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- Artist Spotlight: Orquesta Akokán
Artist Spotlight: Orquesta Akokán
Learn more about new Cuban-American collective that stars some of the island’s top talents and journey to the golden days of mambo and son cubano.
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READ:
Read about the group’s origins in New York City, the acoustic magic of Areito Studios, and why recording an album in a Trump-era Havana wasn’t easy.
READ: NPR’S FIRST LISTEN
READ: INTERVIEW WITH AKOKAN CO-FOUNDER JACOB PLASSE
READ: ARTICLE ABOUT CUBA’S MUSICAL LEGACY AND AREITO STUDIOS
READ: NY POST INTERVIEW WITH JOSE “PEPITO” GOMEZ
READ: NY TIMES FEATURE ON CUBA AND ITS MUSIC
"We wanted to make sure it was vibrant, a cross section of influence, involving people who were familiar with today's music, but also the old style. There's a lot of younger guys who were students in what is considered to be the Juilliard of Havana. So several of the guys in the band have this natural mentor/mentee relationship. It's a joy to be around. They just really... feel joy when they're performing and it translates with everybody."
Akokán Co-Founder and Producer Jacob Plasse
![](https://chancentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Akokan_2400-1400x747.jpg)
"It's the kind of deceptively simple complexity that made listening to classic orchestras of Tito Puente, Machito and Perez Prado such a joy. These guys execute it perfectly."
NPR
WATCH:
Performing at Philadelphia’s Nuevofest in October 2018
![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1gjoZuO-OYU/maxresdefault.jpg)
WATCH:
Official video for “Un Tabaco para Elegua” by Orquesta Akokán
![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Rt--PFwe2Ww/maxresdefault.jpg)
Orquesta Akokán performs at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Saturday November 16th, 2019 at 8pm. Tickets available here.