Bombajazzeando is corazón y alma, heart and soul: the joyous bomba drumming and dancing of Puerto Rico, plus the soulfullness of jazz. Three dancers, four drummers, and five jazz musicians create a big sound that bursts through stylistic boundaries. The band is lively and interactive, teaching the audience song choruses and traditional bomba dance moves.

Based in the large Puerto Rican community of northwestern Massachusetts, Bombajazzeando is led by dancer Brendalíz Cepeda, drummer Saúl Peñalosa and composer/arranger Julian Gerstin. Brendalíz is the granddaughter of Rafael Cepeda, the most important bomba musician of the late 20th century; she started dancing with him at the age of 5, and has herself held hundreds of workshops teaching her island’s heritage.

For the Puerto Rican and North American members of the group alike, it’s all about connection: tradition and creativity, island and mainland, musicians and audience.

---

​Recorded 7/10/22.

For more info on the band, visit

https://canismusic.com/artist/e-t-e/

 

Producer: MCTV