Ethiel Faílde: Keeper of the Flame of Danzón
Did Miguel Faílde (1852-1921) create or even “consciously stumble” upon (both better epithet than “invented”) the now-iconic danzón dance form that Cuba gave the...
Jazz Plaza 2020: Embracing the Culture of Jazz
Chapter one of our series: 35th Jazz Plaza International Festival in Havana
Culture - the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation,...
RIP Ray Mantilla (June 22, 1934 – March 21, 2020)
Ray Mantila performing at Bushnell Park. Hartford Jazz Society’s Monday Night Jazz Summer Series. July 28, 2014. - Photo credit: Andrew...
Omar Sosa & The Aguas Trio In Concert at Birdland (NYC)
Omar Sosa knows how to make an entrance. Wearing a white kaftan, matching skull cap, and adorned with a Santeria collare (collar) and bracelets...
Elio Villafranca: Revealing the Secrets of Slavery
In the newly-crowded world of Afro-Caribbean music, where instrumentalists have always reigned supreme, the singularity of the composer is suddenly in the limelight. We...
El Comité: Y Qué!? (So What)
A fantasy of my own making: Truth be told, the Cubans and French have not got together to and create a wonderful musical take...
Daymé Arocena: Voice of a Volcanic Heartbeat
When Jane Bunnett introduced a young Afro-Cuban vocalist Daymé Arocena as the first led singer of her seminal all-woman ensemble Maqueque we knew someone...
Roberto Fonseca: When the Fingers do the Chanting
The pianist Roberto Fonseca stands quite apart from the plethora of impressive young pianists to come out of Cuba since the era between Bebo...
Chick Corea – The Spanish Heart Band: Antidote
Editor's Pick · Featured Album
For young, aspiring pianists, Chick Corea and his music might easily be considered “essential study”. His breathtaking oeuvre offers so...
Remembering Jerry González on his 70th Birthday
Not long ago, I was interviewing two important contributors to the world of American music and letters – Eddie Palmieri and the other was...
One on One with Drummer, Composer, Educator Marlon Simon
DN: Hi Marlon, welcome back to the musical scene, we at latinjazznet.com are very excited about...
Best Recordings of 2018 – Part 3
2018 was a very prolific year in terms of music being released. It was a year of excellency, in terms of great new music...
Yaíma Sáez Brings a Burst of Sunshine from Cuba to Canada
As part of the Cuban Focus Series (2018-2019 Diamond Season) Cuban singer Yaíma Sáez y su Grupo made their debut appearance at the intimate...
Feel The Heat: Arturo Sandoval at Flato Markham Theatre
Arturo Sandoval - Cuban Focus Series - March 23, 2019
Spring had arrived but you wouldn’t know it by the temperature outside. Only the billboard...
Best Recordings of 2018 – Part 2
2018 was a very prolific year in terms of music being released. It was a year of excellency, in terms of great new music...
Diego Figueiredo meets “Chuchito” Valdés at Flato Markham Theatre
Brazil meets Cuba, a time for Markham and GTA residents to come in from the cold for what was promised to be some hot...
Hilario Durán Latin Jazz Big Band at Koerner Hall (Concert Review)
On the evening of Saturday, February 9, 2019, Cuban-Canadian piano master Hilario Durán and his Latin Jazz Big Band returned to Koerner Hall in...
Various Artists: The Complete Cuban Jam Sessions
There is much anecdotal evidence – some of it apocryphal – that the Cubans brought a diabolical complexity to Jazz when the musicians among...
Arturo Sandoval in Concert at Flato Markham Theatre
Ten-time Grammy Award winner and trumpet master Arturo Sandoval makes his return to Markham! A protégé of the legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, Sandoval...
Diego Figueiredo and Chuchito Valdés: Brazil Meets Cuba
Combining two of the most exciting artists in Latin jazz creates an explosion of music and crazed fans. Diego Figueiredo is considered one of...