HAVANA NEGRA self-titled

In 2015, three friends, Alain Landron De Guevara, Roger Rizo & Rafael Aldama united by a dream, found the vehicle for their voice. With Degnis Bofill, Carlos Veitia & Roberto Luis Gomez, they formed Havana Negra.

Havana Negra is the authentic new era of Cuban music, showcasing styles from jazz oscuro, jazz modal Afro Cubano, and funk psicodelico. Anything but pastiche; it’s what happens when artists are free to express the rhythm of their corazón by breathing life through their instruments. Expression is a reflection of the artist’s life. In its pure form, it’s what moves them which in turn, moves you. Listen to the album in its entirety. It tells a tale, tragic in origin but teeming with hope. Havana Negra has left an indelible imprint on my soul. Listen to it in your EV’s auditorium; it may have the same impact on you.

About Zanja records: To make dreams reality, artists need a shared vision with producers who are equally impassioned. First, enter Alex González, Zanja’s CEO. Alex is a Spanish visionary whose passion for Cuban music drives his vision. He flew to Cuba to feel the music, en su corazón. From that fateful trip, he heard the artists’ challenges of recording with out-dated equipment, of silencing artistic passion to head life’s demands, of label restrictions stifling creativity. This was the crucible in which Zanja records was born. Conscripting his friend Micheal Delanian, savvy in music production, Alex created an environment to capture authentic Cuban music, unbridled by industry, voiced in truth. Driven to showcase the best, Alex “didn’t find musicians, he hired artists.” He built a recording studio, open 24/7 to engender sustainable, artistic freedom, working around their lives’ daily demands. Here the artists were free; free to express and define the new Cuban sound. Each album in Zanja’s library presents a fulsome gatefold, telling the album’s story to better appreciate and respect the artists’ vision. Zanja was selected as the only representative of new Cuban music at the Smithsonian. It was my pleasure to interview Alex González, a true visionary and cultural custodian.

Artists: Alain Landron De Guevara (drums), Roger Rizo (piano), Rafael Aldama (bass), Lien Diaz (vocals),  Roberto Luis Gomez (guitar, banjo, tres), Lazaro Ferran (vocals), Kristian Pimentel (tenor saxophone), Carlos Veitia (trumpet), Degnis  Bofill (percussion), Isam Herrera (guitar), Jamil Schery (tenor saxophone), Pedro Pablo (Ondy)Vazquez (vocals).

Executive Producer: Alex González; Producer/Arranger/Writer: Micheal Delanian; Sound Engineer: Jose Luis Crispo.

Introducing our Zanja album giveaway, courtesy of Zanja records. Submit your 🅟🅛🅤🅖🅖🅔🅓🅘🅝🅡🅘🅓🅔 share and receive a complimentary selection from Zanja.

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