Founded on February 25, 1993, and having already started to develop their style when various key members were part of Maravilla de Florida, Manolito y su Trabuco was one of the first timba bands, but it wasn’t until the second wave, in 1995, that they released their first album, Directo al corazón. In 2006, released [...]
Issac Delgado (born Issac Felipe Delgado-Ramirez on September 11, 1962 in Mariano, Havana, Cuba) is one of Cuba’s biggest salsa stars. His father, Luis Delgado, was a tailor and his mother, Lina Ramirez, was an actress, dancer and singer in the Teatro Musical de La Habana. When he was ten years old he entered the [...]
Bamboleo has an incredible ability to delight dancers all over the world and send their bodies into a hip shaking frenzy. It was with this objective in mind that Bamboleo was created in 1995. As a result of their strong influence, Bamboleo has become a socio-cultural phenomenon, integrating a new style of dance, fashion and [...]
Founded in 1956 by master Elio Revé Matos, outstanding figure of Cuban music, ”Revé y su Charangón” orchestra is, since many years ago, one of the most prestigious groups in Cuba and abroad. Its creator Elio Revé, born in Guantánamo, in the oriental part of the country, on June 23, 1930, was a remarkable exponent [...]
Pianist, composer, arranger and director, he is the Cuban “Sonero” by excellence. Owning a very personal, unmistakable, harmonic and melodic style, he won the title of “EL Caballero del Son” (“The Son Gentleman”) due to his anthological innovations and contributions for this traditional and contemporary genre, which earned him the honor of being, nowadays, the [...]
César “Pupy” Pedroso (born César de las Mercedes Pedroso Fernández in Havana on 24 September 1946) is a Cuban pianist who became famous with Orquesta Revé and then as a founding member of Los Van Van. For many years, Pedroso wrote some of Van Van’s most important songs such as “Call Calla”, “Tranquilo, Mota”, “Seis [...]
Women making music is quite normal in Cuba. Havana has 19 all-female salsa orquestas. Anacaona is the oldest of them, founded in 1932 by the sisters Castro. For their band they chose the name of a beautiful Indian queen, who in her time led an uprising against the Spanish. Anacaona… the everlasting talent and sweetness [...]
Azúcar Negra was formed in 1997 when Leonel Limonta, Haila Momprié (no longer with the band), and other musicians split off from Bamboleo. Limonta had written almost all of the material for Bamboleo’s brilliant second album, “Yo No Me Parezco a Nadie” and Haila was one of the lead singers. Azúcar Negra created a great [...]
Bandleader, music director and arranger of 14-piece band Charanga Habanera, David Calzado has played an essential role in the evolution of modern Cuban music. Although he was forced to reorganize the group in 1997, Calzado has continued to be one of Cuba’s most influential musicians. Under his leadership, Charanga Habanera was chosen as the Most [...]
Calle Real is now twelve guys who play modern timba with distinctive pop influences. Its well arranged and tightly played music for the club scene. Theres a definite heavy groove with a sound that differs from the masses. It can be rock, funk, R&B or mostly pop, which is not unexpected since the band grew [...]
