Enjoy a Night in Old Havana: SVMA hosts Cuban music tonight

On Friday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art (SVMA) will host the Cuban band, Orquesta La Moderna Tradición, for a night of music that will transport guests to the Havana social clubs of the 1950s. With a special focus on danzon with swinging cha-chas, the 12-piece ensemble captures the style of a memorable era in Cuban dance music. Known as the only band in the United States to play this type of danzon and Cuban music, Orquesta La Moderna Tradicion plays everything from traditional ballads, to the latest salsa and timba grooves, with violins and flutes against driving Afro-Cuban rhythms.
The band has received rave reviews by audiences and critics alike.  According to Latin Beat Magazine the band is “Richly authentic … old wine in a new bottle for a younger generation to savor.”  In reference to their first CD, Danzonemos, audiences have raved their unique style is, “Phenomenal music…a joy and a real delight, the kind of record that playfully reminds me of the connections between music across oceans, cultures and centuries.”
The Orquesta La Moderna Tradición has produced two recordings and performed at some of the most prestigious festivals and venues throughout the United States, including Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing, the San Francisco Jazz Festival and the Smithsonian Institution.  They have toured everywhere from Alaska to El Paso and abroad, with their next stop in Sonoma at SVMA.
Concert admission is $25 for museum members and $30 for non-members. Seating is limited. Tickets are available through the museum by calling 707.939.7862 or visiting www.svma.org, or through Readers’ Books, 127 E. Napa St. All proceeds will benefit SVMA exhibitions and programs. Memberships may be acquired or renewed at the door.  Orquesta La Moderna Tradición is graciously sponsored by Xavier & Estella Lavoipierre, Pinnacle Vodka, and Robledo Family Winery.