The Norwegian Wind Ensemble conducted by Steffen Schorn, featuring Hermeto Pascoal, Marcio Bahia &...
In matters of art – poetry, drama, music and painting – the “timelessness” of the art in...
Mart’nália: The Art of Love and Beauty in Music
Mart’nália’s eyes are like large, limpid pools. They draw you into their world. Once you’re in, the quietude of this portal opens out into...
Premiere: “Descargarará” by The John Santos Sextet
The John Santos Sextet: The Art of The Descarga
Descargarará 6:48
Marco Díaz, piano, trumpet; Saúl Sierra, acoustic bass; Dr. John Calloway, flute; Melecio Magdaluyo,...
Jazz Plaza 2020: Ancient to the Future
Chapter four of our series: 35th Jazz Plaza International Festival in Havana
In recent months I found myself in profound reflection of the term...
Ray Martinez and the Forgotten Legacy of Jazz
Sometime in the very near future, several of the jazz world's best known writers and musicologists will meet in some obscure conclave to pool...
Orquesta Faílde: Faílde con Tumbao
Eight years have passed since Ethiel Faílde (he's the great-great-nephew of the musical creator of the danzón Miguel Faílde) and a group of talented...
A Brief History of the Cuban Style Conjunto
1930: The Orquesta Típica is out and the Conjunto is in
The year 1930 marked a turning point in the development of popular Cuban music....
Jazz Plaza 2020: Speaking in Tongues
Chapter three of our series: 35th Jazz Plaza International Festival in Havana
In 1972, former University of Toronto professor of Anthropology and Linguistics Michael J....
“Si Va’Llover” and the Advent of Música Artesanal
Henry Cole & Villa Locura release a new song featuring Alex López ‘El Callejero’ – “Si Va’Llover” – and a new form of making...
Dafnis Prieto: Rhythmic Synchronicity
A review of the book by Dafnis Prieto, entitled Rhythmic Synchronicity – Individual and Collective Drumming Skills: A rhythmic course for non-drummers
Anyone who has...
Jazz Plaza 2020: The Celebration of Otherness
Chapter two of our series: 35th Jazz Plaza International Festival in Havana
The legendary French philosopher noted for his work in phenomenology Paul Ricœur, wrote...
RIP Andy González (January 1, 1951 – April 9, 2020)
* Andy González (January 1, 1951, The Bronx, New York – April 9, 2020) was a New York City-based double bass player. González was...
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)
Inspired by his South Bronx Afro-Cuban roots, percussionist Ray Mantilla rose to prominence in the early...
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...