Sat 26th November, 2016
8:00 pm - 10:30 pm (Doors: 7:30pm)
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This event is fully booked.
Son Yambu – red hot rhythms straight from the streets of Eastern Cuba. Salsa Night with chairs & Tables down both sides only!
**** ‘Son Yambu are an acoustic septet with the real sound of Santiago De Cuba.’ Simon Broughton, London Evening Standard
‘The UK’s very own Buena Vista band….absolutely tremendous…. if you don’t start to move to this there is no hope for you! Extraordinary music.’ Sean Rafferty, BBC Radio 3
Son Yambu play authentic ‘Son Cubano’ or Cuban son – the essential Afro-Cuban music that originated in the streets of eastern Cuba at the turn of the last century. Son is a fusion of Spanish and African rhythms and is the root of all salsa music. Formed in 2011, Son Yambu feature a new generation of Cuban musicians who are all passionate about maintaining the traditions of the genre, continuing the Buena Vista legacy that put Cuban music back on the map in 1997.
Since their debut album ‘La Maravilla’ was released to rave reviews (**** Songlines, The Evening Standard) at the end of 2012, Son Yambu have gone from strength to strength.
Highlights since then have included playing at the world famous Glastonbury Festival, The Manchester Jazz Festival, The Cheltenham Music Festival, The Shetland Folk Festival, The Africa Oyé Festival , The Cork Jazz Festival, The Edinburgh Mela, The Rainforest World Music Festival in Borneo – to name but a few!
With a hugely successful Arts Council Tour of England in 2014, a recent live session for Sean Rafferty on BBC Radio 3 ‘In Tune’ and a new album currently being recorded, the future looks bright indeed.
On vocals, and minor percussion, Yuri is an accomplished international singer with a sparkling personality, having performed with the likes of Cachaito of the Buena Vista Social Club. She is a born entertainer, and aficionados have likened her to a young Celia Cruz. Also on vocals and percussion are Tony Danger and Jose Cascaret both wonderful ‘soneros’ from Santiago De Cuba. The brilliant Oscar Vazquez Romero on trés and backing vocals is another high-class performer.
Yambu’s rhythm section boasts the extraordinary talents of Reynaldo Crespo on bass, Rene ‘Menique’ Savigne on congas and Toby Herschmann on timbales. They’re the force that drives the music along. And soaring above it all, there’s the trumpet of virtuoso Victor Hechevarria, Yelfris Valdez (formerly of Sierra Maestra) and Jaro Barnik.
Playing their irresistible tropical rhythms, they bring their audiences a truly sensational, authentic Latin-music experience, and their music is guaranteed to turn any event into a fiesta!
Most of the band members hail from Santiago De Cuba, the birthplace of Cuban son…. and have the effortless musicianship that comes from being to the manor born…..a set infused with rhythm changes and infectious melodies and grooves. Son Yambu is the best band playing Cuban son. Jane Cornwell. Songlines/Homegrown April/May 2013.