Few performers are capable of doing what this Cuban artist does on stage. No one saw this extraordinary blend coming: part James Brown, part Beny More, part El Tosco of NG La Banda, mixed with Prince and the funk gods George Clinton and Sly Stone.
Last Sunday, August 23, Cimafunk and his band, La Tribu, took over the SummerStage audience in Central Park with an unmatched explosion of Cuban-infused funk.
Cimafunk was just a small kid when NG La Banda and José Luis Cortés dominated Cuban music with the “timba” sound during the 1990s. Cuban timba has always carried funk at its core.
Somewhere along the way, some of that infectious musical virus found its way into the young Cuban performer. Even his early medical studies in Havana were no match for it. Music captured this Cuban back then, and on Sunday that contagion spread throughout the crowd.
His now-classic song “Me Voy” brought several audience members onto the stage, joining in the uninhibited celebration of Cuban-style funk. Cimafunk’s relentless energy, his electrifying dance moves, and his rapid-fire vocals pushed the audience into a state of euphoria.
Cimafunk’s discography includes Terapia (2017), Cun Cun Prá, EP (2020), El Alimento (2021) and Pa’ Tu Cuerpa (2024).
Trombonist Hilaria Cacao was another shining spark in what proved to be a spectacular night.
Author: Rafael Mieses
