Nova Concerts: Akokán – The Roots of Afro-Cuban Jazz

This Cuban ensemble brings together a vibrant lineup of internationally acclaimed musicians, each contributing their unique voice to the Afro-Cuban jazz tradition. The ensemble features Cuban percussionist Bárbaro “Machito” Crespo, the dynamic Eliel Lazo, bassist Yasser Pino, singer and percussionist Mayke Castellanos, and Polish pianist Artur Tuźnik.

Machito’s electrifying percussion sets the pulse of the concert. A respected figure in the Cuban music scene, he has performed with leading orchestras and legends of Latin American music, earning recognition for his deep rhythmic knowledge and commanding stage presence. Eliel Lazo brings his award-winning style and deep Afro-Cuban roots to the stage. Yasser Pino’s groove-driven basslines provide a solid foundation, while Artur Tuźnik blends melodic and harmonic sensitivity, merging Polish folk music and Scandinavian jazz with Afro-Cuban traditions.

“This concert is a tribute to Africa’s crucial role in the development of Cuban and Latin American jazz,” says Abel Alazo, director of Nova Concerts Series. “We are bringing together the roots and rhythms of a new generation—musicians influenced by both African and European traditions—to offer a fresh and powerful take on Latin jazz. We look forward to sharing this unique experience with you all.”

The repertoire will include Akokán’s reinterpretations of traditional chants and toques (rhythmic patterns) from the Orisha pantheon—West African deities whose traditions were carried to Cuba and Brazil through centuries of forced cultural migration and exchange—interwoven with original Cuban rumba compositions.