A potent blend of dance-floor friendly salsa and high-energy showmanship… see Cafe Cubano live … feel of the spirit of the legendary dance clubs of Havana. Beginners salsa class with, usually with Ana Machado. DJ Billy Bryans fills the gaps… At Lula Lounge, donde si no?.

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Roberto Linares Brown …the award winning CD is back in stock at Descarga.com, click here.

Live Cuban dance music at it’s best: the flavourful horns, the measured percussion, the improvisation, the sabor… it’s all here in the live performance of this dynamic band.

Linares Brown was a catalyst for the creation of Lula Lounge’s popular Havana Norte series which has featured a who’s who of Toronto-based Cuban musicans. Linares Brown has been contributing to the series since 2006 performing original compositions that became the basis of his brilliant 2008 solo release, “Que No Se Pierda La Essencia”. After an extended tour of Europe, Roberto Linares Brown (aka El Seña’) has returned to his home in Canada – boasting new compositions and with a renewed desire to take Toronto’s salsa scene to the next level.

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Tinariwen is a band of Tuareg musicians from the Sahara Desert region of northern Mali.Formed in 1979, they rose to prominence in the 1980s as the pied pipers of a new political and social conscience in the southern Sahara, and the icons of a whole generation of young Touareg living in exile in Algeria and Libya. In the early 2000s Tinariwen started to gain a following outside Africa, first in the world music community, and then in the wider rock scene, thanks to frequent tours and appearances at major festival in Europe and the USA. After releasing their second CD album ‘Amassakoul’ in 2004 they become one of the most successful African groups in the world, and won several prestigious awards. They sing about the suffering and exile of their people, the semi-nomadic Kel Tamashek of the southern Sahara, and about their beauty of the desert home.

$30 advance, $40 at the door… NOTE they are almost sold out we are advised!  They sold out Mod club last year.  Promoter Small World Music.

Phoenix concert theatre, March 4 at 8 PM.

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The owners of Gallery 345 found 2 excellent pianos available when York University disposed of them.  They brought them to the gallery and started using the place as a music venue as well as a gallery… based on these excellent instruments and the acoustics of the gallery.

Top pianists do pass the word about this kind of place … now, an invitation to play here is welcomed like few other places.  Already the list of past concerts here is impressive.

And David Virelles qualifies as one of the great musicians, by nature as well as training, you should try to hear at this place.

Like many of his generation in Cuba who study at the numerous academies of music, he was required to meet high standards mastering the classical theory and repertory.  And also absorbed the poly-rhythmic Afro-cuban heartbeat of music that suffuses Cuba.   When it became clear this young student was special even amongst the best Cuban musicians, Jane Bunnett sponsored him to come to Canada and complete his musical education with some solid Canadian credentials, at Humber College.

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The Art of the Piano: David Virelles
Sunday March 14 at 3 PM

Read more…

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THE POWER OF COMMUNITY: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil

A film on how Cuba responded to the challenges of peak oil in the 90’s. Followed by a discussion on creating a more local, low-energy society and addressing the challenges of climate change in our own neighbourhood.

FREE FILM SCREENING AND DISCUSSION

When: Tuesday, March 2nd at 6:30 pm
Where: Annette Street Branch Library, 145 Annette St. (E of Pacific, W of Keele), Community Room 1

For more information:

Contact Name: Rita Bijons
Website: http://green13toronto.blogspot.com
Phone: 416 766 6331

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Viva Cuba kick-starts the Cuban Film series (by the CCFA Toronto) at Tinto.   Screenings will take place on the last Friday of the month, typically. This opening session will take place Friday, February 26 at 7 pm.

This 80 minute film was conceived as especially appropriate for an audience of children but is so well crafted that adults alike have enjoyed it worldwide.

Admittance is free of charge.

Tinto Coffee House
Fair Trade – Latin American – Organic
89 Roncesvalles Avenue  (north of Queen St West)
Toronto M6R 2K6
Ph/Fx 416-530-5885
www.tinto.ca

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AT the club called Havana Nights, in Ajax outside Toronto, they used to hire small bands… mostly Cuban band leaders… who used musicians mostly out of the talent pool of Cuban musicians around the GTA.  The Saturday Latin nights were quite popular.

Then they tried changing hats, to become a pure restaurant dropping the dance club role… hiring a notable chef… and renaming themselves “South Restaurant“.  But… now they are back to dance music, alternate Saturdays for now.  Orlando Cardoso’s 5 man band is holding the job right now.

NEW: every Thursday night, Cuban pianist and bandleader Orlando Cardoso and friends will be playing at the club’s Latin night, same place.

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Joaquin has posted this event. .. Rumberos All Star Big Band with special visitor, Changüito.

The famous percussionist from Cuba… who has had personal impact on making the trademark sounds of the most famous dance bands of Cuba in this generation… like Los Van Van, and Pupy y Los Que Son, Son… Changüito.

The night begins with a latin jazz set at 8pm… followed by two full salsa sets later in the night.  Advance tickets available via Paypal, at Lula site.

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Changüito trajo la paila, y con eso… quien no baila!

The Master Changuito in Toronto

Jalidan Ruiz | MySpace Music Videos

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Photo by Live Music Report, last visit by Changüito

Rumberos Latin Jazz Descarga with special guest Jose Luis Changüito @ Trane Studio. Direct from Cuba.  The most famous living percussionist in the most famous percussion country in the world, Cuba !

Trane Studio, an intimate club at 964 Bathurst street, 2 blocks up from the Bathurst Subway station.

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UPDATE: Tickets on sale Tuesday March 2 at ticketmaster.

Billy Bryans posted this poster of Eliades Ochoa, and an earlier version of Buena Vista Social Club for a coming concert, April 23 and 24.

Information is sketchy so far, but we’ll keep you posted of what we hear!

A similar show, featuring some of the great classic talents of  Cuba including pianist Peruchin, and singers Las d’Aida was presented in the same space, in December 2008, I was lucky enough to be there.

So I (an admin here at CIT) can vouch for the fact: this is one of the best spaces in the world to see this kind of show.

The Royal is a classic theatre, completely renovated for comfort and for technical “state of the art” by a previous owner “Theatre D”, truly intimate by virtue of the original architect’s design… adds up to a night you will not forget.  I don’t think there is a venue in Cuba that could satisfy your senses as well as this one…

Well worth the price, expected to be $59.

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