Busy last few days - some pics of the action - Gigs, TV castings, etc..

[ABAKUA]

One of the dancers we booked for the show/entertainment package for the night, long time friend and wonderful person, Yarima.
Yarima is a professional Afro-Cuban dancer from Havana, Cuba. She trained with Teatro America, Folklorico de la Universidad de la Habana and Scuola Tropicana, and was principal dancer with "7 Potencias" dance company in Havana.

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[ABAKUA]

Another local great timbalero, Oliver.
Oliver is also a world class salsa dancer and instructor, having taken out first place in a Salsa Congress comp in New York, and various other international competitions..
Here he is seen playing/sitting in with my girlfriends band...



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[ABAKUA]

Hope you've enjoyed the pics so far, if theres interest, I'll post up a few more...
I need to go get ready for my gigs tonight, so I guess I'll speak to you guys tommorrow!

Ache pa todos.

[rumbaman]

Hey great pics Abakua . You are livin' the dream man . You are playing on a pair of lp classics or is that someone else i can't tell b'cause of that my eye sight is getting bad as i get older . NICE PICS man and PRETTY DANCERS ., and with all respect a good lookin' misses

Hey good luck on that pepsi thing man .

rumbaman

[onile]

¡Oye Papa! ¡Que Chévere!
¡Tu estas hecho mi pana!

I echo Rumbaman’s sentiments, and with much respect intended, you have a very beautiful lady bróthele.


Now, as for your dancer, let me tell ya', out here in the states we have a saying, “the darker the berry, the sweeter the juice!”

Esa negrita sabrosona me tiene enchulao Papa!

Yo! You and your family of percussionist down under are living well, it is apparent that you all keep in great shape with giggin’ and jammin’, cool , real cool bro!

Oye! El amiguito tuyo, Laurent, ¿ese no es el mismo Laurent Lamy verdad?

Great Pics Abakua, keep posting ‘em, I for one am living vicariously through you! :laugh:

Suave!
Onile!



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[Cuidado]

Hi Abakua,
your pics are nice.
It seems that in Australia, there is a little Cuban word.
It must be great.
Hasta pronto

[windhorse]

Absolutely fantastic Abakua!!!!!!!!!
Keep 'em coming!
I love the story you include with each photo gallery you show us!
Gotta go to Australia sometime and check you guys out!

Dave

[ABAKUA]

Hey rumbaman!
Yep, in the band shots, thats me behind the LP Classics, in the other pics, Im behind the LP Palladium super tumba (in the rumba quartet pics)
Thanks re the Pepsi thing, there's been a great response from their marketing people about it.


Onile!
Thanks for the nice comments bro. Yes, Yarima is a knockout, shame the pic didnt come out as clear as Id hoped.
You will be able to see her dancing in a clip of her with my band as soon as brother Steaddy Freddy can host the DVD clips I sent him..
Regarding Laurent, no its not the same Laurent Lamy, Lamy is in France I believe. My friend Laurent you see in the pics is from Chile, has been playing for approx 28 years and has studied in Havana extensively.
Im glad you've liked the pics.

Que bola Cuidado!
Thanks again for the comments, yes luckily for me and my projects, we are constantly working. Im very thankful for it, our hard work pays off and our reputation and demand keep us busy without having to bad mouth other groups or try to steal other groups work etc.
there's a fairly large scene here, always has been. Lots of fun!

Hey Windhorse!
Glad you liked the pics bro. hehehe as for the little stories in each pic, hey you gotta know whats happeneing ey! Makes the photo a little more interesting also I think.
If you ever do plan on coming to Aus, make sure you let me know in advance!

Here's one more pic while we were rehearsing the bloques/arrangements in the rumba guaguanco we have composed, this one was taken prior to the casting while we waited in one of the studio rooms...



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[Charangaman]

ABAKUA,

Your pictures are a great source of inspiraton for me.. Many thanks for providing us all this insight...

[yoni]

Nice pics, ABAKUA! Looks fun, I wish I could hear you!
Best regards,
Yoni

[maSSivdrums]

Aloha ABAKUA,

Yes! You Da MAN! I envy you with all those venues you have a chance to play with. Some day I hope to shed this "Bedroom Musician" status and one day and take it to your level!
Keep on Poundin'!

Aloha, maSSivdrums

[ABAKUA]

Thanks for the kind words guys. Im glad you've all enjoyed the pics.

We got called back for a 2nd look today by the casting agency. The marketing people for TIC TAC wanted to see us and hear us again for their TV commercial, we find out in the next day or two is we got it or not... *fingers crossed!*



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[Ivan]

We got called back for a 2nd look today by the casting agency. The marketing people for TIC TAC wanted to see us and hear us again for their TV commercial, we find out in the next day or two is we got it or not... *fingers crossed!*

Good Luck with that bro! For real, I trully mean it. I am glad to see another young buck (I think) grow. Your pictures inspire me musically; visually I can see and almost feel what's happening. I hope for the best ire to go your way.

Speaking of pictures; I was just given a digital camera... Seeing all your pictures also inspires me to take and share mine, too! Hopefully my computer illiterate A$$ doesn't have too much difficulty.

Ache,
Ivan

[ABAKUA]

Good Luck with that bro! For real, I trully mean it. I am glad to see another young buck (I think) grow. Your pictures inspire me musically; visually I can see and almost feel what's happening. I hope for the best ire to go your way.

Speaking of pictures; I was just given a digital camera... Seeing all your pictures also inspires me to take and share mine, too! Hopefully my computer illiterate A$$ doesn't have too much difficulty.

Ache,
Ivan

Young buck? HA! :laugh: :laugh: I turn 30 in January... still kinda young though!

Thanks for the words Ivan. Send me your email, I will email u a copy of my work with a certain soft drink label. :;):
Oh yeh, and post up pics when you get some, will be good to see what we all get up to. JC already showed me the pics fromt eh rumba at Sharons. Looks great.



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[ABAKUA]

I just got called back from the marketing people...


I GOT IN!!!!!!

But check it out, they have licensed a song (instrumental son montuno groove) so all musicians will be miming to the track, so anyway, they really dug my 'look' but want me to play a double bass! ha!! I have to mime, basically the casting agency picked out different musicians from all the groups that auditioned and put their own band together.

The ad gets shot on Wednesday.. Oh man and the $$$$$ is great! I getting paid a nice rate per hour for going in yesterday for the call back, then getting another very nice rate per hour for tommorrow as I go in for a few hours for a wardrobe check and rehearsal, then for the ad itself I get a very very generous 4 figure amount! Oh man, I is getting paid! hehehe.

The commercial has been contracted to play for up to 12 months in Australia and New Zealand, and there is a possibility it will also go to the U.S and the U.K, but that is still under negotiation... If it does go overseas, we get paid again, but at 200% rate increase due to laws/royalties etc!! Excellent news, Im very excited, shame I wont be playing congas or even playing live for that matter, but its still a pretty cool gig to get. Thought Id share it with you guys!
Once its aired I will try to get a clip of it online for you guys to check out.

Ache pa todos.



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