Bis Music Fest: Locos por la música in its Inaugural Edition

From December 15 to 21, Cuban record label Bis Music will launch the first-ever Bis Music Fest under the slogan Locos por la música, as announced by company executives at a press conference.

General Manager Neris González Bello explained that the main goal of this new project is «to position and elevate our brand, our record label within the Cuban music industry, through a homegrown event.»

Concerts kick off on December 18 at the Theater Hall of the National Museum of Fine Arts (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes) with a special event, Jazz a lo Bis, featuring pianists Emilio Morales, Aldo López-Gavilán, and Rodrigo García, along with clarinetist Janio Abreu and Los Hermanos Abreu on piano, bass, and drums.

On December 19, the Pabellón Cuba will host Alternativo a lo Bis, with performances by Polo Montañés, Mamá estoy brillando, Tony Ávila, Christopher Simpson, Annie López, Abel Geronés, and others.

The marquee concerts will take place on Saturday, December 20, and Sunday, December 21, at the Karl Marx Theater. The first night will spotlight David Calzado and Charanga Habanera, who will debut their latest album, 35 años charangueando, alongside special guests. The following evening, Formell y Los Van Van will present their new album Virus, joined by El Micha and Wampi.

Bis Music will celebrate its 32nd anniversary on December 22, and this festival—blending music and industry insight—is designed to mark the occasion. The initiative rests on three pillars: first, to showcase the label’s finest catalogue, from acclaimed artists to creators representing Cuba’s diverse music scene; second, to offer a theoretical forum from December 15 to 17 at La Casa Producciones, with local and international experts such as Colombia’s William Patiño and Spain’s Rafa Fergom. This academic segment aims to establish Bis Music as a reference point for education and training in the music industry.

For the first time, the Bis Music Awards will be presented, recognizing the excellence of 45 albums spanning various genres—including dance, urban, jazz, and concert music—that competed for the honor.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez