N G La Banda

• Genre: Salsa

About

N G (Nueva Generation) La Banda formed in the late 1980s under the direction of Jose Luis Cortes, a flute player and arranger for Afro-Cuban Jazz act Irakere. N G burst on the scene in 1988 by introducing a new, funkier style of Salsa to their Cuban audience. Featuring a pair of superb singers -- Tony Cala (a star previously with Orquesta Ritmo Oriental) and the young Isaac Delgado -- their catchy, street-level lyrics made an immediate impact. Characterized by dynamic percussion, heavy, Soul-influenced horn arrangements, and stunning live performances, they created the template for the timba dance movement to follow in the '90s. Touring extensively in Europe and Japan, N G opened new avenues for contemporary Cuban dance music. Their music maintains the traditional link between vintage genres such as Mambo, Son, and Afro-Cuban Jazz, while infusing each of those styles with elements of contemporary R&B.

- Robert Leaver