Orquesta Akokán

Orquesta Akokán is a powerhouse ensemble that breathes new life into the classic mambo sound, infusing it with a contemporary edge while honoring its rich Cuban heritage. Led by producer Jacob Plasse and virtuoso pianist Michael Eckroth, the group’s name derives from the Cuban Yoruba word “akokán,” meaning “from the heart”—a fitting description for their passionate, soul-stirring performances. Orquesta Akokán is celebrating the release of the new release on Daptone Records, Caracoles, that explores mambo in all its depth and breadth.  The group has received a multitude of awards including Billboard Latin Music Award, Telemundo Latin American Music Award, Songlines Music Awards, and a Grammy nomination.

About the musicians:

Jacob Plasse continues his extensive exploration of Latin music, faithful to a path that began in 2007 when he co-founded salsa brava band Los Hacheros. 

Michael Eckroth, renowned as a renaissance musician, applies his profound knowledge of Cuban music and a longstanding history of collaborating with iconic greats from the Latin music and the jazz worlds, from Pedrito Martinez to John Scofield . 

Papote Jimenez singing style is a masterful fusion of raw power and intricate phrasing, blending Cuban son, Puerto Rican Bomba, and Afro-Caribbean influences with effortless improvisation. His rich, gritty tone and explosive energy, honed during his tenure with Los Hacheros,  make him one of the most dynamic and soulful voices in contemporary Latin  music.

A light joyousness permeates the tunes’ radiant riffs, thanks to the spellbinding virtuosity of percussionists who revel in the same rhythmic fleetness of the Cuban maestros while adding their own stamp to the beats: Keisel Jimenez (Havana d’Primera, Arturo O’Farrill, Alain Pérez,

Pedrito Martinez) and Yuya Rodriguez (daughter of renowned musician and percussionist Octavio Rodriguez Rivera, and winner of Cuba’s Fiesta del Tambor in 2019). 

Grounding the percussionists is the formidable bassist Lino Piquero Bueno, who has performed and recorded with luminaries such as Alain Pérez, Issac Delgado, Habana d’ Primera, Omara Portuondo, Buena Vista Allstars, Danay Suarez, and more.

The fierce, dynamic horns are led by alto saxophone player Roman Filiu, former member of Chucho Valdés´I Irakere, Cuba’s greatest jazz band;  tenor sax Jamil Schery; baritone saxophonist Jose Cruzata; father and son trumpeters, Reinaldo “Molote” Melián (Chucho Valdés, Gonzalo Rubalcaba) & Reynaldo Melián and trombonist Heikel Fabian.

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