Havana Son

Doing exactly what it says on the tin, Havana Son present a rigorously authentic take on son, the guitar driven acoustic sound that is the precursor to modern salsa. Popularised so memorably by the global phenomenon that was Buena Vista Social Club, son is the soundtrack to Cuban daily life, as omnipresent on that Caribbean island as jigs and reels are on this one.

As its melodic core is a double act of the indigenous Cuban guitar known as the tres, played here by Ariel Hernandez, and the Spanish guitar of Carlos Talens. Andrew Csibi’s upright bass, Frailen Moran’s Congas, and Guilfoyle’s bongos and all important campana, or cowbell, lend the rhythmic vitality that is the heartbeat of the island’s music. They gel perfectly.

Soaring over the top, the declamatory phrases of Paul Williamson's trumpet and the powerful, engaging voice of Habanero Evelio Galan, bring the enduring music of his native city to his adopted homeland here in Ireland.

Check out Havana Son's MySpace here.

Also Junction Festival have a MySpace here.