Top Bands Play at Cafe Cantante

HAVANA TIMES.- The Cafe Cantante located at the Teatro Nacional is a night club offering live presentations of the most popular Cuban bands and soloists of the moment. Located in the basement of the theater, the locale is air conditioned and has a bar and tables around the small stage. There is also a dance floor for the public.

Like the recently reopened Delirio Habanero, also located on the grounds of the Teatro Nacional, the Cafe Cantante has both an afternoon matinee from 4-9 p.m. and a late evening program that begins at 11:00 p.m. and runs all night, Wednesday-Sunday.

This week’s shows begin Wednesday October 29 with a matinee featuring Leoni Torres and his group. The former member of the Charanga Habanera timba band has a repertory ranging from salsa to pop. The entrance price is $10.00 CUC (US $12.40).

On Thursday there is both a matinee and night show. Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco, one of the pioneer timba bands, starts things off. Besides timba and salsa, the band also plays ballads, son, and other Cuban rhythms. The entrance price is $10.00 CUC. The night show belongs to the group Vuelo 315 (Flight 315) and also costs $10.00 CUC.

Friday starts off with Arnaldo y su talisman, presenting salsa music with new melodic variants. The band is one of the many —and probably best— projects of musician and band leader Arnaldo Rodriguez. Formed in 2002 Arnaldo y su talisman is currently highly popular among the Cuban population. The entrance price is $10.00 CUC.

The Friday night program is the new timba band Combinacion de la Habana. Formed less than a year ago, the band has musicians from several top Cuban groups. The entrance is $10.00 CUC.

Singer/songwriter Waldo Mendoza performs Saturday afternoon with the price at $5.00 CUC. Saturday night features Grupo Gitanos and also costs $5.00 CUC.

Sunday Nov. 2 starts off with the Los Kents rock band playing the music of Led Zeppelín, Credence Clearwater, Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Janice Joplin, and others. The entrance price is $5.00 CUC. The night show features Melodías del 40, a young orchestra formed in 2005, under the same name as an orchestra that was popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Entrance Price $5.00 CUC