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Cuban music is a celebration of life and sensuality that has crossed has captured the world's

attention for decades inciting dancers from New York to Thailand to let loose of their inhibitions

and worship to the gods and goddesses of sensuality. In thel 970's this music was labeled

"salsa" and synthesized into a hybrid form that captured much of the rhythmic intensity of Cuban music but

lacked the intricate interplay and shaded colorings of the classic Cuban orchestras. The Afro-Cuban All Stars

have recaptured the essence of Cuban dance music with a virtuosity and power that few Cuban orchestras

have equaled. The Afro Cuban All Stars perform with dignity and confidence that characterize true entertain¬

ers that can reach deep into their souls without pretense and share with the passion and drama they have

lived with the audience. In this performance one can appreciate the virtuosity and imagination of such leg¬

endary musicians.

Juan de Marcos Gonzalez has put together and ensemble that captures the essence of Cuban popular

music in all its glory. As a young university student he co-founded the popular Cuban son group Sierra

Maestro that reintroduced a whole generation of Cubans to an important part of their musical history. While

many young Cubans looked outside their culture for inspiration Juan de Marcos worked hard to uncover the

complexities of Cuban traditional music. He realized that as electronic instruments were introduced into the

music many of the intricate rhythmic and dynamic inflections were plowed over as groups sought to empha¬

size the powerful beat. He analyzed the old recordings and sat with the old timers to understand and capture

the essence of the son. It is no accident that when Ry Cooder went to Cuba to record the Buena Vista Social

Club, he turned to Juan de Marcos Gonzalez to assemble and direct the band for him.

Gonzalez's direction conveys the complex of subtle nuance textures that make Cuban music so sensual

and compelling to dancers. Great bands can create an ebb and flow that build tension and release that

weave a powerful narrative that goes far beyond a pulsating beat. The Afro Cuban All Stars follow the path

led by great bands such as Duke Ellington, Benny More and Dizzy Gillespie. This performance documents the

revival of the Cuban orchestra with a fresh approach to the musical forms that represents the ever-evolving

Cuban cultural identity.

Afro Cuban All Stars

Cuban music is a celebration of life and sensuality that has crossed and captured the world's attention

for decades inciting dancers from new york to thailand to let loose of their inhibitions and worship to the

gods and goddesses of sensuality. In thel 970's this music was labeled "salsa" and synthesized into a hybrid

form that captured much of the rhythmic intensity of Cuban music but lacked the intricate interplay and shad¬

ed colorings of the classic Cuban orchestras. The Afro-Cuban All Stars have recaptured the essence of Cuban

dance music with a virtuosity and power that few Cuban orchestras have equaled. The Afro Cuban All Stars

perform with dignity and confidence that characterize true entertainers that can reach deep into their souls

without pretense and share with the passion and drama they have lived with the audience. In this perform¬

ance one can appreciate the virtuosity and imagination of such legendary musicians.

Greg Landau

To the Memory of Manuel Licea, Puntillita, Ibbae, May He rest in Peace in the Glory of God

Puntillita has passed away. One of the greatest figures of the 20th-century popular Cuban music has died.

With a style of his own, and lots of charisma, Manuel Licea was one of the pioneers of a renovating move¬

ment which extended from the end of the 1 940's and in the early 1950's. He established an imposing presence

within a difficult and competitive sector when performing with celebrated musicians like Obdulio Morales, Julio

Cuevas, Chico O'Farrill and Adolfo Guzman,

Not gifted with the art of improvising as some of the contemporaneous singers of his time like Cheo

Marquetti, Benny More or Joseito Fernandez; Licea focused on achieving a dynamic discourse in his performanc¬

es, backed by his mastery on stage and a clean tuning and a light-tenor tessitura that endured until the end of

his life.

The last years of his life were particularly active. He joined the projects of Afro-Cuban All Stars and

Buenavista Social Club, the laurels of his artistic work flourished and turned him into one of the most significant

figures of this movement, aimed at recovering the Cuban musical heritage. A terminal disease ended his life

when he was participating in lots of projects of every sort.

But death does not annul the material element of the individual, nor his transcendence and for all of us who

had the privilege of working with him, Puntillita was an example of iron-will and discipline in the field of art.

Ave Puntillita! Those who one day may also die, salute you...

Musical Producer Juan de Marcos Gonzalez Sound Engineer and Mixes Alain Martinez de la Torre

Monitor Engineer Kahya Engler General Manager and Musical Co-Producer Gliceria Abreu

Mixes AuxiIIiary Gliceria Gonzalez Recording and Technical Director Norihiko Eshita

Recording Engineer HajimeNagai Recording Staff Taku Yasuda, Takanobu Sugiyama

Stage Manager Yuji Uchibori (Attention) Sound Yukimi Habano, Yuki Natori & Akiko Mitani (SOUNDPHONIX)

Lighting Masayuki Eto, Kazuhiro Yu Yama (Lightship) Transportation Tetsu Suzuki (Music Planning)

Show Promoters Conversation & Company INC, International Music Network Compact Disc Mastering Bob Katz, Digital Domain

Director Eiji Takaki Video Producer Shuji Omata Video Co-Producer Hidemi Terada, Tomoki Nakaoka Music Producer Juan de Marcos Gonzalez Executive Producer DM AHORA! MUSIC

1 Tanga (Mario Bauza & Chico O'Farril)

Distinto, diferente (Juon de Marcos & Lazaro Villa)

Amor Verdadero (Jose "Cheo" Marquetti)

Habana del Este (Juan de Marcos) AFRO ★ CUBAN ALLSTARS Cada vez que te veo (Juan de Marcos) Ricardo "Tica" Martinez bongo

Los Sitio asere (Silvio Pino) Rolando "El Nino Mentira" Salgado congas

Reconciliacion (Juan de Marcos & Lazaro Villa)

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 El Canallon (Felix Amaro)

9 El Son de Baloy (Felix Baloy)

10 Los Tamalitos de Olga (Jose Fajardo)

Encores...

11 Maria Caracoles (Pello El Afrocan & Pio Leyva)

12 Chan Chan (Compay Segundo)

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Amadito Valdes timbale

Ricardo Munoz baby bass

Dave Alfaro piano

Daniel "El Gordo" Ramos trumpet

Yanko Pisaco trumpet

Yaure Muniz trumpet

Alberto "Molote" Martinez trombone

Antonio Leal trombone

Raul Gutierrez baritone and tenor sax

Polo Tamayo flute

Teresita Garcia Caturla lead singer; Cuban percussion and coros

Luis Frank Arias lead singerCuban percussion and coros

Felix Baloy lead singer% Cuban percussion and coros

Manuel "Puntillita" Licea lead singer; Cuban percussion and coros

Gliceria Abreu stage manager and Cuban percussion

Juan de Marcos Gonzalez band leader,■ tres and Cuban percussion

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1 Tanga

2 Distinto, diferente

3 Amor Verdadero

4 Habana del Este

5 Cada vez que te veo

6 Los Sitio asere

7 Reconciliation

8 El Canallon

9 El Son de Baloy

10 Los Tamalitos de Olga Jfi

Encores £ 4?/

11 Maria Caracoles <§> I

12 Chan Chan

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COMPACT

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