In the early 90s, a new generation of composers, musicians, sculptors, authors, actors, etc. emerged with its own identity in Havana, even though some of their creations had already been well-known for some years in the island's cultural circles.

The hopes, outlooks, anxieties of our generation, personified by culture, are gaining ground in Cuba's cultural landscape and around the world, through the interest our culture rouses.

One member of this creative generation is Habana Abierta, whose music is an integral part of Cuba's cultural heritage.

To understand Habana Abierta, we have to talk about Gema y Pável, who undertook something they had been fostering for some years as a personal project: to produce a compilation of everything they and their peers had been doing in Havana clubs with hardly any resources.

Initially, Luis Alberto Barbería, Pepe del Valle, Carlos Santos, Boris Larramendi, Superavit, Andy Villalón, Kelvis Ochoa and José Luis Medina, backed by the NUBENEGRA recording label, gave us a first glimpse released under the name Habana Oculta.

In July 1996 most of them travelled to Spain (except for Carlos Santos, Raúl Ciro and Alejandro Frómeta: Superávit) to showcase their music at several festivals and clubs, and very soon spurred interest among audiences and the media alike, and even well-known Spanish artists and musicians.

Ana Belén and Víctor Manuel, along with Ketama, are the first to show an interest and to take the initiative in a gradual and rich exchange with our Habana Abierta, which whom they made music in Spain.

Ketama and Ana Belén recorded a song together penned by Andy Villalón, Tú me amas, on Ana Belén's record, Mírame and on Ketama's, Sabor. Subsequently artists such as Tomasito, Ana Torroja, Raimundo Amador have shown an interest in our work and have included some tunes in their recordings.

Then several record company art directors woke up to us, culminating in a recording contract with BMG-ARIOLA.

BMG-Ariola asked Gema y Pável to come up with a project bringing a group of highly different "singer-songwriters" together on the album, based on the individuality of each member yet with combined expression of the diverse unity that Cuban culture in general retains, as does its music in particular. Then Vanito Brown and Alejandro Gutiérrez joined what was to become Habana Abierta, recording a new album under this name.

Playing over 80 gigs throughout Spain in 1997, 50 of them in Madrid, gave us an excellent outlook for 1998, recording a new album with our line-up down to 6, as Andy y Barbería had left us to branch out on their own.

With 24 Horas, the second album with Habana Abierta, an eclectic line was followed with some tracks from previous recordings, with a more defined fusion between popular Cuban music and funk, reggae and hip-hop airs.

Rock and Pop Cuban-style with proud living national roots: Van Van by Juan Fromel, Irakere by Chucho Valdés or NG la Banda by José Luis Cortés, refrains attributed to Matamoros riding on Red Hot Chili Peppers or Rolling Stones riffs.

Conga-funk, timba-rock, bolero-hop, chachacha-blues, son and pop....

24 Horas, more down-to-earth and in-your-face than the previous album, reflects in its songs both a yearning for Cuba and experiences and lessons learnt in two years on tour in Spain.

An invitation to intense diversity in the face of today's mainstream world.

In January 2003, after six years in Spain, they returned to Cuba for a series of sell-out individual shows, with a magnificent performance by the Habana Abierta full line-up at La Tropical, temple of megastars such as Van Van, NG la Banda, Irakere etc. playing to with over 10,000 people. This gave rise to the "Habana Abierta" documentary directed by Jorge Perugorría and Arturo Soto, currently being presented at several film festivals.

In October 2003, again with all the original eight members, they went to Miami, USA, at the invitation of producer Nat Chediack and Miami Dade College, for two concerts at the Coconut Grove Playhouse. It was a roaring success, a sell-out with the audience going wild.

More shows, more miles and increasingly that creative platform sounds like a band, with its own more Cuban sound than before they crossed the Atlantic, with lyrics that are poetic or closely linked to Havana's history, yet understood in Spain and with rhythm: masses of rhythm.

The best way to explain what HABANA ABIERTA is about is to see them live, they are brazen and the excitement is infectious. Yet their recordings are also hot to the touch.

In recent years they have appeared at Spain's leading festivals:

• "Menorca Actúa" Ethnic Festival – Balearic Islands
• "Miajadas" Festival - Cáceres
• "Canción de Autor" Festival - Madrid
• "Castillo de Ainsa" International Music Festival – Huesca
• "La Mar de Músicas de Cartagena" Festival - Murcia
• "Doctor Music" Festival - Gerona
• Motril Cuban Festival - Granada
• "Womad" - Las Palmas, Grand Canary
• 1st and 3rd "Bilbao Tropikal" Festival – Bilbao
• La Tropical (La Habana)

Band members

Boris Larramendi: The struggle and nonconformity of an entire generation, socially and very sentimentally, he uses traditional Cuban rhythms and melodies blended with grunge and acid-jazz overtones.

Kelvis Ochoa: Combines and sends off sucu-sucu to achieve eternal coexistence with all rock and pop influences. His voice is perhaps his most distinguishing feature.

José Luis Medina: Refined pop successfully blended with son, guajira and guaracha. Ironic and outspoken in his lyrics, he is able to come up with the barest social criticism or the most conciliatory ballad.

Vanito Brown: Chronicler of personal issues, a versatile songwriter. The scale of his work ranges from a contemporary rock ballad to the most traditional of Cuban music. His songs are especially sensual.

Alejandro Gutiérrez: Worked in Cuba with Amauri Gutiérrez, leaving us with a few songs from that era, one of them Ella Prefiere. It would be fair to say he is a modern-day bolerista, with "Filin" (feeling) and urban song influences of the continental south, though he is able to create the most contemporary rock; the beauty of his singing and compositions is outstanding.

Luis Alberto Barbería: The resonance of his voice and guitar work takes on Afro-Cuban rhythms. His melodies are lyrical with jazz influences. His poetry, colloquially uninhibited due to its exquisite Cubanness. He has worked with Ketama on their recordings and tours.

Andy Villalón: His work is brimming with musical references from Brazil. His uplifting poetry is rife with warm images. He is master of his guitar and harmonies.

Pepe del Valle: Has all the characteristics of the contemporary Cuban romantic, highly skilled in emotional expression. His songs blend rhythms such as guaracha, son… with harmonies, melodies and lyrics of modern music.