Experience the infectious rhythms, bold brass, intricate percussion, and soaring vocals of Cuba when legendary bandleader Juan de Marcos brings the Afro-Cuban All Stars to the Center for the Arts on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m.
Devoted to telling the full story of Cuban music, the Afro-Cuban All Stars emerged from the same creative movement that brought the world the Buena Vista Social Club. Led by de Marcos, the orchestra moves across generations and styles, from classic Cuban son and danzón to contemporary timba dance music, bringing master musicians and rising artists together for a high-energy performance filled with unexpected instrumental turns.
For de Marcos, that connection between past and future has been at the heart of a career spanning five decades.
“We have to use all the heritage of Cuban music to create a sound of the future,” de Marcos said. “It’s important to have that continuity and fight for our identity.”
Born in Havana in 1954, de Marcos grew up surrounded by music. His father was a singer who performed with influential Cuban musician Arsenio Rodríguez, among others, and de Marcos studied classical guitar at the Havana Conservatory and privately with Vicente González and Leopoldina Núñez. While at university, he co-founded Sierra Maestra in 1976, a traditional Cuban septeto created to introduce a new generation to traditional Cuban son.
In the 1990s, de Marcos began working with Nick Gold of the London-based label World Circuit. Sharing a vision of celebrating the classic Cuban sound of the 1950s, de Marcos sought out veteran musicians, including Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, and Omara Portuondo, and developed the concept that became the Afro-Cuban All Stars.
In March 1996, de Marcos and the ensemble gathered nearly 60 musicians to record “A Toda Cuba le Gusta.” The album, which later received a Grammy nomination, was the first recorded during the now-famous Havana sessions that also produced “Buena Vista Social Club” and “Introducing Rubén González.”
De Marcos played a central role in those projects, arranging, conducting, and bringing together musicians whose work would soon reach audiences around the world. He later directed the original Buena Vista Social Club lineup in its landmark concerts, including a performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall. The Afro-Cuban All Stars can also be seen performing in Wim Wenders’ Oscar-nominated documentary “Buena Vista Social Club,” as well as the documentary “Salon of Dreams” and concert films “Live in Japan” and “Live in The Hague.”
The Afro-Cuban All Stars, however, was designed to reach beyond a single era. De Marcos has continued to connect established musicians with younger artists and draw on the breadth of Cuban musical traditions. Over the years, members of the ensemble have included internationally recognized performers such as Ferrer, González, Orlando “Cachaíto” López, and Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal.
Three decades after its founding, the Afro-Cuban All Stars remains true to de Marcos’ original vision, celebrating the breadth of Cuba’s musical heritage while carrying its traditions forward through new generations of musicians. Onstage, the music is constantly in motion, with unexpected instrumental turns and exchanges among the musicians bringing fresh energy to even the orchestra’s most traditional sounds.
De Marcos’ work has received three Grammy nominations and a Latin Billboard Award nomination. He has also arranged, conducted, produced, or co-produced more than 25 albums. In 2000, he and Gold received the first WOMEX Award in recognition of their contributions to world music.
is supported in part by a gift from Mrs. Elizabeth A. Obenshain and Dr. E. Fred Carlisle. Additional funding is provided by the Timothy and Michelle Bendel Center for the Arts Excellence Fund.
Related activities
Gain an insider’s perspective on the enduring legacy of the Buena Vista Social Club during a special discussion with the bandleader before the Afro-Cuban All Stars takes the stage. De Marcos’ talk, “The Heart of Havana,” will be held in the Cube at the Center for the Arts on Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 6:30-6:50 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Tickets
Tickets are $25-60 for general audience and $10 for students and youth 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased online; at the Center for the Arts box office, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; or by calling 540-231-5300 during box office hours.
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