Do you have any info on the whereabouts of guitarist Manuel Galbán?

Question: Do you have any information on the whereabouts of Cuban guitarist Manuel Galbán, or which venues he performs in?

Answer: Manuel Galbán is a Grammy-winning Cuban guitarist, pianist and arranger, notable for his work with the legendary doo-wop vocal quartet Los Zafiros, which he founded, and the world famous Buena Vista Social Club with its repertoire of son, bolero, danzón and guajiro. In 2001 he recorded Mambo Sinuendo with Ry Cooder, winning the 2003 Grammy for Best Post Instrumental Album.

Born in 1931 in the small fishing town of Bigara in Holguín Province in western Cuba, Galbán’s distinctive electric guitar is known for its unmistakable blue-noted doo-wop sound. Drawn to experimentation, Galbán uses reverb, tremolo, diminished arpeggio runs and palm mutes while playing the melodic runs and chordal patterns associated with traditional Cuban music.

To obtain information about Galbán and where and when he performs in Cuba, an important contact point is the Instituto Cubano de la Música (ICM), in particular Alejandro Guzmán, vice-president of International Relations, whose email is [email protected]

The address and phone number of the ICM is listed below:

Instituto Cubano de la Música
Calle 15 #452
Esquina a F
Vedado – Municipio Playa
Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba
Telephone (537) 837-5164 (Relaciones Internacionales)