Tumbao

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What I can say with certainty is that a night out with Tumbao behind the microphones is a happenin' time. My husband and I saw them at Goodnite Gracie, where they play every first and third Friday, and we danced until we were sweating and sore. The dark room was buzzing with the young and hip in fancy duds, sipping martinis and cosmopolitans, while the sexy, sun-drenched tunes of this not-so-young but very hip band snaked through the room like cigar smoke. Few listeners were on the dance floor, but I just couldn't keep my body still with those Cuban rhythms calling to me.

Tumbao started performing live only in March 2003, but the word is out and the gigs are pouring in. Cuban jazz is a hot genre right now, and these musicians understand how to mix the polyrhythms of the island sound with lilting or complex jazz improvs that make this style easy for new listeners to access. With three members of the band writing original instrumentals, plus a rich history of Cuban classics to cover, Tumbao's repertoire ranges from slinky ballads to high-energy grooves without, well, missing a beat.