Something else to keep an eye on… if you wish you could be in Havana now, you
Alain Daniel's chamacos de la salsa
can… almost…
At least vicariously through Yemaya’s Verse. Gab Wilder does more than most of us would, manages to write it up almost daily to the blog, and makes it fun to read even if you aren’t such a big timba fan.
Sidenote: who started calling the metales (horns) section “los chamacos”? I have a theory it was Manolín, somebody disabuse me of that if it’s wrong. And another theory is that Lazarito Valdés, director of Bamboleo, made all the band study Manolín. There are so many echos of him in the alumni of Bamboleo, Alain, Haila, Vania… and Tanya now, started shouting “Fiesta…” exactly like the good doctor did, when he was on top of the heap in Havana.
Speaking of reguetón… and everybody is, love it or hate it… it is not sealed off from the rest of life in Cuba, as music styles are here. It is everywhere, in everything. It has developed from foreign transplant, into a truly native culture that has Cuba’s music history woven into it. And it is woven into the best new timba from Cuba too.
How to understand this country now and what music is about here?
Here’s how: our friend Jen Paz is just about ready with her inside look at music in Cuba today. If you tell the truth… and Jen does that (see her timba film “Popular“)… the truth means… include a lot about reguetón: the groups, the culture, the times in Cuba, and how Cuban culture is moving to the future faster than any other culture could. As it always has, indeed.
You saw how she nailed it with Popular, the definitive video about timba culture and Charanga Habanera. That is delivering high quality video, editing, content, every minute crafted by a person who *more* than just “gets it”… she gets inside it. Expect no less this time…
Comparatively new on the Toronto scene, José Carret has a show at Lula.
“Dimension Cubana” featuring Contemporary dancer “Jose Carret”. Wednesday June 3, 2009 at LULA LOUNGE @ 1585 Dundas West. Modern Dance Performance, Latin Dance Lesson, Cuban Dance Party. Door time: 7PM Show time: 8:00PM Tickets: $15
“Dinner reservations guarantee seating. Reserve at 416.588.0307 or lula.ca”
info: www.cosmopolitanevents.ca 416-805-2857. See the site for dance lessons available.
At Lula Lounge: Luis Mario Ochoa and Cimarron bring their 100% Salsa show to Lula Lounge for a night dedicated to the dancer. Click on the image for info… At Lula Lounge, donde si no?
Notice we have an Offers and Discounts item on the top menu. Check it out, and save $5 on tomorrow’s big show at Lula, Desandann PLUS Son Aché for one cover. And we are told, more SURPRISES …
Carlos Varela will be featured Friday, July 10 at 7:00 pm on the Bank of America Stage. Likely other dates will be announced in Southern Ontario, stay tuned.
Ottawa Bluesfest has in the past gone farther to bring in the major bands of Cuba… we’ve seen Pupy y los Que Son Son, and Maraca y Otra Vision, along with Blues guitarist Elmer Ferrer in recent years… but it’s nice to see Carlos Varela in town for this years fest !
He’s largely thought of as a folk poet, one of the best loved in Cuba for decades… frequently pushing his luck with the authorities … which should bring out the Cuban expatriates in numbers. But also his tunes are catchy, they’ll please those who don’t understand the lyrics too…
We allow ourselves the odd non-Cuban post, abd here’s one for May!
Take a independent minded island nation, a people with a talent for music and dance…
If you add rum and aguardiente, you get son and salsa, it’s Cuba! If you add stout and whiskey, you get jigs and reels, it’s Ireland!
Riverdance compared to Irish sean-nós, as about like Patrick Swayze vs. Cuban sabor . Forget the parodies of over-muscled dancers and music with the flavour boiled out of it …here’s a taste of the real thing…
Thursday, May 21st
Evening Kick off Session at Dora Keogh’s, 141 Danforth Avenue. This is a free for all session in an Irish pub.
SATURDAY NIGHT May 23 GALA CONCERT
7:30pm at TRANZAC – MAIN HALL
Ceili following the Concert. A ticketed concert, see the web site as details are revealed. And Ceili is Irish for “Fieeeeesta!” with music and dance.
Learn more turn patterns, both free combinations and named (for Rueda), such as Setenta Nuevo, Setenta al Revés, Cuba Libre, and others. Dancing a tiempo (“on 3″) will be emphasized and dancing a contratiempo (“on 2″) will be introduced. There will be more emphasis on styling as well as footwork combinations (floreados). Taught by Cesar Salazar and Albena de Assis.
These classes are taught in a progressive fashion, over a period of 8 weeks. See the web site.
Leoni Torres and Caribe Girls arrived in Toronto today(May 7th) with Mayito Rivera for their presentation this weekend at Cubafest at Kingston and Montreal, Haila Maria Mompie will be flying directly from Mexico City to Toronto on May 15 for the show on May 16th at Ukranian Hall, she already has all flights tickets and visas confirmed and booked.
As well as the three famous Cuban artists (Haila, Leoni and Caribe Girls) the May 16 presentation will include DJ’s Billy Bryans, DJ Carlitos, and Hansdj DJ of Atlantico Hotel in Santa Maria, one of the best DJ from Cuba.
There are still some tickets available for the May 16th presentation although they are expected to sell out before the event takes place, for web sales and more info click www.torontohispano.com or www.cubaintoronto.com
For further information and VIP tables call 647-403-7308
Last week, there was a short preview at 6 degrees. Leoni and the Caribe Girls have got it together, to’ en talla as you can see in this Youtube clip uploaded by salsato.ca:
. Forget the parodies of over-muscled dancers and music with the flavour boiled out of it …here’s a taste of the real thing…
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