Orquesta La Moderna Tradición

Founded in 1996 as the West Coast’s first ensemble dedicated to the full spectrum of Cuban dance music — from danzón to timba — Orquesta La Moderna Tradición is a 12-piece charanga orchestra featuring strings, woodwinds, piano, bass, percussion, and vocals. Led by veteran violinist and arranger Tregar Otton and acclaimed percussionist and 10-time Grammy nominee Michael Spiro, the ensemble delivers elegant yet driving Afro-Cuban rhythms with the richly layered sound of Cuba’s great charanga tradition. Rooted in the Cuban dance traditions of danzón, son, cha-cha-chá, and charanga, the band moves fluidly between elegant classics, hard-driving contemporary arrangements and modern Cuban grooves infused with the energy of today’s Havana dance bands.