With a name and image that pays tribute to the Cimarrons – Cubans of African descent that resisted slavery – and music and showmanship that re-embodies funk legends from the last century, the medical-school student turned funk artist has developed into a musical force crafting the sonic future of the island and a global, cultural phenomenon that unites and celebrates blackness across borders, oceans and languages.
With his unmistakable AfroCuban sounds, no holds barred live show and multiple Grammy- nominations, Cimafunk is redefining what the planet understands as Cuban music. Cimafunk’s debut album “Terapia” (2018), with its groundbreaking #1 single “Me Voy” – followed by his breakout performance at SXSW 2019 and widely praised NPR Tiny Desk Concert, started a movement of converting millions of people to the religion of groove, one live show at a time. The AfroCuban rockstar has moved the spotlight well beyond the Buena Vista Social Club, salsa and reggaeton.

From a local sensation on Havana’s small alternative music scene to global success, Cimafunk has electrified global audiences on massive stages and worldwide temples of music, making a name for himself as one of the great showmen of today. From New Orleans Jazz Festival and Lollapalooza Chile to becoming the first Cuban-born artist to play Coachella, this undisputed star of Afro-Latin music has earned the adoration of musical icons such as Argentine Fito Páez, who has hailed him as "one of the lights of the continent's future,” the Godfather of Funk George Clinton, who refers to him as “the next one,” and Chucho Valdés, who credits Cimafunk with masterfully and organically blending “AfroCuban with African American, converting this into a new school that until now I haven’t heard done.”

Tenor saxophonist Elijah Easton brings a powerful, hard-hitting sound honed on stages from the Kennedy Center to the White House. He's shared bandstands with Jon Batiste, Wynton Marsalis, and Benny Golson, and anchored bands ranging from hard bop to future-funk. His trio format brings improvisation, deep groove, and swing to jazz standards.

Saxophonist Paul Carr, is a mainstay of the Washington jazz community and founder of the Jazz Academy of Music and the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival. His quartet will play straight ahead jazz and tunes honoring the legacy of John Coltrane. Joining him is acclaimed vocalist Alison Crockett, whose soulful, genre-crossing voice is unforgettable.

Bassist and bandleader Michael Hawkins is a respected voice in the DC and Baltimore jazz community, known for his deep pocket, warm tone, and compositional vision. A veteran sideman turned leader, he brings a band steeped in the straight-ahead tradition with a modern edge.