By Zach Manzi
One of Billboard’s “10 Latin artists to watch in 2019” performs with Nu Deco at North Beach Bandshell
There must be a better word than “concert” to capture what Nu Deco’s North Beach Bandshell performances have historically embodied. Were there a word for a performance that compels audience members to jump out of their seats and dance to the sound of an orchestra meeting African and Afrocuban beats, Cuban singer, composer, and music producer Cimafunk (Nu Deco’s guest artist for the November 9th Bandshell performance) would be the perfect exemplification. In addition to a seemingly endless list of achievements and accolades, Cimafunk recently announced that he will also be an official artist at Lollapalooza Argentina 2020.
As his bio describes:
Cimafunk is a cimarrón*, a free being defying classification, a pilgrim in search of new musical miscegenation and the reunion of black music. He believes in nothing but the power of the Groove and the cathartic communion of dancing bodies. A renaissance man, conscious of his roots and musical ancestry, Cimafunk’s music looks firmly into the future.
I’m actually not going to be performing at Bandshell this time around, which is upsetting because being part of the Bandshell shows is how I’ve fallen in love with the music of artists like Danay Suarez and Angelique Kidjo. Cimafunk’s music captured my attention when I first heard his song “El Potaje”. Initially, I tried to classify the song as distinctly Afrocuban—then as distinctly funk. I quickly realized, however, that my inability to stamp his music as one genre or the other was the whole point. The moment I let go of my impulse to categorize his music, I was able to start basking in the irresistibly free and liberating groove of the song (also the fact that most of the video is shot in a disco-truck).
As this 8-minute documentary on Cimafunk describes, the Cima- part of his name comes from Cimaronnes, a word to describe slaves who escaped and went to live in the wild in search of freedom by their own rules. The -funk portion represents a groove rooted in African music, which is ever present in his work. Born and raised in Pinar del Río until the age of 21, Cimafunk started singing in a church choir as a young boy. After finishing college and leaving the church, he made his way to a Trova group, and then a Reggaeton group. Upon visiting Havana, he fell in love with the city and soon after went home to Pinar del Río to tell his mother that he was finished studying medicine and moving to Havana full-time.
After some experimentation with composition, Cimafunk eventually decided to self-produce his own music. His debut album, Terapia, has received millions of listens on streaming services as well as a nomination for “Best Fusion Album”. Since the album’s release, Cimafunk has started to produce and perform internationally. From the Grammy Museum in LA, to SXSW in Austin, to La Tropical in Havana, and now to the Bandshell in Miami, Cimafunk is truly taking the music industry by storm.
Check out the music of Cimafunk alongside some Nu Deco classics and new creations at the North Beach Bandshell on Saturday November 9 at 8 PM.