Tumi Music News
Josef Koumbas' new Album - Waiting…
May 16, 2010
Born of an Irish mother and a Greek Cypriot father in London in 1944, Josef Koumbas formed his first band at the tender age of 12. He went on to spend 3 years in Australia, fascinated by the art and music of the aborigines. He visited Cuba in 1990, arriving with a Ronnie Scotts group from London UK, for what was to be one of Cuba's best loved International Jazz Festival.During that visit he met many of Cubans top Jazz musicians including Chucho Valdes and Bobby Carcasses.
Waiting is Josef's second release, a melting pot of Jazz with a twist of Jazz, Fusion, Latin Jazz, Blues and Rock.
"I was born in Camden Town, London, my father was Greek Cypriot and my mother was Irish, from Cork. I first visited Cuba in 1990, arriving with a group from Ronnie Scotts in London UK, for what was to be one of Cuba's best loved International Jazz Festivals. At the time my interest was more with photography than music, but along the way I became friends and remain so with many of Cuba's great musicians and artists including Chucho Valdes, Bobby Carcasses and Roberto, amongst many others.
I knew I would come back to Cuba and did so several times, with an eye to developing my own music there. I found l had more energy to work in Cuba and Cuban musicians were very honest artistically. After listening to my music people have said they didn't realize the music was played by Cuban musicians. I am happy about that as I feel I can support Cuban culture by showing how skillful and adaptable Cuban musicians can be. I am proud to be a member of UNEAC, it is a real honour for me. I have been invited to play at many events such as the International Jazz Festival Habana, Jazz Festival Varadero, and Jazz Café with Cesar Lopez. I have had my own TV show A Todos Jazz, made several TV shows and had various radio interviews. My music is often played on national radio and TV repeats.
As a 12 year old boy l had my own skiffle group and progressed through rock n roll, played and recorded with many musicians especially in London where l had a small recording studio in my house. I played at Maquee, Speak Easy, where l once had the pleasure to play to Chuck Berry, who came and congratulated me after the gig. I played alongside Jimmy Page when he was just getting started. I always knew he would be one of the greats. I also played and recorded with Dave Stewert before his Annie Lennox days, again they were always a special pair. Later my interests became more jazz orientated and here l am living and working in Habana with wonderful musicians. Viva Musica."
Other News
Sin Limite by Candido Fabre Jr.
Reggaeton blends musical influences of Jamaican dancehall and Trinidadian soca with those of Latin America, such as salsa, bomba, Latin American hip hop, and electronica. Vocals include rapping and singing, typically in Spanish. Lyrics tend to be derived from hip hop. In this, his debut album , El Travieso (Candido Fabre Jr.), accompanied by his father Candido Fabre Sr. and friends, produces some of the finest dance music coming out of the Island.
Alejandro Almenares' new album Casa De Trova
Alejandro Enis Almenares Born in Santiago de Cuba 24th May 1937 is perhaps the last of the Troubadours of the golden age of Trova in Cuba.
Feverson's new album Soneros de Siempre
With over 100 performance throughout the island each year, Feverson maintains a repertoire including all the Latin and Caribbean rhythms such as Son, Guaracha, Salsa, Conga, Timba, Cumbia, Bolero, Merengue , Vallenato and others.
Launch of Music Download site: www.latinmusicdownloads.com
It is now 30 years since I started my first Latin music recording for my company Tumi Music here in the UK. During this time I have travelled hundreds of times between the UK and countries all over Latin America, in particular to Cuba, Brazil and the Andean countries and recorded over 200 CDs of all genres and styles.
Otoqui Reyes with his group "Hijos de Agueybana", Agua del Sol
La Bomba is one of the main Puerto Rican musical genres with cultural influences from West Africa, Tainos, Spain as well as other Caribbean islands. Bomba is described as a dialogue between dancer and drummer and is a dance of extreme elegance and deliberate steps. " Hijos de Agüeybaná" (Children of Agüeybaná) is the ambassador of this genre of Puerto Rican music today. Although they mix Bomba with other genres such as Salsa, and Jazz, they never lose sight of its indigenous African roots.
David Álvarez's new album "Clandestino"
David Álvarez offers a cache of the bold, confessional songs of a modern troubadour For this "dream finally realised" he brings together songs composed trova style in homage to his birthplace of Manzanillo, the region of Cuba with the strongest trova tradition, his tierra where his roots go deep. Versed in poetry these uncensored stories of the joys and trammels of love add laúd and Cuban tres guitar, to place their Caribbean core within a serenading Mediterranean sensibility, creating a modern renaissance ambience. Romance and love do not come easy, yet life remains joyful - was it not ever so...!
Domingo Candelario début album "Soho"
Singer/song writer Domingo Candelario was born in the heart of La Havana, Cuba. As a child he was greatly influenced and inspired by the Brazilian music that his parents listened to. He went on to develop his own unique style within the “Nueva Trova” movement which began in the late ‘60s and has its roots in traditional Cuban folk music, incorporating progressive and often politicized lyrics.
Yusa's new website
"Look out for this outstanding new talent as she'll be a big name on the scene for years to come" The phat planet, 2003 And how true it was... Yusa has been one of the success stories of Tumi looking for unknown talents. Today some 10 years later Yusa has released three CD’s, one D.V.D. (live at Ronnie Scott’s) and toured the world. She is currently touring Latin America.
El Boom Boom - winner of Cuba Disco 2010
Cubadisco International Fair, founded in 1997 and organized by the Cuban Music Institute, is the most important event of the Cuban Music Industry and it constitutes a preferential space to expose the main achievements of Cuban Music, to appreciate a luxurious musical programming with special performances by Cuban and foreign artists, to promote the carrying out of tributes and to present national and international awards to important personalities from Cuban and Universal culture. In this XIII edition of Cubadisco, which was held from May 15 to 23, 2010, among many artists the new Tumi release El Boom Boom won the best Cubadisco 2010 in its Category
To'Mezclao UK Tour
"You'll hear everything from cumbia, meringue and salsa to hip-hop, funk and reggaeton. It never loses sight of the band's Cuban roots, although it is delivered with a pop sensibility that keeps things catchy and punchy without ever being formulaic. The opening merengue "Aqui Todo Ya Esta Inventao" is a perfectly formed three-minute hit. "Quiero Olividarla" should do for salsa sessions what the beats-heavy "Cuando Pasa El Tiempo" does for club dance floors. Someone get them an international tour, quick." - Jane Cornwell (Songlines March 2009)
To'Mezclao new Album - Híbrid
The birth of To’Mezclao has become Cuba's great musical sensation! The individual charisma and talent of the members combined with the freshness of their arrangements, lyrics and rhythms captures diverse audiences and presents them as one band that has it all! Check out page 3 at Songlines March 2009 edition