My Secret Radio

In celebration of the May release of their new timba album, My Secret Radio, the three-time Grammy nominated Cuban music group Tiempo Libre, will perform a sizzling, dance-inducing concert and throw one big Cuban musical party on Friday, May 20 at 7:00 pm at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium located at 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street. Tickets are $45 for adults and $15 for students (with valid i.d.) and include entrance to the museum on the day-of the show and may be ordered by calling 212- 570-3949 or visiting www.metmuseum.org/tickets.

Tiempo Libre’s show is a dynamic, passionate performance of timba music—an exciting and engaging combination of Latin jazz and traditional Cuban son. The group’s sound honors their Cuban musical heritage, while celebrating their new American experience

My Secret Radio is an Afro-Cuban love letter to the music, which the band members secretly listened to on American radio stations when they were growing up during the “special period” in Cuba. During that difficult time following Russia’s withdrawal of support from the island, there was little to eat and it was illegal to listen to American music on the radio. As musicians, Tiempo Libre’s members were fueled by their Afro-Cuban tradition, yet they were also eager to devour any scraps of sounds and styles that reached the island from Miami radio. So, like all teenagers who desire most things that are most off limits, they salvaged aluminum foil and metal clothes hangers to fashion homemade antennas, and climbed up on their rooftops at night to secretly listen to the music which pulsated from Miami airwaves. This music of the night fueled their dreams of living in America, free to perform their songs, and live their lives the way they wanted. It gave them the desire and the strength that it took to leave it all behind—families, friends, a country, a life—to pursue those dreams. This album is their tribute to the many powerful voices that rocked their world, and the country that sang to them its siren song—via their secret radios.

Now living in Miami, the members of Tiempo Libre were all classically trained in Havana’s Russian-style conservatories. Today they are a sensation in the U.S. and around the globe with three Grammy nominations. There hasn’t been a concert yet where people haven’t gotten out of their seats to dance. Recently Tiempo Libre made its debut at the Playboy Jazz Festival and the group has appeared on many programs including The Tonight Show and Dancing with the Stars in addition to programs on NPR, Telemundo and Univision. For a preview of the concert please visit the group’s performance on Dancing with the Stars:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hArhNG17qwA

In addition to recording the critically acclaimed CD Bach in Havana, Tiempo Libre performed the duet Para Tí with virtuoso violin player Joshua Bell (which is featured on Bell’s album At Home With Friends) and performed the song with Bell on The Tonight Show and Live From Lincoln Center PBS broadcast. In Fall 2008, Tiempo Libre recorded O’Reilly Street with leading flute player Sir James Galway, which included an Afro-Cuban take on music from the jazz suites of Claude Bolling.

In addition to the music from My Secret Radio, Tiempo Libre’s concert will include music from the Grammy-nominated Bach in Havana as well as their two other Grammy nominated timba albums, Lo Que Esperabas and Arroz Con Mango.

 

You may see and hear more at www.tiempolibremusic.com.