Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros

Subrosa, Blue Note’s new Cuban-themed club located in the heart of the Meat Packing District, has wasted no time in establishing itself as one of Manhattan’s central clubs for Latin music since opening its doors in November of 2014. The club has served as the new headquarters for the Pedrito Martínez Group as well as regular appearances by Pepito Gómez, Ariance Trujillo and other members of New York’s Cuban Music Community.

While the core motive of this establishment has been to feature NYC Cuban artists, Subrosa has been wise to include representatives of other genres as well. Groups ranging from Rana Santacruz’s original Mexican folk, the Colombian Jazz sounds of Pablo Mayor and even the indie rock meets salsa-dura fusion of the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra are among the recent and upcoming attractions on Subrosa’s calendar.

An upcoming event of particular note is by none other than Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros. Mr. Contino will be debuting his most recently recorded song “Quisiera Saber” this coming Tuesday Jan 20th at Subrosa. In many ways, the venue is the perfect fit for Contino, his music and his new single. A true believer in the power of cultural diffusion, Contino has often looked to influences outside of his home country in terms of his original compositions and even the members of his own band. His first recording as a leader “Somos Latinos”, while at its core being a Cuban Salsa record, incorporates strong influences from other Latin genres including Cumbia. Ina addition, Contino has collaborated with a wide range of musicians including Peruvian Folkoric Group Kambalache Negro. “Quisiera Saber” is no exception, written in the style of Colombian Vallenato mixed with a healthy dose of pop and Contino’s undeniably Cuban voice.

Contino’s sets will start at 7pm and 9pm and tickets can be bought online via Subrosa’s website. Of course more information on other concerts and events by Contino and his band can be found on his website and Facebook page. Subrosa is located at 63 Gansevoort Street in Manhattan. 63 Gansevoort Street

Thursday, 25 July 2024, 12:04 AM

As the holiday season has given way to the New Year, the Cuban music scene of Gotham forges ahead into 2017. The past year has been a fruitful one for NYC, with acts such as Maykel Blanco and Los Van Van making appearances in and around the metro area. However, with the blank slate of the coming year looming overhead, the effects of what 2017 will have to offer has yet to be determined.

Always in search of new endeavors to explore, New York’s very own Gerardo Contino breaks into 2017 with a revamped version of Cuba Caliente, held at Gonzalez y Gonzalez on Mercer Street in Greenwich Village. Contino hosted the event for the summer months of 2016 before embarking on a six-week residency in Doha, Qatar. Upon returning to NY, Los Habaneros in tow, he has once again set his sights on being at the helm of promoting Cuban culture in the Big Apple.

Noticing a need to draw a wider and more diverse audience into the fold, Contino decided to revisit the idea of Cuban Caliente from a new and different angle. Originally billed as a community-networking event for Cubans in New York City, Contino now aims to use the event to appeal to a new public market instead of only promoting to the Cuban community and Cuban dance enthusiasts. Through a regular rotation of original local acts as well as promoting a “more inclusive vibe” in comparison the many dance socials already existing in NYC, he intends to present Cuban music to a far more expansive crowd.

Taking this concept into the musical realm, 2017 sees Contino’s music taking on a new from as well. In the years following his 2013 release of the hard-hitting Cuban Salsa tour de force “Somos Latinos”, Gerardo has issued several singles that have fused Cuban music with everything from Brazilain Samba to Colombian Vallanato. His new original single “Año Nuevo” is an anthemic depiction of the very idea that Cuba Caliente aims to represent, a fusion of pop and world music with an unimistakable Cuban core for anyone with an open mind. The video, shot at the last Cuba Caliente just before the New Year, can be viewed below.

Scheduled to occur most Wednesdays, Cuba Caliente will be held this month Los Habaneros on January 18 and 25 at Gonzalez y Gonzalez located at 192 Mercer St, New York, NY 10012. Doors will open at 9pm, music starts at 10pm and the party ends at 1am. Cover at the door is $10. More information on calendar dates and rotation of bands can be found at Cuba Caliente and Gonzalez y Gonzalez’s respective websites.

Thursday, 25 July 2024, 12:04 AM

Attention New Yorkers! Salsondria's Tuesday residency at Favela Cubana continues into the month of April. As always, the events showcase some of the best talent in Gotham's Cuban Music scene. Enrique Lopez and Nu D'Lux are among the list of prime artists that will be featured on the Salsondria roster this month. Favela Cubana is located at 543 LaGuardia Place in Manhattan. The party starts at 10pm with a $5 dollar cover.

For those who cannot make it out on Tuesdays, the party continues every Saturdays at Favela's sister restaurant Calle Dao, located in Midtown at 38 W 39th Street and also starts at 10pm ($10 cover). Few events in New York present live Cuban Music with this kind of regularity and accessibility in such an intimate yet high-energy context. A unique, "up close and personal" listening and dancing experience worthy of any Cuban Music lover's attention. Come show your support!

Thursday, 25 July 2024, 12:04 AM

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In many ways, one could say that the Cuban Music Community of New York City is currently going through an interesting, uncertain, but nonetheless exciting period in its development. Although modern Cuban Music has been present in NYC for a number of years, the genre is still very much coming of age in the city. Up until recently it has stood in the shadows of Nuyorican Salsa, finding a niche among only a small but discerning crowd. However, as groups such as the Pedrito Martínez Group and bands like them have brought new and much deserved attention to the genre, the rest of New York has almost been forced to pay attention, which in turn has resulted in some sudden yet nonetheless interesting developments.

On one hand there are new venues such as Subrosa, in which larger enterprises such as Blue Note are bringing Cuban music to the previously untapped attention of the Meatpacking crowd, serving up Música Cubana in an elaborate decor with drink and ticket prices to match. One the other hand there are the established Cuban hubs such as Guantanamera, whose regular groups have also found themselves in a new state of flux as Cuban acts juggle their itineraries with the new performances that are now opening up, allowing for a “changing of the guard” so to speak.