TROVADORO brings together Seattle's finest players of Cuban Son music to perform original compositions in traditional styles. Cuban Son (pronounced 'sone' like 'tone') is the acoustic roots dance music that grew into today's internationally celebrated Salsa. In the tradition of Cuban troubadours new and old, TROVADORO evokes deep currents of the human heart and soul with strings, percussion and song. Santiago de Cuba's Kiki Valera guides TROVADORO with his lifetime of extensive performance, international touring, arranging, recording, and mastery of the Cuban Cuatro. Kiki is the eldest son and director of La Familia Valera Miranda - one of Cuba's most revered families of Son musicians. Justin Maggart and Steve Smith are core members of SuperSones - a traditional Cuban septet that has performed Cuban Son in Seattle and throughout the Pacific Northwest for the last 16 years. Javier Marú brings years of experience playing guitar & singing Trova and Son in Havana, Switzerland and now in Seattle with Trío Cubay and other groups. The quartet is TROVADORO's core performance format. The group also performs as a quintet or sextet for large venue dance performances, private events and other occasions with supporting musicians such as a bassist, conga player or singer & percussionist. The album sounds like a sextet with Kiki Valera playing all of the strings (Cuban Cuatro, Bass & Guitar), Steve Smith playing all of the drums (Bongó & Congas), Kiki & Justin Maggart sharing the Hand Percussion (Clave, Maracas & Güiro/Guayo), and a chorus of six voices sung by Javier Marú, Kiki & Justin. TROVADORO - Lengua, Alambre y Cuero: Justin Maggart - Lead Vocals, Chorus & Hand Percussion Kiki Valera - Cuban Cuatro, Bass, Guitar, Chorus & Hand Percussion Steve Smith - Bongó, Campana & Congas Javier Marú - Chorus Steve Mostovoy - Trumpet (2) TROVADORO began as a collaboration between Justin Maggart and Kiki Valera to compose, arrange and record an album of original songs in traditional Cuban styles and perform them in Spring 2017. In June 2015, this project was funded, in part, by a grant from King County 4Culture. The group also educates diverse communities about Cuban music by leading interactive multi-media workshops for audiences of all-ages. For more information, complete album lyrics & videos, visit www.trovadoro.com.