Charanga Latina and Aisar and Pepito

Another interesting post from Mirco at Timba Por Siempre - he wasn't about to let roast turkeys and plum pudding get in the way of blogging it seems (unlike myself).
His latest missive concerns the imminent album from Enrique Alvarez and Charanga Latina.
I remember seeing these guys one Thursday night at Casa de la Musica Galiano in 2004 - they were a small band with a synth bass - they did not rock my world - they couldn't even rock the house, I'm sorry to say.
But four years later, things are rather different. I've been hearing one of their songs, Brujeria, on MB Caribe and Todo Musica. It's a feisty number with strong traditional Cuban elements and a modern energy.
Revé's Aisar Hernandez told me he had done some work with them, and sure enough, on Mirco's album notes, he is listed as a composer on three songs - reason enough to give the album a listen.
Pepito formerly of Pupy also turns up as composer and singer. His songs from the last Pupy album, Desde cero and and Un poquito al reves were highlights of that album, so it's great to have another one from him. Must have been one of the last things he recorded before he left Cuba.
So this is just one of a handful of new releases to look out for - apart from the Van Van and Havana D'Primera (see below) discs, there is also Alaín Daniel's long-lost album, which was supposedly completed last July. What the hell happened to that?
Mirco has also included some audio samples from the Charanga Latina album and a youtube clip if you'd like to hear what I'm babbling on about .
And if you're going to Havana, the band still plays most Thursday nights at Galiano.

One year of Havana D'Primera

Soon I will be posting my review of the discs of 2008. Although Havana D'Primera have not yet released an album during the year (it is due very soon); their demos were some of my most played songs during the year. Alexander Abreu has hit on a brilliant, touching, and at times, spiritual, combination that never fails to move me, in both the physical and emotional senses.

The band played it's first gig in Havana in December of '07, and to celebrate one year together, they are playing a gig with invitados, including Pablo Milanes, Tanya Pantoja (of course - she is the new Michel Maza when it comes to ligging), and Roberto and Mayito from Van Van, in Havana at Salon Rojo. Alexander, trombonista Amaury Perez and guirero Yasser Mejias turned up on Piso 6 this week to talk about the gig and the new disc.

¡No timba!

Bad news Sydney timberos: there will be no Cuban night on the 27th after all. We lost the venue for the night, so the next one won't be until next year - and I don't have a date yet. So you'll just have to keep checking back here or the Casa de la Salsa group on Facebook. It's thoroughly depressing. If it hadn't been for Lars and Yarima's terrific party a couple of weeks back I think my legs would have atrophied from lack of use. Sigh. Legs - phfft! Who needs, 'em, eh?

If any other timbero is as distraught as I am and would like to offer their house or apartment as a venue for a Cuban fiesta (or knows of another suitable venue), email me or PM me on Facebook and I will gladly come along and DJ, just so we can all get together and have a big old casino-fest. I'm dyin' here!


The only other option coming up is Son Veneno, on the same night at Parramatta - the DJs don't look like they have a timba disc between them, but Steve from the band says they will be playing all salsa/timba, and the guys surely know how to do that, so if you think you could stand the Latin house/reggaeton in between their sets, this could be the place to be. More details here.

If that doesn't tickle your fancy, they are playing their own gig on January 10 at The Basement.

Hear Pupy's new singers

Mirco at Timba Por Siempre, who must have some of the best contacts in the biz, already has audio samples of Pupy's new singers on his site. As you may or may not know, the biggest news in the timba world since the departure of Pepito from Pupy y Los Que Son Son, is the departure of Mandy from the group - the last of the singers who sang on the band's great first album Que cosas tiene la vida. Mandy was practically an elder statesman of the group - and timba Cubana - and it is really a shame to see him go.
Before Pepito left Cuba to live in the States, he had left the band once before, only to return - I am hoping the same may occur with Mandy, but the alacrity with which Pupy has recorded a new vocal for one of Mandy's songs from the new album - and one of the best songs on it, Nadie puede contra eso - makes this seem unlikely.
I will try and put in a call to La Habana at some point and see what other details I can glean.

The final night in Cuba for '08

Well, it's been a long time between mojitos, but there will be one more One Night in Cuba this year - hallelujah - and make a note, Sydney timberos, it will be a Saturday - that's S-A-B-A-D-O - not Friday, as normal, December 27 - so you have two days to digest that turkey and get ready to get down.
Last year when we had the night at the same time we had a fantastic night - so fantastic, it seems, I neglected to blog it. But let me just say that it was a gorgeous hot summer Sydney night, we had the sliding glass wall open to its full length, a gentle breeze coming in off the bay and the coloured lights of the city reflected in the inky water. Not to mention kickarse fucking music. It was great.
And it filled up early, so get your booties down there at 10, or miss the fun.
There is four weeks before that rolls around, so I hope to see a few of you at Mi Tierra this Saturday at the Basement. They have taken on Despues de todo, and you know what? It doesn't sound half bad. Looking forward to seeing my buddies and having a dance. Even if I do have to get up early to go to work the next day.
Grumble.