Cuba L

	Cuba L.A. keeps the soul of Cuban music alive, fueled by the love of their heritage and the thrill of musical experimentation.


Led by Danilo Lozano – flutist, musicologist and a founding member of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra – Cuba L.A. is dream team of Cuban musicians living in Los Angeles featuring Orestes Vilato, Luis Conte, Harry Kim, and others. The band has grown a reputation for percussive fireworks – poly-rhythmic timbales, congas and bongos provide an unbelievable backdrop to scorching performances on trumpets, flute, piano and strings.

The traditional Cuban flute ensemble, the charanga, evolves into a sensational, category-defying experience in Cuba L.A. Lozano mentions that coming from Los Angeles, “a cultural hub, we’re able to easily bring in so many musical sensibilities to the traditional music – spirituals, African and Spanish…it’s all there, and it’s all a part of Cuban music today.” Cuba L.A. begins with traditional Cuban music. Mixing rhythms, forms and instrumentation from different regions of Cuba, the group creates their own lush ensemble sound. Lozano says, “We came to the studio as if it were a live jazz session. It was like a laboratory and everyone became an arranger. After running through everyone’s ideas, we recorded the tune live. The end results are explosive. As soon as we were finished, we couldn’t wait to hear what we had created. It was magical.”

El Guararei de Pastora	Written in the 1960s by the preeminent Cuban composer Juan Formell (director of Los Van Van), Cuba L.A. plays the Cuban flute ensemble (charanga) with string bass and conga alone, letting the listener feel the melody in the complex rhythms of the percussion.

La Mora	This performance mixes elements of three different Cuban musical styles: danzónete, changuii and clavé criolla. The result is explosive as these three very distinct traditions from different regions of Cuba mix in La Mora.

Lagrimas Negras	- or dark tears, is a story of unrequited love achingly told by Iris Sandra Cepeda (Arte Mixto). Typically, the song is sung in duet. But here, a violin undulates beneath, taking the place of the second vocalist and gives the song a particularly fluid and haunting tone. A true hómage to the vocal tradition of Cuba.

Guantanamera	Arranged by over 20 groups, Guantanamera is one of the most popular Cuban tunes ever. Cuba L.A. puts their unique stamp on this unofficial national anthem with traditional Cuban guitar (tres) improvisations. The whole band joins in as the song comes to an end, singing and playing, celebrating the joy of their musical heritage.

Kila, Quique y Chocolate	Originally, the tune is set to a trumpets alternating with bongos and congas (conjunto). Here, Kila’s orchestration includes Orestes Vilato’s timbales, showing off the percussive virtuosity that has become Cuba L.A.’s trademark.

Whisper Not	A sensational Latin jazz tune, Francisco Torres, trombonist for Pancho Sanchez, takes the lead and improvises with the acoustic bass. New for Cuba L.A., the trombone’s mellow sonority perfectly suits the group’s smooth ensemble sound.

Popurri de Congas	In Cuba, each neighborhood has its own carnival music propelled by a drum troupe and distinctive melodies on trumpet. Cuba L.A. takes five carnival favorites and introduces high pitch drum (quinto) improvs between each.

Semillas	Semillas, “seeds”, is an original Latin jazz tune with the melody defined by flute and flugelhorn in unison. The beautiful tonal colors of these duets showcase Cuba L.A.’s stunning and unique combination of instruments.

Drume Negrita	This song features the marimbula and the cajon - boxed percussion instruments played by early Cuban rural dock workers. Cuba L.A. stretches the boundaries of tradition and uses these instruments to create the melody with their rhythms.

Danzón Legrande	The authentic Cuban danzón, with its roots deep in the European classical tradition, became one of the most popular dances at the turn of the century. Inspired by Michel le Grande, this danzón’s breezy rhythms swing with Cuba L.A.’s elegant strings, piano and flutes.

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