Havana Fairfax Connection

A carnival of music, joy and danceable tunes with host Toni Basanta. www.cubanbridge.wordpress.com Featuring A Cuban Rock 'N Roll story never showed before in the US !

A carnival of music, joy and danceable tunes with host Toni Basanta. www.cubanbridge.wordpress.com Featuring The Seeds of Change.

A carnival of music, joy and danceable tunes with host Toni Basanta. www.cubanbridge.wordpress.com Featuring CUBANOS a Documentary Film with 16 Songs of José Luis Barba All these Songs speak to me, they touch a chord in me, and I hope they will do the same for you.

CUBANOS is a CD DVD with the music of José Luís Barba produced by Jerónimo Labrada Jr., engineer and musician featuring close friends living in Havana, Mexico, Miami, Madrid, New York and Chile. The input of audiovisual music experts René Arencibia and Mónica Castro Garcia gave Barba's compositions the boost they needed. Comments by broadcaster and writer Humberto Manduley, the 17 singers, and Grammy winner guitarist-arranger Amed Medina, from his Home Studio in Puebla, Mexico.

WHO IS JOSE LUIS BARBA ? I am sure that many viewers in Vermont and New England have never heard of José Luís Barba, although HE has been touring around the world such as Scandinavia and South America. He has however never been on Tour in the United States of America, but since 2015, BARBA lives in Florida, and knows may some day come to Vermont.

Before settling down in MIAMI, HE lived in Ecuador and Chile, where HE recorded his songs, played in concerts, and festivals, and wrote music for the movies. Special attention is given to the soundtrack of the film COFRALANDES, by Chilean film maker Raúl Ruiz, where BARBA also has an acting role. He plays a globe trotter wandering minstrel, who arrives with his fantastic stories to the city of Quilpué in the 1950s.

But this year, in JUNE 2021, JOSE LUIS BARBA finally arrives on VERMONT airwaves, guitar in hand with a bunch of organic tunes. With this idea that is the 16 tunes, each one naturally moves to the next, thus hopefully leading to a kind of freedom and sensitivity in every soloist, singer or instrumentalist, along his fabulous project CUBANOS, audio and film. All in All, CUBANOS represents a solid fraction of the Big Picture: La Nueva Trova Cubana. To support this memorable meeting BARBA and JERONIMO assembled some of the most cohesive recording artists of its day, as they can channel all the sounds of Cuba.

As an example, drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernández, pianists Miguelito Nuñez and Tony Rodríguez, guitarist Octavio Kotán, and trumpet player and horn arranger Julito Padrón. I saw this film for the first time on Cuban Television during a visit to Havana, and I talked to Julio Machado, a Cuban TV producer about it. Since then, it had always been a dream for me to host it, as CUBANOS serves me as a symbol musically and personally.

CUBANOS has a special dedication to singers and song writers, Xiomara Laugart, Gema Corredera, Donato Poveda and Pavel Urkiza, guitarist Mario Daly, guitar-poet Pedro Luís Ferrer and Mayohuacán Group, which in their hey days, the 1980s, helped to propel Barba's Songs all over the island nation of Cuba, especially "Searching for a good color" (Buscando un buen color).

Once again, I feel most fortunate to be able to make a presentation on television, a film with new originals, and pointedly chosen sidemen, demonstrating how true communication and a fine sense of listening can create timeless expression. I humbly thank all of them. The lesson here is never give up on something you believe in. Acknowledgements to La Casa del Joven Creador in Old Havana, El Parque Almendares, La Peña de 13 y 8 in El Vedado, places which allowed freedom in all these Troubadours' playing and experiments, while being musically accessible. Hope they can all be repaired and active forever !

Thanks to Rebecca Padula and LCATV for providing me a great opportunity to feature some of my good friends on Television. More about them in my blog, The Cuban Bridge, and most likely soon on the radio. So please, stay tuned to LCATV as there are 16 clips, one for each song, produced by René Arencibia and Luís Leonel León, ripe of discovery in North America. - Peace Is All We Need

A carnival of music, joy and danceable tunes with host Toni Basanta. Featuring: Victor Goines and Janio Abreu with Aire de Concierto in Our Musical Heritage Live at the Fine Arts Museum in Havana, Cuba featuring two special guests, pianist Iván "Melón" Lewis and tres guitar player Michael McClintock.
Victor Goines is back in Havana, this time on January 14, 2018, responding to an invitation of Janio Abreu leader of Aire de Concierto. They had only 3 days to accomplish 3 concerts, interviews with the media, and a press conference. In these three days, Mr. Goines also left his pedagogue imprint spirit in several Music Schools where HE honored his peers and alumnis with his presence, talents, patience and wisdom. His musicianship was revealed in Concert while playing certain Cuban rhythms as Nengón, Pilón and Changuí, which are part of Our Musical Heritage, and have entered the Jazz canon, in later decades, with the emotional eloquence of a great singer, paired with the dazzling agility of a master soloist. A New Orleans icon, Mr. Goines is a kind of human being whose energy and inspiration contributed to the success of this unique performance at the Fine Arts Museum in Havana, Cuba. Special thanks to all the players, The Fine Arts Museum Theater and the Production Team!
AMAZONIC GIANT LINKS: Bassist Fabricio Pereira is from Porto Alegre, Brazil. He studied music in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and went to Havana to studyi Jazz and Cuban Rhythms, has settled down in the Cuban capital, and can be seen in projects with local artists as well as abroad with his peers in Norway, Brazil or Argentina. Pianist Harold Charón cut his teeth, even younger with Ruy López-Nussa y La Academia, and can be seen here with Aire de Concierto forging a long-standing relationship. Harold is studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.
FROM LA MECCA OF HAND DRUMMINMG: Percussionist Raul Rizo is among Havana's best kept secrets. He has a sterling reputation and a list of sessions, videos, and live performances with Ekelequa Oficial, Ruy López-Nussa y La Academia, Lindiana Murphy y Mantra, Grupo Mestizo, and more. Rizo's plate is full, from AfroCuban to Rock 'n Roll. Still those with attuned ears will recognize that Sergio Jiménez Varona has assembled pure gold with his sticks as a sideman and as a leader playing drums, assorted percussion and saxophone. Sergito can be seen with Proyecto Ser featuring singer Dalaytti, with Ruy López-Nussa y La Academia, with Javier Zalba's ZSaxos Quartet and his own jazz group.
SPAIN CALLING: Grammy Nominee and virtuosic pianist, Iván "Melón" Lewis has been playing in swinging tandem since his early days at ENA Music School, with Salsa Singer Issac Delgado, The Terry Family, with Timbalive in Miami, in Alfredo Chacón albums, Ieading his own Trios, and his Cuban Swing Express. "Melón" has turned the accompanist of renowned singers like Sole Jimenes in Madrid, Spain, where he settled domicile a few years ago. His most recent album release is Tumbao en Madrid, with 3 other dangerous Cuban cats: Pepe Rivero, Luis Guerra and Javier Massó better known as Caramelo de Cuba! Tumbao en Madrid is a Tribute to Cuban pianist Zenaida Manfugás.
KANSAS CITY HAVANA CALLING: Michael McClintock is a guitarist with a background in multiple styles of music including classical, flamenco, Brazilian and jazz. Since graduating from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, McClintock has continued his education at the Institute of the Fine Arts Superior Institute ( El ISA) in Havana, Cuba studying the Cuban TRES. In 2016, Michael and his wife, Cuban national, Dalida Barrios, created the project "Cubanisms", to increase awareness of Cuban culture in the USA. The project features a traditional Cuban musical ensemble and guided tours to the Island. Cubanisms released its debut album "Acento Cubano" in October 2017. McCintock was invited to participate in the Jazz Plaza International Festival in Havana, reason why he could share the stage with Victor Goines, Iván "Melón" Lewis, Janio Abreu and Aire de Concierto.
LEGENDS IN THE NOW : Janio Abreu, one of the most acclaimed saxophonists, clarinetists and composers of the past decade, reasserts his role as an invaluable bandleader. He shares the same rigorous adherence to arrangements, dynamics and improvisations, as well as an educator. The Abreu - Goines Friendship began a few years ago, when Janio was a student. This Encounter begs for a sharper focus on a larger canvas, on events like Horns To Havana, where many musicians-educators from the US, have visited the Island nation of Cuba to teach, inspired by the first visits of trumpet master Wynton Marsalis - leader of Jazz at The Lincoln Center Orchestra, and a Music Ambassador since the 1900'ies, when nobody else had dared to face the restrictions imposed by the blockade.
My thanks and love go to Rebecca Padula and LCATV, to Carla Pinney, for so many things in the last 5 years of my life, to all the musicians and to you - our audience. - Toni

Havana Fairfax Connection presents La Solución (The Solution) A Double CD DVD featuring the nationwide Cuban Rumba Team All-Stars.
La Solución is a collaborative effort, with each Musician and Rumba Collectives, from different boroughs and provinces, contributing their own unique voices and musical concepts, who testify an unequal passion for Rumba immortals. La Solución shows the wise and calm counsel of the late Guillermo Amores throughout the process, trying first to touch base with saxophonist, composer and producer Germán Velazco, who had already taken part in the album La Rumba Soy Yo, released by Bis Music Label, feat. The Cuban Rumba All-Stars winner of the Grammy Award in 2001. Germán is the composer of Un Violín Para Chano Pozo, which in my humble opinion, exploded at listeners, dancers, the Grammy jury and continues to excel. He exercises his producing experience as well as his chops playing here.
It was emotional to feel with satisfaction, how my radio listeners reacted every time I played his Chano's Song on the radio in Cuba, and here in Vermont. I am still overwhelmed behind the mic! A Violin For Chano Pozo features violinist extraordinaire Lázaro Dagoberto González, a fixture from La Orquesta Aragón fame, who beautifully flavored the arrangement, and is now a Grammy winner soloist with this renowned Dancing Orchestra, which is celebrating 81 years on the bandstands of the 7 continents, including The Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, Russia!
In La Solución, the selection covered 3 Classics by Los Papines, and Juan Formell, and others written specially for this album, and Homage to singer Rita Montaner by Yuliet Abreu "La Papina", and Melbis Santa (now a shining star in NYC). Another significance of this project, is that IT speaks of longevity, threads that connect the ancient to the present on Siriaca La Ecolera, renders Tribute to legendary Pancho Quinto and other legendary Rumberos like Jesús Alfonso, leader for many years of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.
La Solución keeps melodies, images, and wistful words floating on Juntémonos (Let's Get Together) by Rumbero Bueno Raúl de la Caridad González Brito, better known as Lali, former member of Clave y Guaguancó Group, who left us too soon this year. I believe that by being Open to receiving, promoting and sharing Rumba Voices and Rhythms, story tellers will always remain deep and powerful.
La Solución intends to find a Solution to The Solution, it's a Hard Look at differences, and how we are really of One Color with many hues, connected to protest against systemic racism and discrimination in life and social media. We still have a long and winding road to go, and as Diosdado Ramos dancer and new band leader of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas stated: "Here we are all together, this project is for all the Rumberos, no one is displaced to put another. It's something beautiful, and people are thinking differently about La Rumba ..."
Diosdado is the lei motif for Juan Formell to compose "De La Habana a Matanzas" as Diosdado moved from his home in Buena Vista (Havana borough), to Matanzas to play with Los Muñequitos, and has stayed there for always. Listen to him speaking with passion about Rumba in this anthemic DVD!
From The Cradle: I have celebrated this ancestral music style sharing plenty of videos on Facebook and through the years in my radio shows since 1989 in Havana, in Montevideo the capital of Uruguay in 1996, and in Vermont since 2007.
From The 60'ies: Abreu's Dynasty - In my childhood, when the First Album of Los Papines sounded in the Rock Ola Juke Boxes of my family, I could dance to them, and years after, when The 4 Fabulous Rumba Brothers recorded their Super Hit "Tasca Tasca Tosco To", sided by their sons on Modern Dancing Group Sello LA, I invited them all to play One Night at La Zorra y El Cuervo Jazz Club in Havana, where I was the programmer-producer and MC. The Club was packed ! Hosting La Solución CD DVD Combo on the radio and on television, let me dig and discover the old and the new of La Rumba Cubana, in the likes of young lions like percussionist Adonis Panter, dancers like El Igual, and the legendary Group of Los Chinitos de La Corea.
This timeless music still sounds fresh, infectious and lively today. And as Amado Dedeu Sr. leader of Clave y Guaguancó affirms:
"our Cuban Rumba has overcome all the obstacles, 'cause it's has its own charm and beauty". La Solución might be the Best Rumba album to date, - there's no doubt about this - but not the last Best, we've got to move on now, there are new audiences, and we will all continue giving back to Africa, what the blood and sweat of the slaves once lent us.
Special thanks to the late Guillermo Amores, co-producer of La Solución whose original idea, enthusiasm and vision received the support of the masters nation wide. To Mayra María García, La Solución Audiovisual Director, and Ileana Rodríguez Pelegrín for the connection. Congrats for Lester Brito, editor and post-producer, whose contribution is amazing and impressive! To EGREM label, which is supporting new music projects, and is widely open to the notions.
IN THE NOW ! While I am shaping these lines for our Channel website, Modern Timba Super Group Chispa y Los Cómplices feat. Los Muñequitos de Matanzas are presenting a Video Clip of the song Te Vas A Arrepentir (You will surely regret) filmed at Abdala Studios, adding Authentic Rumba to their new album !
Peace is all we need. - Toni Basanta, Host

A carnival of music, joy and danceable tunes with host Toni Basanta. www.cubanbridge.wordpress.com Featuring Rodrigo y Gabriella.

A carnival of music, joy and danceable tunes with host Toni Basanta. www.cubanbridge.wordpress.com Part 3 of Toni's trip to the Montreal Jazz festival, featuring Laila Biali and more.

From Toni: The Montreal Tapes Part 3, features unreleased material of my filming during the Montreal International Jazz Festival 2018, plus four new acts: Laila Biali, Marilyn Lerner, El Trabuco Habanero de Montreal and Dawn Tyler Watson. Laila Biali, a highly acclaimed pianist, singer and songwriter, winner of the 2019 Juno Award for Best Vocal Album of the Year, is one of my new discoveries.

Although the last few years have been a roller-coaster for this great artist, she has had a highly acclaimed return to jazz, and the result is her album Out of Dust; a masterpiece released with 20 of the finest musicians of North America. The 11 songs are a celebration of life.

Laila Biali has headlined festivals and venues spanning 5 continents, and supported international artists like Sting, the Michael Gardin Big Band, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. In addition to her 2019 Juno Award win, Biali was awarded Top Prize at the Canadian Songwriting Competition in the jazz category, and was also the youngest-ever Double Winner at Canada's National Jazz Awards, where she was named Socan Composer of the Year and Socan Keyboardist of the Year. The opening of this episode is a response to the saying that music is made by and for people who have chosen to feel good in spite of conditions: Revival is the word !

The novelties and uniqueness of this new episode result from a rupture with expectations. We seek to bring them together in a fresh new way that resonates with our path and current perspective, sharing the flavor of Cuban dancing music with El Trabuco Habanero de Montreal; a band led by bass player Alex Bellegarde sided by a Troupe of top level immigrants like tres guitar player Lázaro Leyva, singer Jesús Cantero, pianist Joel Díaz, percussionists Kiko Osorio and Diomer González.

Another outstanding Canadian born pianist and composer is Marilyn Lerner, a staple of the jazz scene since the 1900s. I met Marilyn in Havana, when she went to record her album Birds Are Returning in 1997, the emotions I have felt since then, are unforgettable and indescribable. All I could do was surrender. I feel that her album Miss Overboard is constantly calling to us, yearning to connect to a new age.

The two final pieces of our new episode, feature the mantra of another multi-award winning singer and songwriter based in Montreal, Canada. Her name is Dawn Tyler Watson with her album Mad Love. Joy - unbounded, infectious, irresistible singing and playing - that's what Dawn and her bandmates deliver every time they climb onto a bandstand or step into a recording studio.

Enjoy the result of our international journey striving to expand modern music sound palette and expressiveness.