Roberto Fonseca performs at the Gran Teatro: "We're going to paralyze Havana"

August 23, 2018

The outstanding Cuban musician Roberto Fonseca, along with his group Temperamento, will offer a concert titled "A Style of Its Own for Making Jazz" this Saturday the 25th, at 8:30 p.m., at the Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso, as part of the closing of summer. Fonseca's presentation has been organized by the Cuban Institute of Music and its Center for Popular Music, with the support of the Gran Teatro.

"We are going to do a Cuban jazz concert. Of reaffirming the greatness, the richness of Cuban music. We are going to demonstrate that we are jazz musicians, but we are equally prepared to play any other type of music. And we owe that to our schools, to our teachers. When I am abroad I always say that Cuba is a 'factory of musicians'. I hope the public ends up dancing. It is always good to play at home. We are going to paralyze Havana."

After some time without offering a concert on the Island with the magnitude of the one he will give on Saturday, the exceptional pianist has called upon Omara Portuondo, saxophonist Michel Herrera, and soprano Bárbara Llanes to accompany him. He praised the latter's vocal qualities. Together they will perform a habanera. It will be the first time they share a stage and undoubtedly, he said, other collaborations will come from this union. "We will make a bridge between different styles. We will demonstrate that jazz is not at odds with other genres, in this case she comes from the lyric."

For her part, Llanes thanked the invitation:

"It is a blessing that has fallen to me. I am feeling great joy and great delight. It will be an unforgettable experience. I will use my voice as if it were a musical instrument. I hope to be up to the level of these great musicians who will accompany me."

Fonseca and his team are also happy. They will do a concert just as they are accustomed to doing in the international arena, where they have successfully performed before 10,000 or 15,000 people. They will even use a large format. "I like the sound of trombones," Fonseca explained enthusiastically, noting that they will perform songs from his albums Yo and abuc, and that they will premiere others, including one titled Mambo pa´la niña.

Not only the magnificent pianist expressed feeling emotional about this new meeting with the great Cuban public. His accompanying musicians –Javier Zalba, alto sax, soprano, flute and clarinet; Yandy Martínez, guitar bass and double bass; Ruly Herrera, drums; Adel González, percussion; Roberto García, trumpet; Carlos Miyares, tenor sax; Ricardo Argudín, trombone, and Raúl Venegas, guitar– said they shared their leader's state of mind.