Pedrito Calvo , famoso por su inconfudible bigote Negro, sombrero de alas anchas y una sonrisa que conquisto desde sus inicios en el año 1957 la fidelidad de los bailadores dentro y fuera de Cuba, se unira en estas gira de celebracion de sus 50 años de vida artistica a otro de los iconos de la Musica Cubana, Hilario Duran , nominado al GRAMMY y ganador de los Premios JUNO en los años 2005 (Hilario Duran Trio, “New Danzon”) y 2007 (Hilario Duran y su Latin Jazz Big Band, “From the Heart”), además de los Premios “Mejor Artista de Jazz Latino (años 2006 y 2007) y Mejor Big Band del año 2007, por los National Jazz Awards) .

Hilario Duran es además un pianista incomparable que se ha ganado una sólida reputacion por sus habilidades y su estilo de composicion unico siendo ya considerado uno de los mayores exponentes de la pianistica y de la Música Cubana contemporanea.

La visita a Toronto, Montreal y Ottawa sera un homenaje de estos talentosos musicos a Benny More, quien fuera conocido como el Barbaro del Ritmo (1919-1963) catalogado el mejor cantante de musica popular Cubana de todos los tiempos. La gira Canadiense se llamara “Hoy Como ayer” titulo de una de las mas conocidas canciones del Benny.

Pedrito Calvo nos traera la nostalgia de la epoca dorada de los Van Van interpretando muchos de los temas que los convirtieron en un suceso musical en Cuba y en el mundo, bailaremos al ritmo de “Sandunguera”, “El Negro no tiene Na”, “Marilu”, “Recaditos No”, “Sera que se Acab o ”… junto a canciones del Benny y otros exitos de la Nueva Justicia y memorables solos de Hilario Duran , quien sera el Director Musical del espectaculo “ Hoy Como Ayer”.

Este regalo a la nostalgia que unira por primera vez en una gira a dos virtuosos de la Musica Cubana ha sido organizado por Havanarte Productions, el Centro de Promocion Cultural Benny More de la Habana e Hilario Duran y es patrocinado por Cubana de Aviacion, Cubanacan Hoteles, HolaSun Holidays, Caribesol y la Oficina de Turismo de Cuba en Toronto.

Las presentaciones musicales de Pedrito Calvo e Hilario Duran se acompañaran de imagenes, fotos y recuerdos del Benny recreando el ambiente de la epoca en que Cuba entera se rindio a los pies de este querido Cienfueguero, recordado cada año en el festival que lleva su nombre e inmortalizado en el 2005 con la pelicula Benny More, galardonada en varios festivales Internacionales y que ya fue vista en Canada con un gran exito de publico.

Para mayor informacion visitar www.torontohispano.com o llamar al :

613.291 1608

  Club cubano Canadiense de Ottawa

TRIBUTE TO BENNY MORE IN CANADA

Hilario Duran ,one of Cuba 's premier ambassadors of Latin Jazz. GRAMMY nomination and National Jazz Award Best Latin Jazz Band of the year and Juno awarded in 2007 and GRAMMY winner Pedrito Calvo, one of the most instantly recognizable icons of Cuban music, founder of Buena Vista Social Club, and Afro Cuban All Star and Mayito Valdes (both former members of the lead trio of the grammy winner los Van Van) accompanied by renowned musicians from actual Pedrito Calvo Band La Justicia and Hilario Duran Band are going to perform soon in Canada.

They will all together for the first time in a unique Canadian tour produced by Havanarte Productions and Benny More Culture Center of Cuba The tour will showcase the greatest hits of los Van Van like El Negro no tiene na', Marilu, Recaditos no, Eso que Anda, Se muere de sed la tia and some others as well as songs of Benny More, This tour is as a tribute to him, who is considered to be the greatest Cuban singer of all times.

BIOGRAPHIES

PEDRITO CALVO:

Grammy winner and member of Buena Vista Social Club and Afrocuban All Stars.

Pedrito Calvo is one of the most instantly recognizable icons of Cuban music. His sombrero-clad countenance and lusty voice were synonymous with the image of Los Van Van for most of their 30-year history. He is the lead vocalist on numerous number one hits and is most famous for his stint with Los Van Van , which he joined in 1988 . As one of the lead vocalists Calvo formed part of the singing trio of Los Van Van along with Mayito Rivera and Roberto Hernández . These three singers would alternate singing the lead parts and backup parts on Los Van Van tracks. Some of the more notable tracks that Calvo sang the lead part on during this period are: El Negro esta Concinando, Mi Chocolate, La Frut and many others. Calvo was also the lead singer on Que le den Candela and Sandunguera, He left Los Van Van in late 2000 and after a stint as a guest singer with NG La Banda, Pupy Pedroso, and the Afro-Cuban All-stars, he formed his own group, Pedrito Calvo y la Justicia

HILARIO DURAN:

2005-2007 juno awarded, grammy nominated.

2003 JUNO Award Nominated Artist for his “Havana Remembered” CD, and a 2005 JUNO Award Winner for his “ New Danzon ” CD, Hilario Durán, Pianist, Composer, Bandleader and Arranger of the first order, is one of the greatest virtuoso Jazz pianists emerging from Havana , Cuba .

Hilario Durán was a member of the Arturo Sandoval's band for nine years (1981 – 1990). As a composer, arranger and producer, as well as a performer -playing both piano and keyboard- he toured at major Jazz Festivals around the world, sharing stages with legendary musicians such as the late Dizzy Gillespie, and composer/arranger Michael Legrand.

Since his move to Canada , Hilario Durán has become an integral and important part of the Canadian music scene. He is an invaluable member of the Jazz Faculty at Humber College , acting as both an adjunct Piano Professor and Ensemble Director. Hilario has appeared internationally with a variety of performance groups, including an appearance at “The Modern Drummer Festival” with Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, John Patitucci, and Michael Brecker. Also, a memorable performance at “The Barranquilla Jazz Festival” in Colombia , in 2001, as well as engagements with an “All–Stars” band that included heavy-weight musicians Dave Valentin, Juan Pablo Torres, John Benitez, and “Patato” Valdés. Durán also performed in October 2002 (as a pianist and composer) with saxophonist Paquito D' Rivera, violinist Regina carter and the living legend Brazilian singer Leny Andrade, joined by “The World Festival Orchestra” at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (N.P.C.A.C,

BENNY MORE:

Greatest of all Cuban singers

Beny (sometimes Benny) Moré ( August 24 , 1919 – February 19 , 1963 ) is considered by many fans of Cuban music as the greatest Cuban singer of all time. He was gifted with an innate musicality and fluid tenor voice which he colored and phrased with great expressivity. Moré was a master of all the genres of Cuban music, including son montuno , mambo , guaracha , guajira , cha cha cha , Afro-Cuban , canción , guaguancó , and bolero .

Moré's major breakthrough .

Trío Matamoros and Mexico:

Performing in Mexico

Siro Rodríguez, of the famed Trío Matamoros , heard Moré singing in the bar El Temple and was greatly impressed. Shortly thereafter, Conjunto Matamoros was engaged for a live performance for the station 1010. However, Miguel Matamoros was indisposed and asked Mozo Borgellá (director of septeto Cauto), to lend him a singer. Borguellá sent Moré, who remained several years with the Matamoros trio making a number of recordings.

Moré replaced Miguel Matamoros as lead singer, and then later dedicated himself to leading the band.

In 1945 Moré went with Conjunto Matamoros to Mexico , where he performed in two of the most famous cabarets at that time, the Montparnasse and the Río Rosa. He made several recordings. Conjunto Matamoros returned to Havana, but Moré remained in Mexico. Rafael Cueto said to him: "Fine, but just remember that they call burros "bartolo" here. Stay, but change your name." "Ok," replied Moré, "from now on my name is Beny, Beny Moré."

In Mexico, Moré made recordings for RCA Victor , together with the orchestra of Mariano Mercerón: Me voy pal pueblo y Desdichado . He also recorded with Perez Prado : Bonito y sabroso , Mucho corazón , Pachito el che , and Ensalada de mambo. The public baptized him the Prince of Mambo. He also recorded Dolor carabalí , which Moré considered his best composition recorded with Pérez Prado, one he never wanted to re-record.

Return to Cuba:

A new era

At the end of 1950, Moré returned to Cuba. He was a star in Mexico, Panama , Colombia , Brazil and Puerto Rico , but virtually unknown on the island. His first Cuban recording was Bonito y Sabroso . Moré began alternating between performances in the Cadena Oriental and trips to Havana to record at the RCA studios.

In Havana, Moré worked for the radio station RHC Cadena Azul, with the of Bebo Valdés orchestra who introduced the new style called "batanga". The presenter of the show, Ibraín Urbino, presented him as El Bárbaro del Ritmo. They offered him the opportunity to record with Sonora Matancera, but he declined the offer because he didn't care for the sound of the group.

In 1952, Moré recorded with the Orquesta Aragón and then decided that he would perform with this group in the dance halls. Orquesta Aragón was from Cienfuegos and was having trouble breaking into Havana and Moré helped them in this way.

Banda Gigante:

Performing at the academy awards

The first performance of Moré's Banda Gigante (literally Giant Band, or Gigantic Band) was in the program Cascabeles Candado of the station CMQ. The Banda was a large ensemble, numbering up to forty musicians, only comparable in size with the big band of Xavier Cugat . Although Moré could not read music, he arranged material by singing the parts to his musicians.

In the years 1954 and 1955, the Banda Gigante became immensely popular. In 1956 and 1957, it toured Venezuela , Jamaica , Haiti , Colombia , Panama, Mexico and the United States , where the group played at the Oscar ceremonies. In Havana, they played at the dance halls La Tropical and El Sierra. In 1960 they started performing both Night and Day.

Moré was offered a tour of Europe -- France in particular -- but he rejected it because of fear of flying (he had by that time been in three air accidents).

Last Years:

100,000 attend funeral

In the aftermath of the Cuban Revolution , many of Cuba's top musical figures left, most for the US and some for Mexico. Monguito el Unico and Celia Cruz went to Mexico, but after a few years they moved to the US. The Charanga bands went to Miami and everyone else went to NYC, but Beny, the greatest of them all, stayed in Cuba, among as he said, "mi gente" - "my people".

When Moré died in 1963 of cirrhosis of the liver an estimated 100,000 fans attended his funeral. He was only 43 years old.

Memory:

Festival of Cienfuegos

His memory is honored in Cuba in September of every year by a festival in Cienfuegos that bears his name. Many Cuban singers refer to him in their songs.

In the Cuban capital Havana , a salsa club is named after him. On the malecon in Manzanillo, there is a statue of him. In 2006, a film called El Benny was released. It is based on parts of his life and includes new versions of his songs performed by musicians including Chucho Valdes , Juan Formell and Orishas .