Carlos Manuel and his Clan

Carlos Manuel and his Clan appeared on the timba scene some years ago and have become more and more popular in the island’s dance clubs. He has been on the hottest salsa stage in the world. Carlos makes the most of the big genres of Cuban music and takes them to newer heights. But although La Nueva Trova elevated lyrical magic and musical freedom to new levels of creativity, this movement lacked dance energy. On the other hand the new generations of rappers only made indirect references to the more traditional soneros. Carlos Manuel had the best of both worlds, in addition to an original connection with his listeners that transformed him into the personification of the New Cuban Sound.

Carlos Manuel grew up with sounds related to what people called "salsa" but now salsa is an unclassifiable cocktail of genres. It is actually closer to what is referred to as "despelote" (also known as sandunguera and tembleque). However, being a sex idol and king of dance is not only what Carlos is all about. He was the key member of the Mayohuacán group of the nueva trova style, with whom he had a huge hit singing "Carapacho pa’la jicotea", Pedro Luis Ferrer’s song. Carlos is a great admirer of songwriters as Pablo Milanés and Silvio Rodríguez. He spent 1996 on tour with jazz giants and pioneers Irakere, directed by the amazing Chucho Valdés, playing for weeks at Ronnie Scott’s club in London as well as at the Hollywood Playboy Festival.

"I spent all the money that I saved buying second-hand instruments for the band I was going to get together. I bought Roland a synthesizer from a guy off the street and then managed to get a PF2000 piano the same way. As we used to say, we had to keep up the struggle. We built up an audience quite soon and they turned us into a huge success….and we got better instruments!"But the best instrument is his voice: he has an unusual ability to effortlessly reach high and low notes.

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