Newman Center Presents

The golden sound of Cuban mambo polished to a luminous, contemporary sheen.

When Orquesta Akokán burst onto the global music scene, their no-holds barred 21st century take on the venerable Cuban mambo lit up stages around the world with a fierce and unremitting joy. Suffused with a sense of possibility, the band pushes the conventions of “mambo” by drawing from folkloric and religious traditions seldom heard in popular music. Singer José “Pepito” Gómez, Chulo Records producer and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Plasse, and arranger Michael Eckroth joined forces with a carefully curated selection of Havana’s most extraordinary musicians as Orquesta Akokán. Collectively, the golden sound of Cuban mambo is polished to a luminous, contemporary sheen. Sold-out shows have been followed by nominations for a Grammy, Billboard Latin Music Award, Telemundo Latin American Music Award, and critical acclaim from press around the globe. 

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