It was inevitable that singer, composer Elsa Valle would answer the calling of music – from the cradle, music deeply affected her life. As a child she would listen to her father’s trumpet music and her mother’s mellifluous singing. She spent her childhood years in a truly musical environment, in a climate of pure art. Born in Cuba and living now in Hungary, Elsa, shortly after graduating at the best music school in Havana, received her first appreciation at the famous Tropicana in Havana. She appeared at the most well-known Cuban and South-American festivals, earning worthily the praise of the audience and critics at the famous Cuban festival ‘Boleros De Oro. Her style can be defined as an interesting and fantastic blend of traditional and contemporary Cuban singing. Her voice and singing is melancholic, luscious and explosively improvisational at the same time. She brought her music and wonderful voice to worldwide public by appearing at jazz, Latin and pop festivals. She performed on stages captivated by Santana, Al di Meola or the legendary Cuban musician from Buena Vista Social Club. Besides international appearances she captured the audience with her wonderful voice and talent also on the biggest Hungarian stages opening for Omara Portuondo, Elena Burke or Ibrahim Ferrer. She won the special prize of Lyra Festival. She works with her own group keeping the Cuban tradition alive by singing the jazz in her unique style mixing it with rhythm and melodies of Cuban music. In the winter of 2006 three musicians (Omar Rodriguez Calvo – bass player, Ramon Valle- pianist and Nils Fisher –percussionist) from three different corners of the world arrive to Budapest to record the singer and composer, Elsa Valle’s newest album titled ‘Salsa y Picante’ with two great Hungarian musicians (Bálint Petz – electric and acoustic guitar, Gábor Winand – flute, tenor and soprano saxophone, clarinet, vocal). While the city slept in quiescence Tom-Tom Studio was already alive with the vibrant chords of salsa music. Salsa y Picante is a very unique, eventful album, where the composer Elsa amused at blending her very peculiar flavor with different streams of Cuban music and jazz, with a fantastic result due to her outstanding creativity she already had proven on her previous albums. ‘Salsa y Picante’ is a beautiful example of that musical fusion where two potential styles unite creating an exceptional issue. Elsa with her friendliness vitality, spontaneity and her fantastic power of presentation makes the spectator love her music, her traditions and her roots in a few minutes.