Founded by tres guitarist and vocalist Gabriel García, Changüí Majadero was the result of García’s pivotal pilgrimage to the Guantanamo region of Cuba, where he learned the changüí from the living masters of the style and was inspired to spread the spirit of Cuban folkloric music mixed with a dash of East Los Angeles grit. Changüí is the predecessor of son cubano and salsa, a style of music specifically from the region of Guantanamo, Cuba. Its origins can be traced back to the 1800s, during the days of slavery in Cuba. Changüí is to Cuba & Latin America what the blues & early jazz is to American music. Changüí Majadero has played their modern take on changüí in such disparate settings such as Lincoln Center, SF Jazz, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and even Dodger Stadium. They performed in the AFC’s Archive Challenge Showcase at Folk Alliance International in 2020.
