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Event
ALEX CUBA
RATIOnation.com and arteyvidachicago.com present:
ALEX CUBA
June 10, 2010
9pm doors | 10pm show
$15 in advance | $20 at the door
Rumba 351 W. Hubbard
Singer-songwriter Alex*Cuba hails from Artemisa, Cuba (1 hour west of Havana) and resides in Smithers, B.C. (14 hours north of Vancouver). Musically, he lives everywhere in between. His trademark sugarcane-sweet melodies, pop-soul hooks and rock chords subtly subvert commonly held notions of what Cuban music is. Alex is on the vanguard, crafting a cross-cultural sound that mirrors his geographical journey. Not tied to tradition, this Cuban-Canadian prefers his vintage Gibson over el sencerro (cowbell) anytime.
From his earliest years in Artemisa, he was immersed in music. Alex's first stage appearance on national TV was at the tender age of four, playing claves (a percussion instrument) in a group directed by his music instructor father. Alex went on to study guitar, tres, percussion and bass, practicing eight hours a day during his teens.
After a stint with his twin brother Adonis to record Morumba Cubana, as The Puentes Brothers, Alex departed from Cuban music norms to follow his own path. His debut CD with the Alex Cuba Band, Humo De Tabaco, earned him a Juno award for World Music Album in 2006, with the single Lo Mismo Que Yo, featuring Ron Sexsmith charting in the Top 20 at BBC Radio 2. For Humo, Alex took UK producer Martin Terefe to Cuba to record the albums funk infused horns and percussion, a sound that got under Terefes skin. By extension, that Alex*Cuba sound is now evident on Terefes productions for Craig David, Ron Sexsmith and Jason Mraz.
After a musical and spiritual evolution, Cuba returned to the studio, this time with co-producer Joby Baker of Victoria, to record Agua Del Pozo which was released in Canada in February 2007 under his own Caracol Records imprint. Acclaimed for its blend of tempo, instrumentation and songwriting, the album is a clear evolution from the debut, punctuated by the introduction of Alexis electric guitar, a vintage Gibson. Agua earned Alex his second Juno Award for Best World Music album 2008.
2008 was a huge year for Alex*Cuba. He delivered a rousing showcase at SXSW, garnered strong media coverage and had sell-out tours in the U.S. In addition to the Juno an indie Award for Favourite World Music Artist at Canadian Music Week 2008. In June 2008, Caracol Records (Cubas own label, now distributed by EMI Music Canada), re-released Agua del Pozo in Canada with brand new artwork.
Alex*Cuba has an explosive live presence and he has performed in the UK, Japan, Spain, the US and Canada. In the fall of 2008, Alex was invited to showcase at the prestigious WOMEX conference in Seville, Spain, he then played London and Barcelona and at the Canadian Music Trade Mission in Tokyo, Japan before dashing back to North America for the Transmission Conference and his second consecutive sell-out at New York's Joe's Pub.
In the digital space, he has had four iTunes Singles of the Week (Canada, U.S., Japan, Netherlands), has charted on various iTunes charts in Canada, the U.S. and Japan, has built an impressive online community and has had major content features on Myspace, Yahoo!, AOL and other portals.
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LocationRumba
351 W. Hubbard
Chicago, IL 60654
United States
Categories
| Minimum Age: 21 |
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: No |
| Wheelchair Accessible: No |
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Contact
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