Juan de Marcos & the Afro-Cuban All Stars

Havana big-band traditions, Afro-Cuban jazz and dance rhythms come together in a multigenerational orchestra led by Cuban bandleader Juan de Marcos González. The concert takes place Friday, April 23, at the Adrienne Arsht Center as part of the 2026-27 Jazz Roots Series.

Raised in Havana’s Pueblo Nuevo neighborhood, González studied tres, popular guitar, conducting and harmony before founding Sierra Maestra in 1976 to introduce traditional Cuban music to younger audiences. He later became a central figure in the Buena Vista Social Club project, drawing on his connections within Cuba’s music community to help assemble its celebrated lineup. His recordings and tours with Sierra Maestra, the Afro-Cuban All Stars and pianist Rubén González have brought Cuban music to stages including Carnegie Hall and Mexico City’s Auditorio Nacional.

Founded by González during the Buena Vista sessions, the Afro-Cuban All Stars unite veteran musicians with rising performers in an ensemble rooted in son, mambo, rumba, cha-cha-chá and Cuban jazz. The program draws on Havana’s orchestral heritage through layered percussion, syncopated rhythms, vocal passages and expansive horn arrangements.