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The award winning Cuban group Grupo Danson tells a story of worlds meeting and melting to create a soothing, contemporary and modern form of Cuban salsa.
Grupo Danson consists of six Cuban and three Danish musicians. Together they represent a wide range of musical genres from salsa to jazz and on to pop and rock. All the Cuban musicians now live in Denmark (except Alexander Abreu) but are part of the so-called “new generation of Cuban musicians”.
Grupo Danson distinguishes itself from other Cuban bands by melting completely different cultures together –a fine mix of Cuban and Danish musical talent.
Grupo Danson is:
Alexander Abreu vocals and trumpet, Ernesto Manuitt vocals, Carlos Pérez trombone and vocals, Mia Engsager trombone and backing vocals, Yasser Morejón bass and backing vocals, Rune Thorsteinsson piano, Peter Ehler congas, Antonio ”el negro” Moreaux timbales and drums, Jorge Egües bongo and guiro.
Cuban tradition and modern timba-feel
Grupo Danson bridges the old Cuban style called Son with the more contemporary Timba. Son is the backbone of Cuban salsa, the traditional sound in which Cuban music has its roots.
Grupo Danson initially focused on Son, as they found it gave them a solid basis and a mutual understanding of what Cuban salsa is all about. Slowly they started adding the timba-feel and the group is now one of Europe´s Best Timba bands.
In other words, this Cuban-Danish salsa orchestra masters both the swingy, traditional Cuban music such as the son montuno and the cha cha cha, as well as the more contemporary grooves and rhythms.
A new era
In 2005 the band started a new era when they invited Carlos Pérez´s old friend and colleague, Alexander Abreu to Denmark. Alexander Abreu is a world famous trumpet player and he fell in love with the project and started writing songs for Grupo Danson. These songs became part of the debut release “Mi Música” which also contains original compositions made by Carlos Pérez, Mia Engsager and Cuban troubadour Alexis Mendez.
Besides from being a great trumpet player and composer Alexander is also a charismatic singer and together with Ernesto Manuitt, the other lead singer of the group, they perform a great live show.
“Mi Musica”, the title track of the Grupo Danson debut release, is composed by Alexander and won the prestigious Djembe Award for “Best World Track of 2005”!
Don´t miss a show with Grupo Danson –they will make you dance!
The moods of the compositions are vibrant, fierce, flirtatious and sensual. They leave you no other choice than to start moving and dancing. Grupo Danson is not to be missed playing live shows. This band of nine highly trained and professional musicians will have you dancing and smiling through an evening of musical experience, and they master the art of improvisation and set out to involve their audience.
For tour dates and information about the band log on to www.grupodanson.com.
- D.R
Discography
Album: "Mi Música" - 2005
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Bio
In 2001 a promising young Cuban trombonist Carlos Perez put together some of the best salsa musicians in Denmark creating Grupo Danson and its unique sound based on the passionate love for music and the cultural meeting between two very different cultures; the Scandinavian and the Latin.
Grupo Danson initially focused on Son, the backbone of Cuban Salsa and the traditional sound in which Cuban music has its roots. This gave the band its fundament and a common understanding of their musical direction. Soon they started adding the Timba-feel to their music and the group is now one of Europe´s Best Timba Bands.
Today Grupo Danson represents a wide range of musical genres from salsa to jazz. Mastering both the swingy, traditional Cuban music such as the Son-Montuno and the Cha-Cha-Cha, as well as the more contemporary grooves and rhythms.
MUSICAL COLLABORATIONS
In 2005, out of collaboration with the great Cuban trumpet, singer and composer Alexander Abreu, some great songs became the definitive sound for Grupo Danson. These songs became part of the debut release “Mi Música” which also contains original compositions made by Carlos Pérez, Mia Engsager and Cuban troubadour Alexis Mendez. The title track “Mi Musica”, won the prestigious Djembe Award for “Best World Track of 2005”.
For next year the group plans yet another collaboration; this time, with famous electric bassist and composer Alain Pérez. And the result will be a new album from the band.
These collaborations give the band a creative flexibility and musical enrichment. Taking their work to another level, and their musical expression stronger.
LIVE SHOWS
Grupo Danson live is explosive! Their music gets even greater with an audience. There are set to make you dance with their music, charged with percussion improvisations along with fantastic horns rifts- the experience is unique! Pure Cuban music with a twist of Latin Jazz, and 100% danceable!
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