Musical Chairs a lo cubano

timberamayor

timberamayor

Son Montuno
I just thought I'd start a thread where we can keep track of which singer/musicians are with which bands for those of us who are interested.

So to start out, as posted by Ville, Mayito Rivera left Van Van and has been replaced by Mandy Cantero (ex-CF and Pupy). While all the fans I've heard from are happy with the idea of Mandy being in Van Van, it is interesting to note that in their press release about Mayito's departure from Oct. 11, 2011, there was no mention of who would replace him. And also, in the newspaper article in Radio Rebelde about the first concert with Mandy...there was no mention of Mandy and he was not shown in any of the pictures.
radiorebelde.cu/noticia/llego-tren-musical-santiago-cuba-fotos-20111017/

So does this mean it's still not official? I don't know, but it's a bit odd certainly. They should have had a performance in Mexico last night. Anyway this is the most important shake-up in a long while. Van Van is the most stable of all the Cuban groups.

Mayito will be touring with other bands in the near future such as Timbalive and Monica Mesa.

In lesser shake-ups, Michel Pérez and Liuvan Alvarado (the curly one) as well as one musician as yet unnamed, stayed in Miami. Apparently Alexis Zamora (Havana C) has joined Salsa Mayor. Don't know which songs he will be given.
 
timberamayor said:
I just thought I'd start a thread where we can keep track of which singer/musicians are with which bands for those of us who are interested.

So to start out, as posted by Ville, Mayito Rivera left Van Van and has been replaced by Mandy Cantero (ex-CF and Pupy). While all the fans I've heard from are happy with the idea of Mandy being in Van Van, it is interesting to note that in their press release about Mayito's departure from Oct. 11, 2011, there was no mention of who would replace him. And also, in the newspaper article in Radio Rebelde about the first concert with Mandy...there was no mention of Mandy and he was not shown in any of the pictures.
radiorebelde.cu/noticia/llego-tren-musical-santiago-cuba-fotos-20111017/

So does this mean it's still not official? I don't know, but it's a bit odd certainly. They should have had a performance in Mexico last night. Anyway this is the most important shake-up in a long while. Van Van is the most stable of all the Cuban groups.

Mayito will be touring with other bands in the near future such as Timbalive and Monica Mesa.

In lesser shake-ups, Michel Pérez and Liuvan Alvarado (the curly one) as well as one musician as yet unnamed, stayed in Miami. Apparently Alexis Zamora (Havana C) has joined Salsa Mayor. Don't know which songs he will be given.
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Formell is also retiring soon isn't he? That should be the biggest shakeup of all.

I wonder if Mayito will try to continue his solo work? There are a couple of songs on his Llegó La Hora that I really like.
 
tocatimba said:
Formell is also retiring soon isn't he? That should be the biggest shakeup of all.

I wonder if Mayito will try to continue his solo work? There are a couple of songs on his Llegó La Hora that I really like.
Click to expand...

I don't know when Formell plans to retire. He has diabetes and doesn't always go on the European tours anymore. When I saw them in 2004 in France he even had a doctor on the tour with them and he had him come out on stage and introduced him to the audience. Formell also has had problems with tendinitis I think which is why he is pretty much only seen playing the electric bass now rather than the baby and the electric.

Samuel has been the musical director for probably over 7 years now. But Juan has la cabeza. Running a band requires a lot more than just musical talent so it's scary to think of Juan retiring because he's a genius as a leader. No criticism of Samuel intended, but can he take up his father's mantel? Who knows? He's written some songs I like so that part seems OK.

I think Mayito will sing his own songs and maybe some of the Van Van hits that he sang. When he was in Europe and sang with Danson he did some of his own songs, some Van Van and some of the Danson songs. I expect he will keep up that pattern for now.
 
I saw Michel Perez with SM this summer. My first thoughts were he is not gonna stay here - guess I was right. Is Liuvan the long curly haired singer? SM is going through alot I suppose.
 
ville said:
Is Liuvan the long curly haired singer? SM is going through alot I suppose.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Gabriel calls him the shetland pony :)

Maykel seems to feel like it's no big deal since both Michel and Liuvan hadn't really had any songs especailly written for them...well except un kilo.

That's one of the things that makes it hard for the newer bands though. They lose musicians and singers to the higher level bands or during tours people stay behind. Tumbao Habana is one of the best examples of this. I really like their music but every time Pascualito finds a new good singer someone steals them away.
 
OK the third guy from SM who stayed behind was Roig the tecladista. Maykel says he's going to just stay with three singers for now so it will be Yordis, Yasser and Alexis o the upcoming European tour.
 
Haven't updated this thread for a while and there have been some changes but the big ne right now is Emilio Frias "El niño" (singer) and Wilfredo Naranja "Pachy" (piano) have left Orquesta Revé. Lázaro Maya "Lachy Fortuna" (singer) is back in leaving La Charanga Habanera and the new pianist is someone I don't know, Yanio Farres, from CHaranga Latina, who Bassist and musical director Aisar Hernández has worked with previously.

Oh and I never mentioned about Randy leaving CH and Yulién Oviedo going back for a few gigs with them until they get a full time replacement. At least that was the last I heard.
 
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