Pianist Harold López-Nussa Dazzles with ‘New Timba’

Harold López-Nussa – Nueva Timba (Blue Note, 2025)

Cuban pianist Harold López-Nussa returns with Nueva Timba, a fantastic album that combines jazz innovation with Cuban tradition. Indeed, Nueva Timba features a tight quartet: López-Nussa on piano, his brother Ruy Adrian López-Nussa on drums, Luques Curtis on bass, and Grégoire Maret on harmonica. Together, they deliver a forward-looking take on Latin jazz, western classical music and irresistible Cuban timba.

Highlights includes “Gitanerías,” a superb instrumental that intermingles jazz, Cuban flavor and Spanish classical music influences.

“A Lyle” (to Lyle) features a superb mix of contemporary jazz and classical piano techniques. Meanwhile, “Cerca y Lejos (near and far) introduces Cuban beats, brilliant piano work and harmonica.

Niña con violin (Girl with violin) features beautiful Cuban flavored piano improvisations, virtuosic acoustic bass and percussion interplay.

“Alma y Fuego” (soul and fire) interlaces piano and evocative harmonica. López-Nussa recreates the Cuban classic “El Manisero”

“Why” is a slow tempo piece with bluesy piano and melancholic harmonica folowed by “Bajista guerreo” (warior bassst), which features stellar bass work.

Nueva Timba follows 2023’s Timba a la Americana and was recorded live at Paris’ Le Duc des Lombards before receiving studio refinements.

Beneath the virtuosity lies a personal story. The project reflects the pianist’s recent relocation from Havana to Paris and his experience as a young father processing grief after the death of his mother and cultural dislocation.

Buy Nueva Timba.

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.