GuacaMusic: Maraca

posted in: FeaturesLatin

Summer is here and with it comes the fever for hot Latin rhythms like salsa, rumba, mambo and merengue. Lucky for you, OurStage hosts some of the most talented Latin stars, and their music is sure to turn your summer into a caliente extravaganza.

When it comes to mixing Afro-Cuban rhythms in style, there is one band that really catches our eye. We are talking about Maraca, an act that has been making the Top 10 OurStage Latin charts for some time now.

Described as One of the hottest names in Afro-Cuban music” by the Los Angeles Times and the most influential Afro-Cuban band of the emerging century by the Chicago Tribune, Maraca blends jazz with improvisations of rhythms such as rumba, folklore, danzon, cha cha cha, mambo, son and timba.

Maraca’s musical career is pretty outstanding. The band has been rocking the Latin stage for more than fifteen years, and has performed in some of the most prestigious international jazz, Latin and world-music festivals and venues worldwide”including North Sea, Playboy, Monterey, Houston, Montreux, Lugano, Nice, Marciac, Vancouver, Montreal, Juan-les-Pins, Vittoria-Gasteiz, Pori, Jamboree, Vienne, Istanbul, La Villette and many others.

And that’s not all. Maraca has released nine albums and three professional video-clips, each one of them rewarded during national contests in Cuba and highly acclaimed by national and international critics. In 2003, Maraca was even nominated for a GRAMMY Award for “Best Salsa Album.

Can’t wait to play some Maraca? Head to our Latin Channel and discover the magic of well-played Afro-Cuban rhythms that are sure to heat up your summer. We especially recommend Maraca’s song Castí­gala. ¡Provecho!

¡Provecho!