News and Headlines : Hot Tropical Band to Headline CWU International Education Week

Hot Tropical Band to Headline CWU International Education Week

November 1, 2005

Contact: Djordje Popovic (509-963-963-1687/fax 509-963-3561/e-mail: popovicd@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - One of the hottest young tropical bands in the United States, "Tiempo Libre" will bring its jazzy, Afro-Cuban beats to Central Washington University for the 2005 International Education Week. It's scheduled for a free, public performance Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. in the Samuelson Union Building Ballroom.

"As part of the International Education Week celebration we wanted to bring one of the nations leading timba groups to Central," says Leslie Webb, CWU diversity education center director. "This will be an opportunity for Central students to experience Latin culture and music first hand."

Since being formed in Miami in 2001, Tiempo Libre, which means "free time," has been performing before large crowds across the U.S. The group featured many of the most sought-after Cuban immigrant musicians in Miami with the mission to share their musical heritage. Fusing a unique mix of jazz, traditional Cuban and Afro-Cuban music, Tiempo Libre is known for its imaginative, high-voltage Latin jazz and the hard driving rhythms of timba, the Cuban variant of salsa music.

The performance is sponsored by CWU's diversity education center, university housing and new student programs, and international education week committee.

For more information, or for persons of disability to arrange for reasonable accommodation call 509-963-1687 or (for hearing impaired) TDD 509-963-2143.