Tiempo Libre

When Fidel Castro dies, a flood of timba bands may inundate the world. In the meantime, fans of salsa's younger cousin will have to content themselves with Tiempo Libre, the collection of Havana-trained, Miami-based musicians who've made it their business to bring timba to the rest of the world. Formed in 2001, the group opened for Celia Cruz at the 2002 Ravinia Festival and quickly became festival favorites, wowing audiences with their seemingly inexhaustible supply of musical energy. That energy translated into press adulation, particularly when the group signed with Shanachie Entertainment: they quickly received a Grammy nomination in 2006 for their first album with the label, Arroz Con Mango. Riding high on that success, they've continued to tour the world while slowly broadening their range of musical influences.