Juan De Marcos González to hit the road on a 35-city U.S. concert tour, starting in February

Juan de Marcos González y Afro-Cuban All Stars

December 16, 12:31 PM

by Ian Malinow, Latin Music Examiner

Juan De Marcos González, the Sierra Maestra leader and a key figure in Cuban music today, announced earlier this week that the group will kick off a 35-city-plus U.S. concert tour in mid-February 2009, starting in Tacoma, Washington and wrapping it all up in April in Miami.

On the tour, De Marcos - also known for his work with Buena Vista Social Club - will team up with his Afro-Cuban All-Stars band and other special guests, including Ignacio Herrera (pianist and ex-musical director of Cubanísimo); Calixto Oviedo (drummer, performed with NG La Banda); Yaure Muniz; Igort Rivas and Miguel Valdés (trumpeters, members of the Buena Vista Social Club); and Alberto Martínez (trombonist, member of the original line up of Buena Vista Social Club).

De Marcos’ newest CD/DVD is titled “Absolutely Live,” and it includes footage of a concert at Tokyo's Zepp, and of a previously unreleased show recorded at Hague's North Sea Jazz Festival.

As a bandleader and producer, De Marcos is widely known for following the son tradition while blending the big band style with an upbeat, more modern sound.

U.S. tour dates:

02/17/2009, Tacoma, WA, Broadway Center for the Performing Arts
02/18/2009, Olympia, WA, Washington Center for the Performing Arts
02/19/2009, Longview, WA Rose Theatre
02/20/2009, Eugene, OR, Hult Center for Performing Arts
02/22/2009, Arcata, CA, Arcata Theater
02/24/2009, Chico, CA, Cal State University/Chico
02/25/2009, Berkeley, CA, UC / Berkeley
02/26/2009, Berkeley, CA, UC / Berkeley
02/26/2009, Davis, CA, UC/Davis
02/27/2009, Cerritos, CA, Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
02/28/2009, Santa Barbara, CA, UC / Santa Barbara
03/02/2009, Tucson, AZ, University of Arizona
03/03/2009, Mesa, AZ, Mesa Center for the Performing Arts
03/06/2009, Austin, TX, Paramount Theatre
03/07/2009, Dallas, TX, Titas
03/10/2009, Iowa City, IA, West High School
03/13/2009, Madison, WI, Overture Center for the Arts
03/14/2009, Grand Rapids, MN, Myles Reif Performing Arts Center
03/15/2009, Minneapolis, MN, Orchestra Hall
03/18/2009, Urbana, IL, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
03/20/2009, University, IL, Governers State University - Center
03/21/2009, Toledo, OH, Valentine Theatre
03/22/2009, Cincinnati, OH, Aronoff Center / Procter & Gamble
03/24/2009, Oxford, OH, Miami University - Hall Auditorium
03/26/2009, Trenton, NJ, War Memorial Patriots Theatre
03/27/2009, Greenvale, NY, Tilles Center for the Performing Arts
03/28/2009, New York, NY, Town Hall Theatre
03/29/2009, New Bedford, MA, Zeiterion Theatre
03/31/2009, North Bethesda, MD, The Music Center at Strathmore
04/01/2009, Charlottesville, VA, Paramount Theatre
04/02/2009, Hampton, VA, American Theatre
04/03/2009, Greensboro, NC, Carolina Theatre
04/04/2009, Atlanta, GA, Variety Playhouse
04/07/2009, Ft. Pierce, FL, Sunrise Theatre
04/08/2009, Ft. Pierce, FL, Sunrise Theatre
04/08/2009, West Palm Beach, FL, Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Arts
04/09/2009, Tampa FL, Ferguson Hall
04/11/2009, Miami, FL, Knight Concert Hall

Buena Vista Social Club Artists