Cuba Insight – Join the list

Cuba is not just another country with music.

It’s nothing less than the Mother Ship of Afro-Latin music.

With its habanera, danzon, changüí, son, son montuno, rumba, mambo, cha-cha-cha, timba, and wide variety of Afro-Cuban spiritual musical forms, Cuba has been as important to the music of the world as the United States has been with its blues, jazz, rock and rock, and gospel music.

But getting information about the Cuban jazz scene is not easy…

It’s scarcely covered by major jazz magazines. Even getting a list of jazz venues in Havana isn’t easy.

Ken’s Cuba List is filling the gap with videos and articles that will help you put Cuba’s music in perspective and educate yourself about its riches past and present.

We’re also sharing practical information including travel tips and a weekly listing of what’s going on in the clubs in Havana (the only source of this particular info on the Internet.)

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
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Chucho Valdés y Su Combo ft. Amado Borcelá “Guapachá” (1964)

Personnel:

Amado Borcelá “Guapachá” (Voz)
Chucho Valdés (Piano y Director Musical)
Carlos Emilio Morales (Guitarra Eléctrica)
Orlando Lopez “Cachaito” (Bajo)
Julio Vento (Flauta)
Papita Ampudia (Pailas)
Cala (Bongos)

Jazz on the Tube Interview with a Havana musician who lived in this scene

Note: A “milliner” is a hat-maker, not a millionaire.

Gilberto Valdés Zequeira was born in Havana on August 16, 1928.

As a kid, he listened to Chano Pozo’s rehearsals in the Colon neighborhood of Havana.

His vocal group had a weekly gig at the San Souci nightclub in Havana and he appeared on Cuba’s pioneering television channel twice a week in the 1950s.

Roy Haynes introduced him to American jazz drumming and gave him his first set of drumsticks.

He performed with his old friend Bebo Valdés when the two of them found themselves in Europe in the early 1960s.

He spent time as the #2 man at Egrem.

He was Dizzy Gillespie’s host when Dizzy visited Havana in 1977.

He introduced Irakere to Columbia Records and toured the world with them as their manager.

He helped save Cuba’s most important jazz club La Zorra y el Cuervo from being turned into a pizzeria.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of Gilberto’s remarkable life.

Click here to learn more about Gilberto.

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.

The African Influence in Cuba

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.

Ken Karsh – I’m a Man

The epic curmudgeon – and wonderful guitar player and teacher – Jim Bruno says that Ken Karsh can play any tune in any key at a second’s notice and is a phenomenon.

Here’s a video Karsh features on his YouTube channel, recorded in his office at Slippery Rock University with a backing track.

Notes from Ken about this performance:

Stevie Winwood is a musical icon! There are so many of his songs that I grew up loving. Here is my rendition of “I’m A Man” recorded live at Slippery Rock University! The venue is my office/string room! Shoutout to Lumbeat’s FunkDrummer! I also love my Yamaha APXT2, aka “Gilligan” (Little Buddy).

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.

Machito, the Legend

Things are good, just very intense and insanely busy.

I hope things will settle down by September.

But hey, the show must go on, even if intermittently.

There are TWO clips here. Make sure you look at both.

The first clip is the English language section of an excellent documentary on Machito.

The second clip is the entire documentary.

The entire video

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.

Perez Prado!

Everyone knows Perez Prado the bandleader.

How many know Perez Prado the pianist?

Clearly a guy at home on the keyboard.

More

Duel

Perez Prado with Juan Bruno Tarrazaz (Cuba)  and Chamaco Dominquez (Mexico)

What Mambo looked like

Between Swing Jazz and Rock and Roll, there was Mambo

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.

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