If Buena Vista Social Club discovered the golden era of Cuban music for mass audience, Cubanísimo play it with all the grace, charm and compassion. Cubanísimo - led by pianist Ricardo Alvarez - is considered to be one of the best contemporary salsa bands in Europe.

Since its foundation in January 1998 by Cuban composer-producer-pianist Ricardo Alvarez, the band Cubanísimo has emerged as a very unique force on the Latin music scene. The band's sound and repertoire is characteristic of the popular styles from Cuba in the 40's and 50's.

Themes like "Rico Mambo" and "Mambo No. 5" are elegantly performed, true to their original styles. Authentic classics and original songs take the audience through all the traditional Cuban genres, like son montuno, guaracha, chachachá, mambo and bolero.

Cubanísimo is considered to be one of the best contemporary salsa bands in Europe. The first CD Clásicós al estilo de los 50s (Alvarez Music, 1998) produced an instant hit for the salsa clubs and discos around Europe and Cuba. The track "Cubanísimo" held a place in the top ten for several weeks, in Germany at No. 7, and in Cuba at No. 5. This led to prestigious festivals around Europe, with such prominent artists as Annando Peraza, Raúl Rekow & Karl Perazzo (rhythm section of Santana), Ramón Valle, Compay Segundo, Asere and Ciro Baptista.

Some recent concert highlights for Cubanísimo have taken place in Berlin (club Havana), Wurzburg (Africa festival), Hamburg (Fabrik, Fleetinsel festival), Frankfurt (World music festival, Brotfabrik), Munich (Schlachthot), as well as in France, Holland, Austria and Poland. The major artistic influences on the sound of Cubanísimo can be found in classic Cuban artists such as Beny Moré, Pérez Prado, Machito and his Afrocubans, Arsenio Rodríguez, Enrique Jorrín and Sonora Matancera among others.

Cubanisimo' s singer Gusto Suárez is also an excellent percussionist and prints his own unmistakable stamp on each gong. Suárez, like the most of the members of the band, comes from the most authentic sonero traditions of his native Cuba.

Currently a second album from the band is in preparation and will include more original songs, although the band will maintain the same sound and style already achieved on the first recordings. Cubanísimo is a band for all Cuban and Latin music lovers as well as salsa fans, mixing up good quality, image and emotion into a single concert show.