Picason

Picason is one of the few well-known non-Cuban bands to play Cuba's modern „Timba“ style, which stands for a hot, groovy Salsa with a funkyfied horn section and an extra dose of Afro-Cuban rhythm. The Picason story started in 1985 and the band has played more than 500 concerts in Europe and Latin America, including three tours in Cuba. Guests like Arturo Sandoval, José-Luís Cortés and Juan Munguía have been shaping Picason‘s tell-tale sound and groove. Today’s leading Latin Jazz flutist Orlando „Maraca“ Valle was amazed by the group at the Jazz Festival Montreux 1996 and decided to compose a completely new repertoire for them. After being a lead singer with „Klimax“ (one of Cuba’s leading Timba bands) for three years, Ernesto Manuitt moved to Europe and joined Picason adding yet another swinging dimension to the band. Picason's latest albums ‘Timba’ and ‘Qué Felicidad’ are the first results of this collaboration.Discography: 1. ‘Picasón’, 1988 2. ‘Son de los Alpes’, 1990 3. ‘Un Estilo Diferente’, 1995 4. ‘Timba’, 2001 5. ‘Qué Felicidad’, 2005