Buena Fé

Buena Fé are Cuba's most popular group, fusing the island's traditional musical styles such as trova (ballads) and salsa with a more contemporary pop sound. The duo, Israel Rojas and Yoel Martinez, both grew up in Guantanamo, Cuba's most eastern province, where Martinez studied classical guitar, playing in local bars and clubs, and Rojas trained to be a lawyer, writing song lyrics in his spare time.

Playing together at first at local festivals in Guantanamo, Buena Fe soon caught the attention of the national record label, Egrem, who invited them to Havana to record their first record, "Déjame Entrar".

Performing alongside Buena Vista Social Club regulars such as Eliades Ochoa in the music venues of Havana, Rojas and Martinez quickly built up a loyal following. In 2002 they won the prize for best pop fusion album at the Cuban Music Awards, cementing their reputation as one of the island's most innovative and best-loved acts. They were then named best pop act for three years running, releasing two further albums – Arsenal in 2003 and 2004's Corazonero – and selling out Havana's Teatro Karl Marx in a record four hours.

With Buena Fe touring Europe and Latin America in 2007, including performances at the Floridita chain of restaurants, to promote a new album, "Presagios", the band look set to extend their popularity worldwide.

"Buena Fe means 'good faith,' because our songs talk about the special spirit of a generation," says Rojas. "Cuba is one special country with situations, contradictions, rich and poor. It's very contrasting society. Our songs talk about all this with good faith. We wanted through our music to talk about this spirit and the problems but with love."

Discography

  • 2006: Presagios
  • 2004: Corazonero
  • 2003: Arsenal
  • 2001: Déjame Entrar

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Charanga Floridita

A group that evolved out of Música Floridita, Raymundo Aragon and German Obregon have performed numerous times both at the Floridita London and other venues around Europe. Charanga Floridita now encompass some of Cuba's best new talent. The group have over fourteen members, (though not necessarily all performing at the same time!). They have a strong following at all the Floridita venues and the European festival circuit.

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Triangulo Oscuro

Cuban youth are as interested as anybody in hearing new sounds and although a lot of rap and hip hop there is infused with American influences, Triangulo Oscuro prefer to spin salsa, rumba, conga, meringue, kizomba and mambo into their tunes. The flavour is entirely Caribbean, instead of the "chick dissing bling busting pseudo angst of the rich north" RG. Formed in 1997 and regulars at the Cuban rap festivals, Triangulo Oscuro are branching out and with 2007 round the corner so too is their latest album A Tronco.