Sweden’s alive and kicking! New albums 2009: Calle Real, La Tremenda and Limpiatimpanos

This year latino music lovers of Sweden will enjoy a whole bunch of exciting new releases from old and not so old artist in the game. First up is news about Swedish timba group La Tremenda.

With a group filled of great musical talent and allot of experience La Tremenda’s first real release is much anticipated. Although Calle Real is synonymous with Swedish contemporary Timba, it’s not the first and only group in the genre and because of both groups (La Tremenda & Calle Real) sharing at least three musicians it should be cleared out that it’s not only La Tremenda who´s “borrowed” talents from the other band.  The first “real” Timba band in Sweden was most likely LC Bana and from that group musicians have gone on to later Timba groups like Calle Real and La Tremenda.  (When Calle Real started it was not a Timba group, like other famous groups (La Charanga Habanera) they started playing traditional Cuban music) The whole swedish salsa / timba origins is matter of a future post on this website.

La Tremenda’s some four year old demo holds the great song “No escuche a tiempo” which has been one of my favorite songs a while now. That song has been re-recorded and is featured on the album. It really has the potential of becoming a timba classic with a feeling like the old Charanga Habanera with a fast tempo and a super hook thats not introduced before 3.13 into the song, that special timba way of keeping you waiting for the most yummy part almost until the end of the song.  The song has at least three great chorus and a piano tumbao thats competing with classics but at the same time feels fresh and of the “2000″.  This is from the groups own description of the song:

No Escuché a tiempo

The song with the perhaps most philosophic content on the record. The lyrics and melody were written by Johan and Yoel Terry while Johan was visiting Yoel in his hometown of Helsinki in the early spring of 2003. No Escuché a Tiempo is also well known for having the most martial arrangement on the La Tremenda repertoire.

The recording of the album started in early 2007 and was completed in summer 2008 with help of sound technician Francisco Hernandez. Mixing was done with Jon Fausty (former fania records main engineer) in Tampa, Florida. The masterization was also done in Tampa with Morrisound recordings.

The album contains 9 songs:

1. No.1
2. No Escuché a tiempo
3. Timba Vieja
4. Morocha mi Corazón
5. No Limit
6. Lunes la semana completa
7. Mulata
8. Tu Forma
9. Copos de nieve risa de sol

Music preview will be available soon.

http://www.la-tremenda.com

Rap veteran Limpiatimpanos is at last doing his own album and things are looking promising. Since comming to sweden year 2003 Limpiatimpano (Yaimir “Pitit” Jimenez) has been working with and in groups like Alianza (released a CD with Pimienta records 2004) and Saftstockholm.  Nevertheless he always been waiting for his own album. In Cuba Limpiatimpano where a part of the rap elite and hade already been released abroad but under the name EPG & B (Executive Plan Ghetto & Barbarito). Now for the last two years he’s been working with producers Jean DC and Jhon Po and is also connected in some ways with Masse of The Salazar brother regarding mixing and mastering of the album. He’s album entitles “Confrontacion” and is a current urban latin album with hiphop, reggaeton and dancehall vibes. It includes 17 tracks and features Saftstockholm, Luther Martin Kintu, Sebastian Silver and Kela. At the moment the record is in mastering process and the final paperworks are being delt with. Listen to the audio preview containing the songs “Lo esperarás” (prod. Jean DC.) &  “Mucho con demasiado” (Jhon Po)

http://www.myspace.com/limpiatimpanos

Swedish Timba phenomenon Calle Real is coming back this year with a great sounding album called “Me lo gané“. A showcase / release party is held on the 25:th of may at Mosebacke, Stockholm, Sweden,  a special TV appearance on Swedish TV4 on the 14:th and finally the official release is due 17 of june 2009.  I’ ve heard the promo songs: “Somos familia”, “el amigo Jose”, “Me lo gané”,and “Los dos sabemos” and it´s HOT. No doubt one of the best sounding timba groups of Europe and perhaps the whole world. The song “Amigo Jose” has been on the groups live repertoire for a couple of years now and is truly one of their best songs  with a nice hook and a rap performance by Lowcura.  Calle Real has since their release of “con fuerza” 2006 toured the whole world (over 200 concerts) and build a serious fan base all over. In France 2007 they were awarded with price “best timba CD” and Thomas Eby for “Best timba singer”. The new album contains eleven songs:

1. Somos familia
2. El amigo José
3. Me lo gané
4. Jugando Super Mario Bross
5. El anillo
6. Los dos sabemos
7. La eternidad del amor
8. Mi melodía
9. El Dony
10. Abreme la puerta
11. Loco

Listen to a preview curtesy of dj melao and calle real:

Info:
Title: Me lo gané
Produced by Calle Real
Music written by Calle Real
Music played by Calle Real
Recorded at The End Studio in Lund, Sweden
Reorded by Mikael Gomilsek
Mixed by Calle Real and Mikael Gomilsek
Mastered by Henrik Jonsson at Masters of Audio in Stockholm, Sweden

http://www.callereal.se

Panamanian artist El Velaxx dies 7th of June

Carlos Ariel Jiménez (26 yrs) better known to the public as El Velaxx was on killed the 7 of June. He along with a group of people at the show La Feria de los Lagos (Colón) where he was going to perform were gunned down. The party was a pro-peace event and he was going to perform in the early morning. He was hit five times and died before he got to the hospital, five other people were injured from stray bullets.

I first heard of Velaxx when from alot of promos he did with “Toux” 2005. Great songs and great voice. His latest hit wich a assume was a big hit during Carnivales in Panama is:

This is a short news spot on his death wich also touches the late Dangerman

This is a news report from the funeral

Cuban Reggaeton Artist Elvis Manuel feared dead

Apr 15th, 2008 – miamiherald.com
The mother of the Cuban performer known as Elvis Manuel says her son sought to be smuggled across the Florida Straits in pursuit of his dream.A few hours into a trip that promised to bring them to the shores of South Florida, the boat carrying Cuban reggaeton star Elvis Manuel and 18 others started to take on water.

They started bailing water furiously, trying to keep the boat afloat under a dark sky.

Mother and son were separated as the rain pounded down and the wind roiled the sea.

‘My son yelled at me, ‘Mami!, Mami!,’ and I called back, ‘Elvis, come to me,’ ” said Irioska María Nodarse.

She lost sight of him in the choppy water — he is presumed missing at sea.

On Sunday, Nodarse gave The Miami Herald the first detailed account of the ill-fated effort to escape from Cuba so her son could ”realize his dream” of musical stardom.

In a telephone interview from Havana, Nodarse said the boat capsized in choppy seas in the Florida Straits, dumping all 19 people into the water.

Nodarse, who was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard along with 13 others, was returned to Cuba on Saturday where she is desperate for news about her son’s fate. She holds out hope that he is still alive somewhere, either on a boat or an island. The Coast Guard said Sunday that it has no new information on Elvis Manuel’s whereabouts.

”I don’t really know what happened, but my heart tells me that my son is alive,” she said, speaking in a calm tone in Spanish.

The voyage began on the evening of April 7, a week ago Monday, she said. The group left on a 25-foot boat, organized and paid for in Miami.

TURN FOR THE WORST

According to Nodarse, the trip proceeded uneventfully at first. Then the engine broke down and the boat began filling with water. Someone lifted what she described as a lid, only causing the water to come in faster. Everyone was bailing out water, including her son. Then the boat overturned, throwing everyone into the cold water.

Nodarse said she saw a big shadow, something she thought was either a wave or a boat. That’s when she lost sight of her son.

The 14 survivors managed to cling to the overturned catamaran. They ate gasoline-soaked crackers and drank from water bottles that had packed while they waited to be rescued.

It wasn’t until Wednesday morning — two days later — that the crew of a passing cargo ship spotted the group about 50 miles south of Key West. Elvis Manuel and four others were still missing.

The ship’s crew rescued the migrants and summoned the U.S. Coast Guard, whose helicopters then searched the waters.

It’s unclear how quickly the survivors told authorities that Elvis Manuel and four others were missing.

The Coast Guard says they gave officials conflicting stories.

Nodarse admits the group lied to the Coast Guard, saying two boats were initially involved.

On Sunday, she said they withheld information from the officials on the Coast Guard cutter because of pressure from the two suspected smugglers on the boat.

She said the pair wanted to create the impression that they had rescued the group. As a result, she added, they told officials their original boat had capsized, and that they had been rescued by another boat — the vessel they were found clinging to.

”It was a lie due to pressure from the pilots,” she said.

Coast Guard officials on Sunday expressed regret that the migrants misled searchers because they lost valuable time. ”If there was an opportunity to say 19 people were on the vessel, they should do it when we are talking to them,” said Chief Petty Officer Dana Warr, a Coast Guard spokesman.

Nodarse, 43, said her son is 18. Friends in Miami had said that Elvis Manuel is 19. His full name is Elvis Manuel Martínez Nodarse, but he is known as Elvis Manuel.

His mother said the voyage was a smuggling operation, designed to bring her son to the United States to expand his music career.

Elvis Manuel is a recent addition to the Cuban reggaeton scene. He had two hits in Cuba last year, La Tuba and La Mulata.

CHASING A DREAM

”We were leaving Cuba not because we have any political problems with the government,” she said. “We were leaving Cuba because he wanted to realize his dream.”

She claimed to have a lot of information about who helped arrange the trip but she wouldn’t discuss the details until she knows what happened to her son.

”It was a trip organized and paid for in Miami,” she said.

While Nodarse and 11 survivors were repatriated on Saturday, the two crew members who are the suspected smugglers were turned over to Border Patrol officials, the Coast Guard said.

Nodarse said that Elvis Manuel’s fellow musicians Carlos Rojas Hernández, who goes by ”DJ Carlitos,” and Alejandro ”DJ Jerry” Rodríguez Lopez, also were returned to Cuba.

Although the search for Elvis Manuel has been suspended, the Coast Guard has asked crews on cutters and aircraft that patrol the Florida Straits, the Gulf of Mexico and other waters to be on the lookout for him and any others.

”There’s the possibility they’re alive,” Warr said. “We don’t know where they are or where they could possibly drift to. It’s unfortunate they’ve taken their lives into their own hands.”

Phone interview wiith Elvis mother

Enrique y joe Show homenaje a Elvis Manuel

LINKS

ELVIS MANUELS MYSPACE

ARTICLES WRITTEN IN THE MIAMI HERALD ABOUT THE MISSING ELVIS MANUEL LAST WEEK:

Tue, Apr 15, 2008

Mon, Apr 14, 2008

Mon, Apr 14, 2008

Sun, Apr 13, 2008

Sat, Apr 12, 2008

BLOGS ABOUT ELVIS DEATH

Cuban Colada

MSNBC

Reggaeton star Elvis Manuel feared dead

Cuban Reggaeton artist Eddy K goes into exile

Singer Eddy K (Eduardo Mora Hernandez) and dj Tony (Jose Antonio Suarez) of popular Cuban reggaeton group Eddy K (reggaeton cuartet) decided not to return to Cuba after a tour in europe during January and February 2008. Among places they visited where Zurich (Switzerland) the 31 of January, wich was the relaese party for Cubaton Music release of “Cubaton 2″. The first of February they played in Gotheburg (Swe).

Photo from Cubaton release party. 31 of january.

They completed the tour before the drop out. Eddy K claims Cuba was´nt big enough for them and that they were afraid of becoming just one of many artists and groups that for a short peroid rizes to fame and huge succes in Cuba but now are more or less forgotten. (Cubanitos 20-02, Candyman etc.) Although they claim not to have been censored by the regime they say that there were forces working against them and the whole reggaeton genre in Cuba. After concerts in Spain they travelled to New York and from New York finaly to Miami were they are at the moment. Eddy says in his message to the cuban people that there is no grudge between the two members of the group that did´nt return to Cuba and the two who did and he says “This has only begun……”

Apparently they already got in to the music scene in Miami. Listen to this brand new song with Eddy K and 3 de la Habana:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIazpcS9A-Q&feature=related

There is no news about the two artists that decied to return to Cuba.

In 2006 i met up with the gang. They toured europe with fellow cuban super salsa group Charanga Habanera. You an read about the show here:
http://www.timba.com/artists/charangahabanera/index.asp?page=gtbg_2006.htm

This is singer Damian doing his “Mujeres”.

The First Interview Eddy K did after going inte exile. (TV)

Carlos Otero entrevista a Eddy-K en PQES, Miami
Part:1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zCOSUfQFCs
Part:2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gYpVpv3L2g
Part:3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAC9djPXImA
Part:4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6VwhSoZPWE
Part:5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQR-XwI6yuQ
Part:6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oFmdny8A9g

Watch: Eddy K – Amigos (from Cubaton 2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ferBvQVsOpA

Webpages of interests:

Cubatonmusic (not to be misstaken with cubaton.com)
A european record company that has bought license for cubaton CD2
This is Eddy K site within cubatonmusic
http://www.cubatonmusic.ch/artists/ArtistDetail.aspx?ID=23

Not updated myspace page that claims to be the “Official”
http://www.myspace.com/eddykmadeincuba

Death of Dangerman – 21 of Feb.

It´s a sad day for latin dancehall.

The reggae singer Dangerman (Alonso David Blackwood Drakes, born 8/12/1972) from Panama was murdered on the night of the 21 of Februari. Since his first record (1996) entitled – “Gangsta” he has been the #1 reggae artist in Panama. We are stunned and sad that yet another great musician leave us so early in his career. On the 28 of february a funeral ceremony was held. People has later described the funeral more as an event with masses of mourning friends and fans, cheering, singing dancing and shooting into the air. The ceremony took place at the Carrasquilla Seventh-day Adventist Church, Panama City, were Danger as a young kid sang in the choir, after the cermony the coffin was layed down by grave no.48. Latin Kulta are huge fans of Dangerman and we will keep on spreading his music and preserve his legacy in the world of reggae / dancehall in spanish. Rest in peace – Que descanse en paz.

Discography:

1996 – Gangsta

2001 – Bad Boy

2003 – Representando el Ghetto

2004 – Fenómeno

2005 – Veterano De Mil Batallas

2005 – First Class

2007 – Masacre

2007 – Producto del ghetto

2008 – Para mis soldados

(his last single, as usual he is mentions his death in this song but nobody thought it was going to be so soon) Listen to it here:

LINKS

Facebook Group:
God Bless DANGER MAN
Danger Man vivira x siempre..

Other
Myspace Link

Youtube Clips:
1 Interiew and music
2 Recent Interview
Clip with Japanesee – talking about dangers death
TV News flash about his death
Funeral Ceremony for Dangerman

Youtube Songs:
Me la van a Pagar (1996)
Ft. Japanesee – Cachazo (2004)
Bienvenido A Bagdad (2005)
Historia de mi vida (2006)
Juega Vivo Buay (2006)
Ft Aspirante -No Sabes de Amor (2006)
Hitmaker (2007)

News papers in Panama the day of his death.

Zero G Sound found mixtapes

I wasnt aquainted with this blog but he published a post about my first mixtape and thats cool.

Zero G Sounds blog

The Mixtapes

Latin Kulta Exclusive Mixtapes part 1-3

Well since i kind of got in to this bloggin stuff i decided to hurry up and pu up links and descriptions to the mixtapes ive done. They are all available on piratebay but also as rar files to download through my myspace . However the the download site lets you upload a specific number of mb. so I have to change them offen thats why I prefer the torrentlinks.

The mixtapes are available as two mp3. files per mixtape – 2cds. I dint put them out as whole cds with 40 songs each cause I felt that I dont have the rights to chop the songs up and let them be distributed in the forms that ive presented them, mostly they run from 10 sec. to 2 min. And also if people download them as 60-80 unique songs per mixtape than the music may stop between each track and so on. But if you are one of the artists that ive put on a mixtape ill gladely send you a couple of copies as CDs with pretty lables and so on, of course I never sold them, these are strictly for promotional purpose and for thejoy of spreading the music and love.

And if Nano Bravo is reading, he will get his CD soon, im so sorry for the delay.

Peace out!

Welcome

Welcome, Bienvenido!

Im trying to work this blog, obviously im trying out diferent themes and stuffs so be patient, meanwhile check out my links down at the right and wait for next the mixtape within a month. If you want to send us music than use the contact menu. I try to put out new latin-reggae music on the mixtapes but I also love french and Portuguese stuff. Peace out!!