Hep Cat Entertainment Presents 1st Annual CimaFest NOLA adds unique Cuban swagger to Jazz Fest Night Show offerings
Fresh off his Grammy nomination, Cuban funk powerhouse Cimafunk is announcing the 1st annual CimaFest NOLA, an evening of musical magic on Saturday, April 29th. Taking place at the Civic Theater during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, CimaFest NOLA 2023 will bring together Cimafunk and his band La Tribu with other Cuban legends like percussionist.
Pedrito Martinez and singer Brenda Navarrete (with more artists TBA in the coming weeks). Tickets go on sale Friday, January 13, at 12PM CST.
“The love New Orleans has given me is beyond words,” says Cimafunk. “I’ve learned so much from the musicians there, the local culture and the vibe and groove of the city, the history and struggles of the African descendants there, and a strong connection with Cuba. I can’t wait to throw a musical party to celebrate all of it, and I’m bringing some great Afrocuban musical heavyweights to lay down the funk with me.”
CimaFunk NOLA will elevate Cimafunk’s presence in New Orleans to the next level, after last year’s inaugural Jazz Fest performance, multiple sold-out shows at venues like Tipitina’s concert collaborations with The Soul Rebels, Tank and the Bangas, Trombone Shorty, Galactic, and Big Freedia. With each show during the last two years of relentless touring, this masterful Cuban artist has further cemented his place as one of the world’s most passionate and dynamic performers.
It’s a special moment in time for Cimafunk, who is currently up for the Grammy in the Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album category for his latest recording “El Alimento.”
He is also preparing to host The 2023 Havana Funk Expedition (January 12-16), a cultural exchange in his home country that will bring together Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Galactic, Mannie Fresh and students from the Trombone Shorty Foundation with a host of Cuban artists and students. This is a follow up to the historic Getting Funky in Havana trip in 2020 that played an integral role in strengthening Cimafunk’s connection with the music of New Orleans, as well as his music to New Orleans musicians.
The historical ties between the music of Cuba and New Orleans are rooted in centuries of shared experiences and sounds, and in recent years those connections have been ignited by Cimafunk and his musical counterparts in the Crescent City. CimaFest NOLA 2023 will offer a unique addition to the arsenal of night-time Jazz Fest performances by showcasing the spirit and soul of Cuban music, with a smattering of New Orleans funk and jazz added to “el gumbo musical.”
“Although we may not speak the same language, musically we do,” adds Cimafunk. “Because our cultures are so closely tied together, our music reflects that, and we intend to bring it all together on stage at CimaFest NOLA.”
WHAT: Hep Cat Entertainment Presents: CimaFest NOLA
WHEN: Saturday, April 29, 2023. Doors 8pm/Show 9pm
WHERE: The Civic Theatre, 510 O’Keefe Ave, New Orleans LA 70113
TICKETS: $50 on sale Friday, Jan 13 at 12pm CST
Ticket link HERE.
*Link will not be live until Friday at 12pm CST when tickets go on sale HERE.
Pedrito site HERE.
CimaFunk site HERE.
Follow CIMAFUNK:
Website – Instagram – Twitter – Facebook – Spotify – Apple Music – YouTube
