Timba a la Americana

No messing around for Harold López-Nussa; it's all courses served at once with ‘Funky’, an irrepressible display of groove and virtuosity. Since winning the prestigious Montreux Jazz Piano Competition in 2005 the Cuban musician has released nine albums and collaborated with the great and good of the jazz world. This album is an expression of two major events for López-Nussa: relocating to France and joining Blue Note Records; the latter resulting in this ‘American-style timba.’

Led from the piano, with a distinctively harder tone that sounds like you’re inside the instrument itself, the Cuban stalwarts of conga, hand percussion and bass are joined by harmonica, Fender Rhodes, drum kit and synth. The overall effect is a sort of Latin jazz fusion with echoes of Chick Corea and Stevie Wonder. Underpinning all of it is a fearless exploration of polyrhythms, emphasising the fact that the genesis of Cuban music is so rooted in dance and, as López-Nussa puts it, dancing “says to me that the music is alive.” You have unfortunately missed him this time, as he played Ronnie Scott's in early July, but if his current success is anything to go by, he’ll be back before long.