Cuba’s musical “spark plug” returns to Mallorca

Roberto Fonseca studied at Cuba’s University of the Arts, where he obtained a master’s in musical composition.

Following his studies, he started out on his jazz career in 1999. His debut album, En el comienzo (In the Beginning), was named Cuba’s best jazz album of the year. Marked out as a rare talent, he expanded his musical experience by touring with the Buena Vista Social Club. Rooted in Afro-Cuban music, he later grafted on genres such as hip hop and drum and bass.

He has played major concert halls across the world, such as London’s Royal Albert Hall, and is no stranger to Mallorca. For the Alternatilla Jazz Festival in 2021, Cuba was the “invited” nation, and Fonseca featured prominently. He returned for the 2022 festival, gave master classes and played Palma’s Teatre Principal in a band put together for the occasion which included Barcelona trumpeter Andrea Motis.

Once described as “a charismatic spark plug of a pianist from Cuba”, he is back in Mallorca for the Sons de Nit (Sounds of the Night) series of concerts.