Alain Pérez
Bassist and vocalist who worked with Irakere and Isaac Delgado — Alain Pérez is one of the most versatile Cuban bass players of his generation, equally capable in timba"> timba, jazz, and son contexts.
About
Alain Pérez was born in santiago de cuba"> Santiago de Cuba and developed his bass technique in the eastern Cuban tradition before moving to Havana, where he worked with major groups including Irakere — Cuba's premier jazz-fusion ensemble — and with Isaac Delgado's timba"> timba band. He has also released material as a solo artist and vocalist.
His bass playing reflects the range of Cuban music from its traditional roots through its contemporary timba"> timba expression. Working with Irakere gave him a sophisticated harmonic and jazz vocabulary; working with Delgado gave him direct experience in the timba"> timba tradition's specific rhythmic demands.
Timba is the music this site is dedicated to exploring. It emerged as a distinct genre in the late 1980s and crystallized in the early 1990s — born in a moment of social crisis, built on the full accumulated history of Cuban music, and still evolving today.
Lees meer >Rumba is the most African-rooted of all Cuban music and dance forms — born in the streets, courtyards, and docks of Havana and matanzas"> Matanzas in the late 19th century, with no European instruments, no salon setting, and no pretense of European propriety.
Lees meer >The Cuban bolero is one of the great romantic song traditions of the world — slow, intimate, and deeply emotional. It is entirely distinct from the Spanish bolero (a fast 3/4 dance) and emerged in Cuba as a vehicle for the island's most heartfelt lyric expression.
Lees meer >Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and the birthplace of some of the world's most influential music and dance traditions. African, Spanish, and French cultural streams collided here over centuries of colonial history, producing an extraordinary creative culture that exported itself across the globe.
Lees meer >The Casa de la Trova in santiago de cuba"> Santiago de Cuba is the spiritual home of Cuban traditional music — Son, Bolero, Changüí, and Trova. Founded in 1968 on Calle Heredia in the heart of Santiago's historic center, it has been the gathering place for the city's musicians for over half a century.
Lees meer >Timba, the explosive and rhythmically rich genre of Cuban dance music, transformed how the bass functions in popular music. In timba"> Timba, the bass is not just foundational — it’s fiery, funky, and free.
Lees meer >A Cuban popular dance music genre that emerged in the 1980s–90s
- emerged in the 1980s–90s
- influenced by songo, rumba, funk, blues, jazz, pop, rock and Afro-Cuban rhythms.
- Known for complex rhythm shifts, aggressive bass lines, and high energy that push dancers to improvise.
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