Havana Fairfax Connection 0084

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 0082

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

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