The Best of The Cuban Music Awards Hits London

London, UK – Havana Club, the Cuban rum company, presents in London the best of this year’s Cubadisco, the most prestigious music event in Cuba. The event will take place Sunday, 29th of October 2006 at Floridita, 100 Wardour Street, Soho, London W1. This is part of a tour that is also traveling to Madrid (October 23), Moscow (October 25 – 27), Cyprus (October 25 – 27) and Dublin (November 2).

Grammy award winners, Yoruba Andabo, a company of 15 singers, percussionists and dancers will take the stage and whirl the 700 person capacity venue into a pulsing celebration of the traditional Afro-Cuban culture never before experienced in London. Audiences can expect traditional melodic chants and prayers to the mesmeric beat of the Bata drums or the Abaka, the colorful dance of ‘the little devils’.

Changüí means ‘dance party’ and this is what Changüí Santiago have been doing best since their inception in the patio of Cuba’s Bacardí Museum in 1999. The group work an array of instruments that are unique to Cuba, such as the trés, the distinctive Cuban guitar, and the guayo, originally a homemade coconut grater. The band’s dance duet will also add to the party atmosphere that is representative of the traditional parties held in the Cuban mountains since the 1900’s.

Straight into the mix is Papo Record who earned his hip-hop stripes in the barrios of Havana’s underworld. This ‘Hip hop breakthrough story’ and ‘The Best Newcomer’ from Cubadisco will take us on a lyrical ride that shows us just what he has picked up on international tours of Panama and Brazil, where he represented Cuba at The Copacabana Festival.

In honor of their 20th anniversary, The Havana Film School will be premiering short films in the upstairs lounge supported by visuals from urban video jockey collective Triggerset.

To celebrate this event, Havana Masters have produced a CD sampler of the best of the winners and nominees of this year’s Cubadisco, available in stores from Oct 1.

With the world famous Floridita bar serving over 20 different types of mojitos alone and a well stocked humidor on hand you will be transported right back to the heady days of Havana.

Entry: £15 (Includes a complimentary Havana Club cocktail)
Doors open 6pm – First band on stage at 7pm

Tickets for this event are available from Ticketweb 08700 600 100
For online bookings and information visit: www.cubanmusicawards.com