Cuban soul at Marjons

BUILDING a fresh Cuban sound for a new generation, seven piece ensemble Asere artfully draw on inspiration from the traditional Cuban son style of music, but inject it with an inventive soulful groove that gives it an explosive punch and current relevance.

And there's a one-off opportunity to witness this hugely exciting band in the city when they play a show at the College of St Mark and St John aka Marjon's tomorrow night.

Sticking close to their acoustic roots, the band came together in the 1990s to create music with a contemporary edge that maintained the vibe of the music produced by their forefathers.

Their big break happened in 1996 when Colombian singer Toto la Momposina and her manager John Hollis visited Cuba, attended a rehearsal of the band and were struck by the character of the music and energy of the performance.

This was before the massive success of the Buena Vista Social Club introduced this music to the world and their were few young Cubans working in this style, but Hollis managed to persuade Label Bleu in France to sign the band on the strength of a rough demo.

Their resulting debut album, Cuban Soul, perfectly captured their youthful exuberance and contrasting endearing maturity: it received instant critical and public acclaim, leading to the first of many tours of Europe.

In 2002 Asere started working with legendary drummer Billy Cobham – who has worked with Miles Davis, George Benson, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock to name but a few – at the invitation of Womad Festival. A thrilling partnership, fired by mutual respect, developed between them and they went on to play festivals in Spain and Greece finishing with a stunning performance at Womad's Rivermead festival.

In 2007 they recorded their amazing collaborative album De Cuba y De Panama which brings the full Cuban experience to the fore, fusing soul, jazz, funk influences all mixed in with that irresistible Latin vibe.

If you missed Buena Vista Social Club recently at the Pavilions don't miss the opportunity to catch this young Cuban ensemble live in the city.

Tickets are £12 in advance (£15 on the door) and available from Marjons. The show starts at 8pm but if you get there at 7pm you can partake in a special introductory Salsa lesson.

Call 01752 636742 for more info or visit www.marjonsu.co.uk