DESDE QUE LA SAMBA ES SAMBA. DESDE CAETANO Y GILBERTO
Estos dos grandes no necesitan presentación. Los tenemos en Nueva York con un par de presentaciones, a casa llena, en la Brooklyn Academy Of Music (BAM) este 20 y 21 de abril.
ESSENTIALS : MUSIC : SPRING 2013
Ooff! This is just a taste!. Plenty of music to go around in our first spring 2013 music listing. Enjoy and share!.
* At STAGE 48:
- BAJOFONDO > Gira Nacional: NYC, Miami, Washington, San Juan > Marzo 28 en NYC > BAJO.

Several years ago, Argentine musician and composer Gustavo Santaolalla, together with Uruguayan musician-producer Juan Campodónico, conceived of a group that would be a collective of Argentine and Uruguayan artists dedicated to creating "contemporary music of the Rio de la Plata," the body of water that separates the two countries. The project, which debuted under the name Bajofondo Tango Club, was an alliance of producers, musicians, and singers that took shape in the recording studio, resulting in an inimitable tango-fusion blend. The group's first album, the self-titled Bajofondo Tango Club (2002), won a Latin Grammy for Best Instrumental Pop Album in 2003 and sold more than 300,000 copies worldwide.
- Oscar D'León > Abril 3 > Stage48.
- OXOMATLI > Abril 6 > Stage48.
In their fifteen years together as a band, celebrated Los Angeles culture-mashers Ozomatli have gone from being hometown heroes to being named U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassadors. Their music — a notorious urban-Latino-and-beyond collision of hip hop and salsa, dancehall and cumbia, samba and funk, merengue and comparsa, East LA R&B and New Orleans second line, Jamaican ragga and Indian raga— has long followed a key mantra: it will take you around the world by taking you around L.A. Originally formed to play at a Los Angeles labor protest over a decade ago, Ozomatli spent some of their early days participating in everything from earthquake prep “hip hop ghetto plays” at inner-city elementary schools to community activist events, protests, and city fundraisers. Ever since, they have been synonymous with their city: their music has been taken up by both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Clippers, they recorded the street-view travelogue “City of Angels” as a new urban anthem, and they were featured as part of the prominent L.A. figures imaging campaign “We Are 4 L.A.” on NBC, and have the distinction of headlining the Hollywood Bowl twice in 2008 and 2010. Ozomatli has spent 15 years working diligently to spread its message of peace, communication and understanding through music, with a long standing tradition of performing for children all over the world, from the schools of North St. Louis to the orphanages of Southeast Asia. 2011 has the band focused on “oZoKidZ”, a special family friendly set geared towards performing for children and adults alike. The band are currently in the studio with acclaimed producer Tony Berg, recording a children’s album for release in 2011, followed by a book, DVD and tour.
- Bomba Estéreo > Abril 13> Stage48.
Bomba Estéreo came together as a project organized by Simon Mejia in 2005, forming within the rich underground electronic scene that has become Bogota, Colombia. Recruiting fierce singer Liliana Saumet to join the group, Bomba Estéreo expanded its sound and captivating live show. The group plays an explosive dance-fusion of electronic dub and hip-hop, in a similar vein as M.I.A. and Santigold, mixed with Colombian rhythms like cumbia and champeta.
Bomba made their U.S. debut at SXSW 2009, an experience that helped establish the group and their latest release, “Blow Up.” In the last several months, the group has toured everywhere from New York and Brazil out to London and Dublin. In the summer of 2009, they rocked the European festival circuit, with ecstatic crowds like the 10,000 at Denmark’s prestigious Roskilde Festival.
The influence of Afro Colombian rhythms and the coastal sounds is especially important to Bomba Estereo’s music. Saumet grew up on the Colombian coast in a city called Santa Marta. “It’s a small city with a beautiful and mystical force,” she explains. “The indigenous people call it the ‘heart of the world.’ Ever since I was young, I had the opportunity to listen to such a wide variety of music, from local folk music to sounds arriving from Africa and the United States. I think that mix is reflected in our own music.”
- Sentidos Opuestos > Abril 14 > Stage48.
Mexican Latin pop duet Sentidos Opuestos was formed by local producer Miguel Blasco in the early 1990s. Alessandra Rosaldo started singing at the age of 12, soon becoming a backup singer for Latin star Lucero. Joined by Chacho Gaytán, the act released a self-titled debut album in 1993, getting their songs "Historias De Amor" and "Escribeme En El Cielo" climbing on local charts. A year later, Sentidos Opuestos recorded Al Sol Que Mas Calienta, moving to Barcelona, Spain, to make Viviendo Del Futuro, produced by Eduardo Posada and released in 1996. After issuing Viento A Favor in 1998, Chacho Gaytán began working as a producer and arranger while Alessandra Rosaldo was making her debut as an actress in a soap opera called DKDA: Sueños de Juventud. In the year 2000, Sentidos Opuestos returned with Movimiento Perpetuo. Their last album was En Vivo (2001). It has been reported that on 2012 a duet reunion will occur. They are currently recording a new album, and will likely tour to promote it.
* OUR LATIN THING - Tribute to the Fania All Stars > BB King Blues Club > Marzo 28 > BBKing.
August 26th, 1971, New York gives birth to a sound that would change the face of Latin Music forever. That evening at the reknown Cheetah Nightclub, Jerry Massucci, president of the legendary label FANIA, presented an ensemble of its best artists- THE FANIA ALL-STARS. The show was billed as "Our Latin Thing". In the decades ahead the FANIA ALL-STARS would become the ambassadors and juggernauts of Latin Music around the world. They became the musical reflection of the times, needs, and struggles of New York's Latino community. Their music was "Salsa Gorda", influenced by American Jazz, Soul, and Rock and Roll. Their music became part of Americana.
Billed as "Our Latin Thing", the 17-piece group performs as an assortment of the FANIA ALL STARS' top hits. This Musical/Theatrical like revue, will take the audience on a musical poetic journey. "Our Latin Thing", in it's own right, is an All Star group, made up of lead singers and musicians of New York's top young bands.
* At Americas Society: AS.
- Codex II: The Bishop's Band > Abril 20.
- La Cumbiamba NY > March 30.
* Los Amigos Invisibles > Gira Nacional: NYC, Boston, Filadelfia, San Francisco, Los Angeles + > Abril 6 en Webster Hall, NYC > Amigos.
- THE BRAZIL SHOW FEAT. TIAGO & AFAMILIA > Marzo 30 > Plus Abril 20, 27.
- GARIFUNA SURVIVAL DAY CELEBRATION WITH AURELIO MARTINEZ > Abril 12.

- AFTERWORK SALSA GOOVE FEAT: LA EXCELENCIA > Abril 19.
- BACHATA AFTEROWRK FEAT. FRANCO OLIVO Y ALTO VOLTAJE > Abril 22.
* At BLUE NOTE:
- Al DiMeola & Gonzalo Rubalcaba Duo > Abril 9 - 14 > BLUE NOTE.
A bona fide guitar hero, perennial poll-winner and virtuoso of the highest order, Al Di Meola has also been recognized over the past 30 years as a prolific composer and respected artist with over 20 recordings as a leader. His creative output to date is staggering, whether it’s with his current World Sinfonia band or past musical endeavors like his electric Tour de Force group with Jan Hammer, Anthony Jackson, Steve Gadd and Mingo Lewis, the internationally acclaimed Trio with fellow guitar superstars John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia, the Rite of Strings trio with Stanley Clarke and Jean-Luc Ponty or the ‘70s fusion supergroup Return To Forever with Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. And while his dazzling technique on both acoustic and electric guitars has afforded him regal status among the hordes of fretboard aficionados who regularly flock to his concerts, the depth of Di Meola’s writing along with the soulfulness and his inherent lyricism of his guitaristic expression have won him legions of fans worldwide beyond the six-string set.
* Arturo Sandoval > Abril 26-28 > BLUE NOTE.
He is one of the most dynamic and vivacious live performers of our time, and has been seen by millions at the Oscars performing with Celine Dion, at the Grammy Awards with Justin Timberlake and as a leader, as well as on the Billboard Awards with Alicia Keys.
* Michel Camilo > Abril 30 - Mayo 5 > BLUE NOTE.
A pianist with a brilliant technique and a composer that flavors his tunes with Afro-Caribbean rhythms, Michel Camilo's musical language is an expressive combination of his Dominican Republic musical heritage and a rich, intelligent use of jazz harmonies and textures. Camilo composed his first piece at age five then studied at the National Conservatory for thirteen years. At age sixteen, he became a member of the National Symphony Orchestra of the Dominican Republic.
In 1979, he moved to New York City where he furthered his education at Mannes and the Juilliard School of Music. Since his 1985 Carnegie Hall debut and his 1987 composer debut with the National Symphony Orchestra of the Dominican Republic, Camilo has become a leading figure in jazz in the US, Europe, Japan, and the Caribbean. November of 1988 marked his debut on a major record label with the release of his self- titled album, Michel Camilo (Sony).
* AT JOE'S PUB:
- Chicha Libre > Abril 11 > Joe's Pub.
The Brooklyn-based collective which count members from Mexico, France, Venezuela and the US takes its inspiration from exotic strains of cumbia from the nether hemisphere. As a follow up to their mostly original material on 2012's Canibalismo, Chicha Libre turns its attention to some classic songs from the Anglophone world, applying its psychedelic chicha template to the Clash, Arthur Lee's Love, Los Shapis, and the Simpsons’ theme song.
- Cucu Diamantes > Abril 13 > Joe's Pub.
Cucú Diamantes returns to her homeland in Cuba to perform her songs while becoming the first touring artist from outside the country in over 50 years. Along the way she realizes that she is “too much of a Cuban to live in New York, too much of a New Yorker to live in Havana”. This paradox, along with a new-found romance, sets her semi-fictional lead character on a whirlwind tour through the Cuban heartland. Cuban filmmaker Jorge Perugorría mixes live concert footage with an over-the-top fiction smorgasbord to create a love story and a road movie with a flashy musical twist.
- Giammaria Testa > Mayo 4 > Joe's Pub.
In autumn 2011 his new album VITAMIA (My Life) was released and at Joe's Pub he will present it VITAMIA (“My Life”): Eleven tracks that embody personal and political reflections spanning some fifty years or “18 Thousands days” (to quote the title of one of the album’s songs). Like life itself, VITAMIA is a fresco of human emotions that draws on an immense diversity of musical colors and nuances.
- Villalobos Brothers > Mayo 5 > Joe's Pub.

- Magos Herrera and Sofia Rei > Mayo 11 > > Joe's Pub.
Magos Herrera (Mexico) and Sofia Rei (Argentina) present Sur 2 South, an evening of music that celebrates North and South America from different perspectives. Both ground-breaking artists are currently based in New York City and have captivated audiences internationally, being considered two of the most beautiful and charismatic voices of their generation.
Formed in Barcelona in the mid-'90s, Latin rock outfit Jarabe de Palo was the brainchild of guitarist and frontman Pau Dones, along with drummer Alex Tenas, bassist Joan Gene, and drummer Dani Forcada. The band made its first big splash with its 1996 album La Flaca, the title track from which became the song of the summer in Spain in 1997. Determined not to be a one-hit wonder, Dones led his band through a series of successful releases over the next decade, including Depende (1998), De Vuelta y Vuelta (2001), Grandes Exitos (2003), Un Metro Cuadrado 1m2 (2004), and Adelantando (2007).
In 2008, Jarabe de Palo announced it was departing from its longtime record label, EMI Music Spain, and going independent. The band compressed the letters in its name and founded its own imprint, releasing a new album, Orquestra Reciclando, the following year. Featuring new versions of the band's own hits, the disc also featured a new song. Y Ahora Que Hacemos?, the band's latest album, came out last year.
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THE LARAMIE PROJECT CYCLE at BAM
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LATINO EVENTS AT THE NEXT WAVE FESTIVAL IN NYC
CuCu Diamantes (photo by Mark Seliger)
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Sights and Sounds: Six fierce performers, the inventive glow of light concocted by Lenore Doxsee, the hallucinatory sound stylings of Neal Medlyn, and the cool, dislocating film and words of Boru O'Brien O'Connell.
ESSENTIALS : MUSIC FOR THE SEASON
Following the success of their first tour together "Dos Pájaros De Un Tiro", Joan Manuel Serrat and Joaquin Sabina embark on a second tour "Dos Pajaros Contraatacan".
* VOCES DE AMERICA LATINA > Carnegie Hall > Hasta Diciembre 11 > VOICES.
El Carnegie Hall ha invitado a tres artistas latinos de renombre internacional para organizar esta serie de conciertos: al cantante y vibrante compositor Gilberto Gil, símbolo de la música popular brasileña; al pianista y compositor Chucho Valdés, representante del jazz afro-cubano, y al director de orquesta Gustavo Dudamel, promotor de El Sistema, reconocido proyecto musical venezolano. Y todos bajo la dirección de Osvaldo Golijov (actual titular de la cátedra de Composición Richard y Barbara Debs).
King's reign as King of the Blues has been long and prosperous, and he continues to wear his crown well. At age 86, he is still light on his feet, singing and playing the blues with relentless passion. Time has no apparent effect on King, other than to make him more popular, more cherished, and more relevant than ever. Don't look for him in some kind of semi-retirement; look for him out on the road, playing for people, popping up in a myriad of T.V. commercials, or laying down tracks for his next album. B.B. King is as alive as the music he plays, and a grateful world can't get enough of him. Don't miss his special performance at the club that bears his name.
CuCu Diamantes (photo by Mark Seliger)
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Mystical yet fiery, passionately romantic yet supremely cool – you hear those first few notes from that instantly recognizable tenor, and know you’re in the unique musical world of Gato Barbieri. His enduring career has covered virtually the entire jazz landscape, from free jazz with trumpeter Don Cherry and avant-garde in the mid-’60s, to film scoring and his ultimate embrace of Latin music throughout the ’70s and ’80s. Barbieri began playing tenor saxophone with his own band in the late ’50s and moved to Rome with his Italian-born first wife Michelle in 1962, where he began collaborating with Cherry. The two recorded two albums for Blue Note: Complete Communion (1965) and Symphony for Improvisers (1966), both of which are considered classics of free group improvisation. He also collaborated with Steve Lacy, Abdullah Ibrahim, Charlie Haden, Carla Bley and the Jazz Composer’s Orchestra, Stanley Clarke, Airto Moreira, Chico O’Farrell, and Lonnie Liston Smith during this period.
José Feliciano is a Puerto Rican & American singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including "Light My Fire" and the best-selling Christmas single "Feliz Navidad".
A colorful presentation that delights children and families as well as jazz fans, the JAZZ NATIVITY boasts an all-star band and cast featuring trombonist Steve Turre, Max "Rumba tap" Pollak and trumpeter Ray Vega, as the Three Kings, New York's "singing policeman," Daniel Rodriguez, jazz singer Claudia Acuna as Mary, soprano Brenda Feliciano, as the archangel, singers Mauricio Trejo, Jorge Ocasio and saxophonist David de Jesus as the shepherds and Franshees Richardo as the shepherd girl. Special guests in the grand finale include the great Latin percussionists Candido, Chembo Corniel and Bobby Sanabria, trumpeter Enrique Sanchez, from the Juilliard Jazz Program and pianist, Alex Brown. The vocal group is Shadia Almasri, Elise Hernandez, Bert Dovo and Edwin David Vargas.
* SUGAR MAN RODRIGUEZ >> En Gira Nacional > Rodriguez.
In 1998, when Rodriguez was discovered, alive and well and living in Detroit, the search was over and those two websites were combined into this one central online repository for all information about Rodriguez.
MLK WEEKEND AT BAM/MIRIAM MAKEBA TRIBUTE
BAMcafé Live celebrates the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. with a tribute on Fri, Jan 16 to “Mama Africa,” South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba. Under the direction of Latasha Diggs, a host of poets, singers, and musicians—including Tamar-Kali, Mazz Swift, and many others—come together with congas, guitar, and bass to pay homage in song to one of music’s greatest singers and humanitarians. And people, is a free event! Miriam was a gift to us all. Lets keep enjoying her. More music on TespisTV
On Saturday, Jan 17th BamCafé will present PS24. A "Folk-hop" trio, PS24 are masters of musical efficiency, dishing out big hip-hop and acoustic folk with little more than vocals, rhymes, an acoustic guitar, and an African drum known as the djembe.
Shows start at 9pm. Bar opens at 8pm. Visit bam.org