{"id":489,"date":"2015-08-28T10:00:53","date_gmt":"2015-08-28T10:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/salsalust.com\/blogs\/cuban_music_che\/?p=489"},"modified":"2015-08-28T10:00:53","modified_gmt":"2015-08-28T10:00:53","slug":"28-08-15-habana-ensemble-maria-matraca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salsayo.com\/blogs\/cuban_music_che\/?p=489","title":{"rendered":"28.08.15 : Habana Ensemble – Maria Matraca"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good day dear readers!<\/p>\n

Today I wish to present you a wonderful and very productive initiative which is largely unknown by most Timba and salsa lovers.
\nThe artist I present today is La Habana Ensemble, formed by distinguished saxophone player and former member of Irakere, Cesar Lopez (often nicknamed “the Cuban Charlie Parker”) in 1997.
\nThe amazing Irakere, led by Chucho Valdez, served as the inspiration and model for the creation of La Habana Ensemble, as it plays both jazz and Cuban music.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

As mentioned before, the ensemble has been very productive, and has by\u00a0now produced 8\u00a0albums with another one coming out soon.
\nThe ensemble toured all of Cuba and also many other countries such as Venezuela, Japan, Peru, The USA, Barbados, Spain, Mexico and others.
\nThe ensemble also won several awards in including best Cubadisco jazz album of 2006, special\u00a0prize for distinguished achievement of Cubadisco in 2008, and also the best international music album of the same year.
\nCesar also won a Grammy playing with Irakere before forming La Habana Ensemble.
\nThe ensemble has also shared the stage with both jazz and Latin music starts such as Chucho Valdez, Pablo Milanes, Compay Segundo and Sting.<\/p>\n

The song I present today is a finely made Timba from their 1st, 1997, album, “Mambomania”, inspired by and dedicated to the art of, Perez Prado.<\/p>\n

Disfruten!<\/p>\n