab to the festival - it's less than a kilometre from our hotel, but it cost €14. Yikes and double yikes. The festival itself is pretty cheap though - €10, which is a good deal for these great bands (in Australia it would probably be $AU80).
Various Trabuco musicos - those that had hung around the hotel (they've played here a lot and have many friends here - Mayami has a brother in Rome and a cousin here in Milan), were sitting at a long table eating in the Cuban cafe. There is this amazing drag queen there whose job it seems to be to drag unwitting passersby into the cafe to dance and drink and eat or whatever. She's enormous - in huge heels, tiny dress, sequins on her face, big red wig. They have a band there too - a four or five piece who work like dogs, playing all night; and they play recorded music - timba if you're lucky; reggaeton if not.
When we arrived, the drag queen grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me around talking to various people - she often tries to match dance partners up, but in this case, she took me onto the dance floor .. then I started leading her - jajajaja. Her mouth dropped open in pantomime shock (she doesn't speak, it's part of her schtick), as I led her through various casino moves (again, it was to Adalberto's Que te quieres que te den). That was a cack. Lots of fun. It was good to dance too. I haven't danced that much here - didn't really dance on Saturday when Trabuco played. I don't know why.
Wandered down to the main stage area for Aragon. Well, they were nice. You'd never know it from the records, but charanga kicks arse live. It really does. Who'd have thought those genteel violins could pack such a punch? Lovely sound: sweet and strong - bodeguero - que sucede? Nice stuff. Afterwards I got some delicious asado beef from a Brasilian stall then went back to the Cuban cafe, where the drag queen hooked me up with two different guys for dance - both danced pretty well. These Italianos are on top of the whole casino thing. Cool. Man some of them get pissed though. The other night, I was walking with some of the Trabuqueros to this same cafe, when suddenly there was this rapid momentum of people like a wave - guess what? Just like Havana, it was a tremenda pelea - man those things move fast! Everyone was scattering to get out of the way - then running after it to see what happened. Jajaja. Not me. I don't care if two drunken idiots want to beat each other to bloody pulps.
Getting back from the festival was not easy - everyone drives. Much tiime was spent sitting on a curb waiting for a taxi that cost - wait for it - €20!!! Jeez, Louise.

God I'm behind. Done much since my last post. I'm in Milan and going to stay here for a few days because: news just in - Manolin is going to play here on Tuesday with Paulito, Pupy and NG la Banda on Tuesday. The guys from Trabuco are saying that Manolin won't come, but last night he as still on the cartelera and, well, hope springs eternal.

On Saturday, as Paulito's gang was leaving for Turin, Trabuco arrived, so there was a big scene in the lobby of the hotel, Cubans everywhere - Cuban musicos everywhere - happy and greeting each other. It was very cool. There are some good friends in this lot - Trabuco's drummer Riverón for instance, is good buddies with the Elite's bassist Cristóbal. [These were two that were supposed to come to the legendary Belascoain fiesta too - and both mentioned to me how sorry they were that they missed it - after hearing reports from those who went. Riverón was recording, and had a car full of drums, which he didn't want to leave parked in a Centro Habana street in case it all got ripped off. I don't remember why Cristobal couldn't make it. He asked me when the next one was! I said, um, next year?]

I had planned to travel with Paulito and his crew but in the end, their bus was too small, so I stayed behind. OK though - here in Milan Trabuco was about to play - perfecto!

There is a great set-up at the Latinoamericando festival: little shops and restaurants pumping out all manner of Latin music, live and recorded, Mexican, Brasilian, Cuban, everywhere. The stage has a big video screen behind it. It's shit for taking pics though, because the band is a long way from the audience barrier. Too bad. After Genova with such a small turnout (more about that later); this was pretty full, though again, kind of a subdued audience - not much dancing. Not that I saw anyway. Amaray has really been on fire at the gigs here in Italy, really performing, and much more animated than at any of the gigs I saw in Havana. Maybe a foreign crowd stimulates him in a way that the local gigs don't. (I guess I could ask him!) The set was more or less as usual, though El Indio has more to do here than he does in Havana - Mayami is only singing Sacude la Mate, unfortunately - I love La Raspadura, but haven't heard it this trip (I asked Manolito to play it before the show, but they didn't, so I guess that was a no). The audiences love El Indio's Como fue - love it. Mayami was doing lots of lifting of the shirt to bare his undulating stomach ... Mmmm, could watch that all day ... I didn't hang around afterwards: when the guagua left for the hotel about 2, I was on it, with sundry Trabuqueros, while others stayed to kick on in the Cuban restaurant.



The night before had been Paulito at a club in town. We went with the group to a restaurant for some excellent Cuban food - fantastic frijoles negros. Paulito sat at the head of the table, like the leader of the pack that he is. There was some guy singing and playing congas to recorded music for entertainment. I talked a lot with Cristóbal - he's a very cool guy. Funny too. He speaks very candidly about, well, everything, including Cuban music. After we ate, everyone stood in the street talking - Paulito doesn't like to arrive at his gigs early, and he wasn't due to play until 1am. Jeez. I was exhausted from lack of sleep - I haven't been able to catch up at all. We arrived at the club, and the news got worse: suddenly he wasn't playing at 1, he was playing at 3. THREE. Fuck. The music was blaring - lots of reggaeton, but a nice bracket of timba with Adalberto's Que quieres que te den, which I danced to with Cristóbal, during which he said: I recorded the bass on this. That's pretty cool. I didn't realise he had been in the band when they recorded that album (he left the Elite briefly a year ago for a stint with Adalberto, before returning to Paulito's group).
The club was a big caverous warehouse type thing in what seemed to be an industrial area - pretty bad for sound. It cost five euros for a beer and five euros for a water. By the end of the night, most people there were pretty pissed - how on earth do they afford it?
When the band fiinally came on, estuve muerta, but I managed to get up and dance a bit. The band had spent the whole day travelling in a bus from the south of Italy, they must have all been exhausted. But they didn't play like it. They're amazing those Cubans musicians: no matter what the circumstances, they manage to kick arse. Unfortunately they didn't open with my favourite song, Sin Etiqueta - or play it at all. Which is a big shame because that song is one of the reasons I came to Italy! Too many songs from Te deseo suerte, which is a pretty average album. But they rocked, because they do rock, Paulito and his group. A smaller line-up than the band I saw in Havana, though I can't think what is missing, apart from the guy who plays the kit. Cristóbal says the horn section is pretty much all new except for one guy, but they sounded pretty good. Maikel, the piano player is definitely an asset. And Pututi III of course. Man that guy is 20, looks 12, and plays like he has all the experience in the world. Lucky I'm not a wannabe musician or he'd just make me feel like giving up.

The band finished at five then ... Paulito called an impromptu meeting for, god I don't know, almost an hour. Meanwhile the reggaeton was pumping out in the club - which was actually more full then than it had been at one - the sun was rising outside, and I was dying of fatique. When we finally came back to the hotel, I peeled off my clothes, threw them on the floor and passed out.

I was lamenting the fact that I was so exhausted the other day, then I thought: oye! isn't this why I'm here? Didn't I come to Italy at this time because all the bands are here at the same time? And here I am, hanging with them, getting to talk about timba with the guys who make it, seeing them play, travelling with them... isn't this a dream come true? No more complaining about sleep. I'll just try and get some when I can (like now).

So a while has passed since I wrote - first I was traipsing through ancient Rome, then the timba started - and I was without a net connection. I guess you can't have everything. On Wednesday me and my travelling companion (MTC) went out to Ciampino, a 30 euro taxi ride outside of Rome near the site of Fiesta. As we pulled up in the carpark, MTC said of the guys sitting around on the patio playing with mobile phones, "looks like Cubans." I said, yes it does, in fact, it's Pupy. He and his musicos were tooling around the cavernous hotel killing time while they organised gigs to replace those that fell through in northern Europe. We met Bon Bon - los que Son Son's drummer, and Reinier, the bass player. They had been to Fiesta the last couple of nights to see Oscar d'Leon and Gilberta Santa Rosa.
I went for a nap and MTC had a long chat to Pupy.
Later we headed out to Fiesta which is a very cool place. They've made up a little village with a Cuban restaurant (with congris!) and shops and it has a really nice vibe. It's all outdoors, with some cover. Seated at a long table were all of Trabuco and their crew. That was a joyous reunion. There was much hugging and kissing and greeting all my old friends from Havana. I was so exicted I was jumping up and down like a kid. No squealing though. At least not that I can remember. Mayami has had all his hair shaved off except for a ridge at the front, which looks a bit odd. Everyone was in fine form and I even got an introduction to Manolito (after all this time). Ate some pollo asado, then the band played. Very good form. Nice big stage, fantastic sound. Small Italians - easy for looking over the heads of. Very nice. Heaps of fun. Man, these guys are pura felicidad for me. I'm always so happy when I'm watching them. Soy contenta.
Most of Los que Son Son joined them - Pupy on piano - twice - which was very cool. Some really nice tumbaos in Locos por mi Habana; Mandy, Jannier, Pepe arrived very late right at the end, looking a tad dishevelled, sounding great. Our new friends Reinier and Bon Bon stood in on bass and drums and I'm sure there were more players I missed. I couldn't miss Tony Cala in his bright red African style ensemble.

It was great stuff: chaos and brilliance at once. Fantastic.

Afterwards we all sat around talking in the cool night air, and we organised to travel to Genova the next day with Trabuco (our plans had to change suddenly). The catch: a 6:30 am start.

More on that in the next update.