Biography
Roberto Fonseca has played a pivotal role in reviving Cuban music on the international stage. As a pianist of global stature, he blends Latin jazz, urban sounds, and African rhythms with the musical traditions of his homeland. Emerging in the late 1990s as one half of the duo Temperamento, he later built a catalog of boundary-pushing solo releases such as Elengo in 2001, Akokan in 2009, and ABUC in 2016. His résumé also includes extensive touring alongside Buena Vista Social Club plus collaborations with figures ranging from Gilles Peterson and Omara Portuondo to Mala.
Born in Havana in 1975, Fonseca began studying piano at the age of eight. Following completion of a master’s degree in composition, he joined forces with Javier Zalba to form Temperamento, which issued its debut album En el Comienzo in 1999. That same year saw the arrival of his first solo outing, Tiene Que Ver. The double release of Elengo and No Limit in 2001 preceded a period devoted to road work with Buena Vista Social Club and Rubén González, as well as production duties for Asa Festoon and the late Ibrahim Ferrer. Fonseca resurfaced as a leader with Zamazu in 2007, then delivered Akokan in 2009, Live in Marciac in 2010, and Yo in 2012.
He next paired with Malian singer and songwriter Fatoumata Diawara for the 2015 duet recording Ayt Home: Live in Marcia on Jazz Village. The following year Fonseca made his Impulse Records debut with ABUC, an album that returned to his Afro-Cuban foundations. Featured guests included Trombone Shorty, trumpeter Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal, vocalists Daymé Arocena and Carlos Calunga, and Buena Vista Social Club guitarist Eliades Ochoa. Yesun surfaced in 2019, extending Fonseca’s Cuban heritage through explorations of electronic music, reggaeton, funk, and additional styles.
Born in Havana in 1975, Fonseca began studying piano at the age of eight. Following completion of a master’s degree in composition, he joined forces with Javier Zalba to form Temperamento, which issued its debut album En el Comienzo in 1999. That same year saw the arrival of his first solo outing, Tiene Que Ver. The double release of Elengo and No Limit in 2001 preceded a period devoted to road work with Buena Vista Social Club and Rubén González, as well as production duties for Asa Festoon and the late Ibrahim Ferrer. Fonseca resurfaced as a leader with Zamazu in 2007, then delivered Akokan in 2009, Live in Marciac in 2010, and Yo in 2012.
He next paired with Malian singer and songwriter Fatoumata Diawara for the 2015 duet recording Ayt Home: Live in Marcia on Jazz Village. The following year Fonseca made his Impulse Records debut with ABUC, an album that returned to his Afro-Cuban foundations. Featured guests included Trombone Shorty, trumpeter Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal, vocalists Daymé Arocena and Carlos Calunga, and Buena Vista Social Club guitarist Eliades Ochoa. Yesun surfaced in 2019, extending Fonseca’s Cuban heritage through explorations of electronic music, reggaeton, funk, and additional styles.
Albums
Singles
Live
