Rumba Que Zumba at the Havana Jazz Festival

The 33rd annual Internacional Jazz Plaza attracted huge crowds in a variety of settings concentrated in the Vedado neighborhood in Havana.  The festival featured outdoor concerts at venues such as Jardines De Mella (an outdoor garden on the side of the Teatro Mella) featuring Rumba groups such as the youthful Timbalaye whose front line of vocalists dressed like Reggaeton or Timba pop stars.  Their expressive dancers were led by a young, blond haired mulata whose moves were awesome as well as authentic.  Their percussionists, barely in their twenties, were in command of their drums as their rhythmic call and response was inspired and explosive.  Other groups featured during the week were Yoruba Andabo, Rumbata and Explosion Rumbera.

The “OG’s ” of Rumba were represented by Rumberos De Cuba, a veteran rumba group celebrating 20 years together who played at the salon of the Egrem studios.  I was invited by my friend Ricardo “Robertico” Oropeza of El Septeto Nacional De Ignacio Piniero.  What a great scene full of atmosphere, emotion and special guests in the audience such as Freddy, the bassist from El Gran Combo and the renowned Puerto Rican sonero Luisito Carrion on vacation in Cuba.  The veterans of the Rumberos De Cuba quickly displayed their mastery of the rumba…the quinto and tumbadora.