The High-Octane Salsa band to present songs from their new album “Gasolina de Avion”

Miami Dade College’s (MDC) MDC Live Arts present the widely popular Cuban timba band, Timbalive, at 8 p.m., on Friday, Mar. 18 at the Koubek Center, offering a souped-up form of salsa, full of infectious rhythms, playful hooks, and plenty of swagger. The show culminates MDC Live Arts’ new Little Havana Social Club dance party/concert series, featuring flavorful live bands, pre-concert dance lessons, specialty food, and cocktail vendors.

The high-octane, 10-member group Timbalive is based in Miami, but enjoys great success among the salsa circuit across Europe, South America, Cuba, and the U.S. The group just released a new album this month–their fourth– “Gasolina de Avion” (Jet Fuel), which features songs by Grammy-winning singer/composer Descemer Bueno, Maykel Fonts, and others. The title refers to the sheer power behind this production.

“We cannot wait to debut these songs for the community at this event in the heart of Little Havana,” said Musical Director Leo García.

The concert will be preceded by a salsa dance lesson, and followed by a DJ dance party on an outdoor dance floor, under the stars.

“We are so lucky to have extremely talented artists, like Timbalive, in our community and are thrilled to welcome them to the Little Havana Social Club stage!,” said MDC Live Arts Executive Director, Kathryn Garcia.

The Little Havana Social Club, in it’s very special home at the Koubek Center, is all about community and mingling–from the dance floor to the domino tables to the food trucks. Earlier this season, the series presented Peru’s own Cumbia All Stars as well as the “Duke of Bachata”, Joan Soriano, straight from the Dominican Republic.

ABOUT TIMBALIVE
Timbalive was created in 2008, founded by Musical Director and Timbales player, Leo García. Its members all come from the top music schools in Cuba, but are now all based in Miami. The group released their first album “De Miami a la Habana”, a collection of their own songs and covers of beloved composers, in 2009. They quickly gained international attention, appearing the Top 10 in more than 20 countries, and winning “Álbum Revelación del Año 2009” in France and Best Timba album in Peru. Two more albums followed: “La Timba Pa to El Mundo,” (2011), nominated for a Cubadicoso award in the popular music category, and Con la Música Cubana No” (2013), securing their position as one of the most popular timba groups in the Latin circuit. The group has toured extensively throughout Europe, Mexico, Canada, South America and the US. Timbalive credits its success to hard work, perseverance, and their signature sound– an inimitable mix of Caribbean rhythms and Cuban popular music, with the lyrics and arrangements designed with the dancer in mind. They have just released a new album, “Gasolina de Avion,” in January 2016.

ABOUT MDC LIVE ARTS
MDC Live Arts is Miami’s most eclectic performing arts series–celebrating 25 years this season! Created in 1990 as Cultura del Lobo, MDC Live Arts has an illustrious history of bringing extraordinary national and international performing artists to Miami. The annual series presents today’s most exciting artists and designs meaningful engagement between these artists, the students of MDC, and the greater community. MDC Live Arts seeks artists from across the globe who push boundaries and honor traditions relevant to Miami’s diverse community, and aims to offer audiences opportunities to discover new ideas, perspectives and forms of expression. For more information, please visit mdclivearts.org.

The Programs of MDC Live Arts are made possible with the generous support of: Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council; the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; the Miami-Dade County Tourism Development Council; the National Endowment for the Arts; the City of Miami Beach Department of Tourism and Cultural Development, Office of Cultural Affairs, the Miami Beach Mayor and City Commissioners; the Southern Exposure: Performing Arts of Latin America program, Citizens Interested in the Arts; Miami Dade County Cultural Passport in partnership with Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Miami Dade County Public Schools, and the Foundation for New Education Initiative; the Miami Downtown Development Authority; and John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. MDC Live Arts is an NPN Partner of the National Performance Network (NPN). Major contributors include the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

ABOUT THE KOUBEK CENTER
The Koubek Center–su casa de cultura– is a cultural and historic landmark in the heart of Little Havana. True to its pioneering heritage and multicultural community, the revitalized mansion and gardens celebrates the diversity of South Florida, bringing the arts to life with workshops, art exhibitions, theater and music performances, literary readings, and more. In addition to the mansion and gardens, the iconic space includes the Koubek theater, the ArtSpace gallery, the BookCorner, the BlackBox, classrooms, and mini performance spaces.

To purchase tickets, and learn more about the MDC Live Arts Season, call 305-237-3010 or visit mdclivearts.org.