Roberto Fonseca, born in 1975 in La Havana to a family of Cuban artists, is a pianist, singer, multi-instrumentalist, writer, and producer. His mother, Mercedes Cortes Alfaro, was a legendary Tropicana Club dancer and Bolero singer, and his father, Roberto Fonseca Senior, was a drummer. The prodigious artist first appeared on stage at the age of 15 during the La Havana Jazz Festival, which he later directed, succeeding Chucho Valdés.
Fonseca blends Cuban heritage with global influences. After earning a Master’s in music composition from the Instituto Superior de Arte, he toured Italy, released his first solo album Tiene que ver, and joined the Buena Vista Social Club, collaborating with legends like Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo. His work spans Afro-jazz, hip-hop, and electronic music, including partnerships with Fatoumata Diawara, Gilles Peterson, and Joe Claussel. Notable albums include Yo (Grammy-nominated), 7 Rayos, ABUC, and Yesun.
With nine solo albums, numerous collaborations, and the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres honor, Fonseca celebrates Cuban music’s past while embracing modernity. His latest project, La Gran Diversión, pays tribute to Cuba’s golden era, blending tradition and innovation into an irresistible experience. “Together we will laugh, cry, enjoy the mystery and magic of rhythms and melodies,” Fonseca says.
Whether you are familiar or not with the moves and steps of the Mambo, Rumba or Bolero, the urge to sway to the melodies played by an artist considered to have breathed a new life into Cuban music, will be irresistible.