¡CUBANISMO! was founded in London in 1995 by Jesús Alemañy, the Cuban trumpeter, arranger and musical director who first gained international recognition with Sierra Maestra. Alemañy created CUBANISMO to bring together the depth of traditional Cuban music with the freedom, drive and improvisational language of jazz.
The result is a large-format concert ensemble built around commanding horn arrangements, layered Afro-Cuban percussion, piano, bass, tres, vocals and improvisation. Its repertoire moves naturally through son cubano, mambo, cha-cha-chá, danzón, bolero, descarga and Afro-Cuban jazz while maintaining a distinctive CUBANISMO sound.
Across three decades, CUBANISMO has toured through Europe, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. The group has appeared repeatedly on major international jazz and world-music stages, including Montreux, and has built a substantial recording history. Greetings From Havana earned a Grammy nomination, and the 2027-2028 anniversary cycle also highlights Acuarela Cubana.