The second release from Zanja Records comes with a high-level proposal for blending Cuban music with other sonic landscapes. Here, Cuba’s new generation takes a bold look at traditional music, infusing it with daring instrumental sequences and fearless experimentation. The album features eight tracks, seven of which were composed and arranged by Michael Delanian.
With the meticulous care that characterizes this label—led by Alex González—Cuban music expands its horizons toward trends that may define the near future. The musicians underwent rigorous recording sessions, drawing from traditional genres like Son, Changüí, and Montuno, while incorporating elements of funk, jazz, and irregular time signatures to raise the bar—all grounded in the fundamentals of the clave and timbal shell patterns.
The album integrates other genre elements such as electric guitars, sound effects, electroacoustic layers, traditional Yambú and Columbia choruses, and the commanding presence of Carlos Veitia’s trumpet. It stands as a prime example of positive musical exploration—an impressive showcase of Cuban creativity, enriched by fresh, young talent bridging tradition and the avant-garde.
Guajira Psicodélica follows the rhythmic patterns of this countryside-rooted genre, later driven into unexpected directions by a forceful drum beat. La Serpiente lives up to its title—its dark jazz rhythm slithers steadily, absorbing melodies from the trumpet, sax, guitar, and drums without straying from its path.
Los Caídos pays tribute to those who gave their lives for Cuba, using the iconic chorus referencing Vertientes, Camagüey, Florida, and Morón. The track fuses montuno, funk, and jazz via sax improvisation. Los Revolucionarios is an instrumental poem: it opens with a powerful montuno rhythm, then voices gradually emerge to echo the theme, while the arrangement morphs into a funk-infused explosion.
El Carnaval de Almas begins with industrial soul and features raw guitar riffs and a powerful vocal performance by Pedro Pablo Ondy Vázquez. The instrumental piece El Traicionero—the only non-Delanian composition—uses Son Montuno as its foundation but includes funk, ska, and modal jazz textures. Its name also appears on the album’s back cover illustration by guitarist-artist Roberto Luis Gómez.
El Despertar is lyrically deep and existential, expressing the heartbreak of betrayal. The final track, Calle San Miguel After Dark, is the third instrumental piece. It hides a Son Montuno base under layers of jazz motifs and features an outstanding piano solo by Roger Rizo.
We recognize Havana Negra is not an easy listen—but it is rich with virtuosity and experimentation grounded in solid musical foundations.
This work is dedicated to the memory of pianist Isam Herrera Quintero, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 31. He was part of this project, recorded between October 2010 and January 2017. Like the previous Zanja Records release, it is available on vinyl and CD—a carefully crafted album with the audio quality that is now a hallmark of the label, which continues to spotlight Cuba’s most creatively rich sounds.
Side A
Guajira Psicodélica (Guajira)
La Serpiente (Dark Jazz in 5/4)
Los Caídos (Electric Son Montuno)
Los Revolucionarios (Psychedelic Funk in Rumba Clave)
Side B
Carnaval de Almas (Industrial Soul in Clave)
El Traicionero (Afro-Cuban Modal Jazz)
El Despertar (Son with Wah)
Calle San Miguel After Dark (Cuban Modal Jazz)
Drums & Musical Director: Alain Ladrón de Guevara
Piano & Musical Director: Roger Rizo
Bass: Rafael Aldama
Percussion: Degnis Bofill
Guitar, Banjo, Tres: Roberto Luis Gómez
Trumpet: Carlos Veitia
Executive Producer: Alex González
Recorded at EGREM Studios 101 – Havana, Cuba (Oct. 2010 – Jan. 2017)
and at Pregón Studios, Havana, Cuba, in 2017.
