Find out what's been happening at Havana Masters
In 2008 Havana Masters and Floridita look forward to introducing the best new music and artists that Cuba currently has to offer. Read on for more details...
New CD: Ahmed Dickinson plays Nico Rojas
Highly-acclaimed Cuban guitarist pays homage to one of the greats of the Filin' era. Ahmed Dickinson's love affair with the music of ico Rojas began when they both played at the International Guitar Festival in Havana, Cuba in 2000. After approaching the composer at the festival to express how much he enjoyed his music and would love to play some of it, Ahmed was invited to ico's house. It came as a surprise to Ahmed once there to learn that the great majority of ico's work remained unpublished and unrecorded. A surprise not least because ico can count Beny Mor, Bebo Valdz, Chucho Valdz, Tito Puente, Frank Emilio Flyn, Leo Brouwer, Csar Portillo de la Luz, Adolfo Guzmn, and Wynton Marsalis amongst his many fans, past and present.
Buy the CD
Eliades Ochoa continues exclusive gigs with Floridita
After a spectacular concert at Dublins Floridita in April (See a slideshow) Eliades Ochoa returned to Galway for the Greatest Voices of our Time Festival. Eliades will continue his exclusive arrangement with Floridita with a concert in Floridita london early next year and followed by dates in Madrid. His annual visit to Kew Gardens was a sellout and and a perfect back drop for the annual Havana Holdings picnic. To those of you who attended thank you and we look froward to seeing you again next year.
Buena Fe at the UK Summer Festivals
Buena Fe have just completed one of thier most successful UK tours to date. Playing to a sold out crowd on a glorious evening at Kew Botanical gardens with the great Eliades Ochoa they gave an amazing performance and finished the evening with a duet with the great sonero. The Cuban Cultural festival launch dinner ended with a bang with Israel Joel and the band thrilling the crowd with an incredible set and introducing Diana Yukawa who played 2 songs with them to great accalim. After 2 more nights at Floridita they finished the week at Canizaro house where despite the english summer weather the entire crowd danced the night away in true cuban style.Check them out at www.myspace.com/buenafepresagios - See a slideshow
Havana Masters announces arrival of latest album....
September is the month when Havana Masters launches its latest album. Produced by Alex Pareas and recorded especially for us in Santiago De Cuba the album is a very unique one. All of the artists on the album are from the eastern part of Cuba 'the home of son'. Not only that all of the artists also have performed to enormous acclaim at Floridita. Therefore we have produced an album that reflects perfectly the music of Santiago and the music of Floridita. The album will be available exclusively at Floridita from July 4th and directly from our website as well .When you can hear for yourself groups like Septeto Contemporaneo, Maria Ochoa, Los Guanches and the great La Botija all on one glorious album. Hear the new album on Myspace
Cuban Cultural Festival 2008
July 17 saw the announcement of the plans for 2008 Cuban Cultural Festival. During the monhs of May June July next year London will experience Cuba in a completely new way. For the first time in conjunction with Ministry of Culture Floridita and ,Square one Gallery Cuban visual artists classical musicians and dancers and Cuban Cuisine will take over London. The festival kicked of with some pre launch acticities such as The Cuban Might at Canizaro House Wimbledon which was a huge success despite the rain. In September we will have a paint off between Cuban and British artists at the Chelsea arts club with a full Cuban Party with Morena Son the great Cuban all girl band playing and a Floridita bar bringing some lating colour and passion to the venerable institution. For full details please go to www.cubanculuralfestival.co.uk
D Gala - A huge hit at Ireland Festival of World Cultures.
Havana Masters first Cuban Group at an Irish Festival went down a storm. The amazing quartet D Gala brought a bit of Cuban Party atmosphere to the 40 Foot ( The centre of the Festival ) which attracts musicians and artists from all over the world. They played a couple of sets and as these photos will testify they brought the house down. They will be back in Dublin before Xmas and are fast becoming one of the most sought after groups on the ever expanding Floridita circuit. photos here
Annual DJ competition
Havana Masters is especially proud of its comittment to DJ culture in Cuba and will continue to sponsor an annual DJ competition featuring some of Cuba's best performers. Thrilling the crowds in Dublin and Spain last year were DJs Alain, Yoskel, Joel and Armando. In 2007 we will be seeing a lot more of them. Currently DJ Koki Cubas first ever DJ mixing salsa and reggaeton and the sounds of the caribbean to sell out crowds at Londons Floridita
Música en inglés...
Finally as well as new work from Los Guanches and Triangulo Oscuro we are eagerly awaiting some english material from Buena Fe and look out for a surprise duet with a world class singer songwriter!
