Epicenter of Cuban Jazz: Ruly Herrera at Bellas Artes

The final days of January coincide with the International Jazz Plaza Festival, and as part of the program, percussionist Ruly Herrera — founder of the band Real Project — gave a concert this Wednesday at the theater of the National Museum of Fine Arts, joined by several guest artists.

True jazz devotees turned out despite the 18-degree temperatures, and the response was so strong that the venue exceeded its official capacity.

For a jazz concert, it was striking that the evening opened with the purely Afro-Cuban rhythms of two guest percussionists, the energetic Yaroldy Abreu and Kevin Dedeu. Yet, because the blending of sounds lies at the heart of the genre, it did not take long for the piano — in the hands of Ángel Toirac — to enter the mix, followed quickly by the bass lines of Osniel Moro Regal. Trumpeter Christian Figueredo and trombonist Diansy López soon joined them, before the night’s central figure, Herrera, took his place at the drum kit.

That convergence of instruments launched the session with maximum intensity. “Eleggua” opened the concert — titled Epicenter — on a powerful note. Herrera later explained that the title reflected his desire to explore different Cuban rhythms through the language of jazz, a goal he pursued over nearly an hour of music.

Among the pieces most warmly received by the audience were “Jazz Plaza 41,” dedicated to the festival of the same name and to those who make it possible, and a modernized rendition of “Chan Chan,” the classic by Compay Segundo, whom Herrera described as “one of the musicians who internationalized Cuban music and culture.”

The program also included “Nostalgias y Recuerdos,” infused with danzón rhythms and dedicated to Havana — a city that evokes memories of yesterday — as well as “En misa y en procesión,” from his most recent album, and “Algo Pasa,” from 2025. Between pieces, Herrera thanked the audience for devoting their time to jazz and for their ongoing support.

Rooted in classic Cuban rhythms — from congas to danzones — the concert showcased some of the best that contemporary Cuban jazz has to offer. Many of the compositions paid homage to the past, yet elements such as dreamlike synthesizers and the occasional reverberation or distortion of the wind instruments firmly anchored the music in the present, blending the strongest elements of tradition and innovation.

The Bellas Artes theater lends itself naturally to this kind of performance, offering an intimacy that suits the pulse of jazz perfectly. The atmosphere is further enriched by the musicians’ evident enjoyment of what they do — visible in the way they play their instruments, in their exchanged glances, laughter, and shared complicity — which brings spontaneity and something that always serves music well: humanity.

Perhaps the energy that filled the evening, and the sheer enjoyment of the concert, can best be summed up by a brief exchange between Herrera and one audience member. After asking whether they had enjoyed one of the pieces and receiving an immediate ovation in response, he declared himself satisfied, saying that he and the musicians had already won. From the auditorium, a spectator shouted back that, more than that, with the experience they had all just shared, everyone present had won.

Written by Gabriel Hernández Artiles
Photos: Aline Marie Rodríguez

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez