Artist
Roberto Fonseca
3680 Views
Roberto Fonseca (born 1975, Havana) is a Cuban jazz pianist. From an early age, Fonseca was surrounded by music: his father was a drummer, his mother, Mercedes Cortes Alfaro, a professional singer (she sings on her son's most recent solo album, Zamazu), and his two older half-brothers, Emilio Valdés (drums) and Jesús "Chuchito" Valdés Jr. (piano) are also two young musicians of great international prestige.
After an early interest in drums, Fonseca switched to piano at the age of 8, and by 14 was experimenting with fusing American jazz and traditional Cuban rhythms; he appeared at Havana's Jazz Plaza Festival in 1991 when he was just 15.
Fonseca studied at the Cuba's prestigious Instituto Superior de Arte, where he obtained a master's degree in composition, even though he often says that he was a really bad student. After earning his degree, he left Cuba to find his sound.
His first album, En El Comienzo, which he recorded with Javier Zalba and the group Temperamento, was awarded Cuba's Best Jazz Album in 1999. This success encouraged him to work on two solo records: Tiene Que Ver and Elengo, combining latin jazz, drum and bass, hip-hop, urban music and Afro-Cuban rhythms.
In 2001, Fonseca went to Japan to record No Limit: Afro Cuban Jazz. He also toured with the Buena Vista Social Club the same year and has worked with Rubén González, Ibrahim Ferrer, Cachaito, Guajiro Mirabal and Manuel Galbán.
A dream that toured all over the world, with over 400 concerts, promoting Ibrahim Ferrer's records next to great legends such as Cachaíto López, Manuel Guajiro Mirabal and Manuel Galbán, among others. Playing at the most prestigious venues, such as Frankfurt Alter Oper, Palais des Congrès (Paris), Albert Hall (London), Beacon Theatre (New York), Sydney Opera House (Australia), etc. Not a single review of Ibrahim's concerts, from South America to Asia, would fail to mention Fonseca's talent and his magnetic stage presence.
That period of intense work, touring round the world, led Fonseca to realise that his music was ready for creating his own project. He dug deep to compose each of the songs that form Zamazu, the result of the integration of all his influences; Afro-Cuban music, Jazz, classical music and traditional Cuban music.
In the words of one reviewer,[1] his last offering, Zamazu, is “a deftly varied and well-sequenced set that leaves a strong impression of who Fonseca is and promises plenty for the future".
2008 was a year full of work and experiences that have inspired Fonseca's new compositions, one being Columbia Pictures choosing the track "Llego Cachaito" from the Zamazu album for the Will Smith film "Hancock”.
With his latest album Akokan Fonseca wanted to bring the magic, strength and improvisation from a live show to the studio. With a quartet formation and accompanied by his band, the one that he has been playing with for the last 12 years, Fonseca as the record's producer has encouraged creativity and chemistry amongst the musicians.
There are also two very special collaborations from artists that Fonseca admires, artists that have very different styles: Mayra Andrade, the Cape Verdean singer who wrote the words and sings on "Siete potencias", and Raul Midon, the American guitarist, wrote "Second Chance". On this track Fonseca did the arrangements and Midon accompanied him on guitar.
2010 Roberto Fonseca was the support act for Omara Portuondo's USA. After the summer his album Roberto Fonseca Live in Marciac was released. It includes a bonus DVD which features footage of the festival's 2009 show.
Points of sale
Head There!
2025
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
July
MELHEM ZEIN
08:30 PM | Joseph Tohme Skaff
NOQTA WARA NOQTA
05:00 PM | Casino du Liban
One Thousand and One Nights - New Dates
08:00 PM | Theatre Caracalla
MANIA THE ABBA TRIBUTE
09:00 PM | Serenata by Nabu
NOQTA WARA NOQTA
05:00 PM | Casino du Liban
One Thousand and One Nights - New Dates
08:00 PM | Theatre Caracalla
BLOOM with GHINWA
07:00 PM | Daraj El Zouk
MOUHAMMAD KHAIRY
10:00 PM | KAY Lounge
MARWA NAGY singing UMM KULTHUM
09:00 PM | Serenata by Nabu
NOQTA WARA NOQTA
05:00 PM | Casino du Liban
MARIE SLEIMAN Featuring Soprano LENA KHATER
09:30 PM | Casino du Liban
ZIAD BOURJI
10:00 PM | KAY Lounge
MAGIDA EL ROUMI
09:00 PM | Beirut Waterfront
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
09:00 PM | Beirut Waterfront
Diwaniyat Hob - ديوانية حب
08:30 PM | Echoes of the Golden Era | Beiteddine Palace
NOQTA WARA NOQTA
05:00 PM | Casino du Liban
Symphonic Electro-Dance
08:30 PM | Château Rweiss
One Thousand and One Nights - New Dates
08:00 PM | Theatre Caracalla
SHEHERAZADE
07:30 PM | IXSIR winery
MELHEM ZEIN
10:00 PM | KAY Lounge
NOQTA WARA NOQTA
05:00 PM | Casino du Liban
One Thousand and One Nights - New Dates
08:00 PM | Theatre Caracalla
SHEHERAZADE
07:30 PM | IXSIR winery
Tribute to Musician MOHAMMAD ABDULWAHAB
08:30 PM | Ghalboun
NOQTA WARA NOQTA
05:00 PM | Casino du Liban
We group and DJ Marc French 80s night
08:30 PM | Zaarour Club
WAEL JASSAR
10:00 PM | KAY Lounge
NADER AL ATAT
08:30 PM | Emir Talal Arslan Stadium
Lebanese Classical Night Maestro LUBNAN BAALBAKI
08:30 PM | Ghalboun
ADONIS
09:00 PM | Beirut Waterfront
One Thousand and One Nights - New Dates
08:00 PM | Theatre Caracalla
Love and Revenge
09:00 PM | MusicHall
KHYEL SAHRA
08:30 PM | Casino du Liban
AL SHAMI
09:00 PM | Beirut Waterfront
GUY MANOUKIAN
08:30 PM | Ehden
CARLOS
10:00 PM | KAY Lounge
KHYEL SAHRA
08:30 PM | Casino du Liban
BEER WINE AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL WITH HANINE
07:30 PM | Batroun
Amioun Heritage Festival - AKHRAS in concert
08:30 PM | Amioun
MOEEN SHREIF
10:00 PM | KAY Lounge
MAYYAS
08:30 PM | Cedars International Festival
KHYEL SAHRA
08:30 PM | Casino du Liban
Cedars Transportation - MAYYAS
Transportation Cedars
Echoes of the Cedars by Michel Fadel and Rony Barrak
08:00 PM | ARZ EHMEJ
BEER WINE AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL WITH ZEF
07:30 PM | Batroun
KHYEL SAHRA
08:30 PM | Casino du Liban
HERITAGE - Dadju & Tayc
08:30 PM | Forum de Beyrouth
BEER WINE AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL WITH IYAM EL LIRA
07:30 PM | Batroun
JOSEPH ATTIEH
09:00 PM | Beirut Waterfront
Sparkling Summer with RODGE
07:00 PM | BAR NATIONAL
The Musical كلو مسموح - Anything Goes
08:30 PM | Performed by the incredible Carole Samaha | Beiteddine Palace
JOHN ACHKAR
09:30 PM | Beirut Waterfront
KHYEL SAHRA
08:30 PM | Casino du Liban
ZADE DIRANI
08:30 PM | Forum de Beyrouth
ADAM
09:00 PM | Beirut Waterfront
The Musical كلو مسموح - Anything Goes
08:30 PM | Performed by the incredible Carole Samaha | Beiteddine Palace
KHYEL SAHRA
08:30 PM | Casino du Liban
Opera CARMEN
08:00 PM | Baalbeck
GUY MANOUKIAN
09:00 PM | Beirut Waterfront
ABEER NEHME
08:30 PM | Ehden
Transportation for Baalbeck Festival - Carmen
04:00 PM | Transportation Baalbeck
SAINT LEVANT IN CONCERT
09:00 PM | Batroun
DJ STEPH DIAB
08:30 PM | Bentael Mar Mema
KHYEL SAHRA
08:30 PM | Casino du Liban
WAEL KFOURY
08:30 PM | Cedars International Festival
Cedars Transportation - WAEL KFOURY
Transportation Cedars
Transportation for Baalbeck Festival - Carmen
04:00 PM | Transportation Baalbeck
Opera CARMEN
08:00 PM | Baalbeck
MOEEN SHREIF
08:30 PM | Bentael Mar Mema
KHYEL SAHRA
08:30 PM | Casino du Liban
Ehden - DANCING MOON III
08:30 PM | Ehden
Fundraising Event for LeBAM
08:30 PM | DANCE AROUND THE WORLD | Beiteddine Palace
JUNAID ZEIN EL DINE & ABBAS JAAFAR
08:30 PM | Bentael Mar Mema
ELISSA
09:00 PM | Beirut Waterfront
325 yrs Antonine concert - AN UNFADINGLIGHT
08:30 PM | Mar Elias Church
BLACK COFFEE
08:00 PM | Cedars International Festival
Cedars Transportation - BALCK COFFEE
Transportation Cedars
"Fragile" by Tania Saleh with the participation of Khaled Mouzanar
08:30 PM | Smar Jbeil Citadel
KHYEL SAHRA
08:30 PM | Casino du Liban
One Thousand and One Nights - New Dates
08:00 PM | Theatre Caracalla
|