I have had the thrill of seeing Nachito Herrera and Puro Cubano in several different editions and at many different venues in the past three years. Although you can usually count on hearing several of his favorites, including “Malaguena” or "Un Dia en la Habana" (A Day in Havana), there is always a new twist, a new harmony, a different approach to the improvisation that keeps the tune fresh. A set usually includes both original compositions and his own arrangements of everything from Gillespie to Rachmaninoff to the Cuban masters and traditional melodies. When you first see his hands fly across the keyboard, you blink and wonder if in fact this guy has more than the usual allotment of ten digits, or perhaps he has an extra hand or two? His percussive attack is somewhat reminiscent of McCoy Tyner, but more like Tyner on psychodelics. And yet, Herrera can be gentle and lyrical, always passionate, and always ready to explain the roots of Cuban music to his audience. “I love all kinds of music, especially American music, but I love Cuban music the most....I like to combine the older Cuban styles, especially the rhythmic approaches of montunos and tumbaos, with jazz and classical themes. It’s how I see the evolution of Cuban piano.”

Photo by Andrea Canter