HAR Late: A Night in Havana

World-class live Cuban music, a salsa dance class with one of the UK’s top Cuban dance teachers, and our resident Cuban DJ playing the best Cuban music past and present (son, rumba, salsa, timba, Cubaton) – it all adds up to a fantastic taste of Havana without the 9-hour flight!The live music guest artist for this A Night In Havana party is Cuban violin maestro Omar Puente, and his band Raices Cubanas (Cuban Roots). Omar, resident in the UK since 1997, has played with the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra, musicians from the Buena Vista Social Club (the original artists in Havana Cuba including Ruben Gonzalez, Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo), Los Van Van (Cuba’s legendary dance band), Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, US jazz giant Wynton Marsalis, and UK jazz legend Courtney Pine.

Tonight he brings an 8 piece band to Howard Assembly Room to perform classic Cuban son music with a salsa and timba edge, 100% made for dancing.

As always, we start the night with a Cuban salsa dance class with our resident dance teacher, one of the best Cuban dancers in the UK, Yersin Rivas. This time, he will be teaching on an elevated riser on the stage so everyone can see his moves and steps. The dance class is 7.45pm. After the dance class, Yersin will warm up the dancefloor before Omar Puente & Raices Cubanas take to the stage at 9pm. Yersin will return to the decks after the live band set at 10.30pm, playing great Cuban music until we close.

Presented by Howard Assembly Room.

All ages