Albita Rodríguez is a Latin Grammy-winning Cuban singer, actress, and producer who is known for renewing música guajira (a form of Cuban country music) and authentic son Cubano. She is considered a master of traditional Cuban forms.
Albita Rodríguez in New York City
Albita: 100 Years of Son Cubano celebrates the evolution of Cuban folk music from rumba and música guajira, to son Cubano and salsa led by Albita, a Cuban national treasure. She is joined by salseros Los Hermanos Moreno, soneros Nodal y Los Soneros de Oriente, and Tony Rosa’s Rumba All-Stars. It’s in the Main Theater at Hostos Center at Hostos Community College in Mott Haven, The Bronx; on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 8pm. From $35. hostos.cuny.edu 🇨🇺
Los Hermanos Moreno (William and Nelson) is a New York salsa band whose popularity led them to Madison Square Garden in the 1990s. Their hits include “Sopa de Pichón” and “Quimbombó.” @loshermanosmoreno 🇵🇷
Nodal y Los Soneros de Oriente is a New York son Cubano band. “Oriente” in the band’s name is a reference to Eastern Cuba which is where most Cuban culture begins. Interestingly, Eastern Cuba was Taíno land, and later received Haitian influences which put more syncopation into Cuban music. 🇨🇺
Tony Rosa is a New York Puerto Rican conguero and batá player. The batá is the sacred double-headed rumba drum. His master teacher was the legendary Francisco Aguabella of Matanzas, where the first Africans in Cuba created rumba as soon as their hands were free. In this concert, the Tony Rosa Rumba All-Stars pay tribute to rumba legends Los Papines, one of the most iconic traditional Cuban rumba bands. 🇵🇷
This is Hostos Center’s big end-of-the-school-year concert. Albita doesn’t play New York City very often, so take this opportunity to enjoy some great music that brings us all together. Since its Hostos, the concert is also a lesson in our Latin musical heritage. A lot of musical creativity that you might think is hip hop from the Bronx, is actually derived from Cuban rumba and Puerto Rican traditions.
New York City Venues
- Hostos Center
- Subrosa
- The Town Hall
Albita Rodríguez
Albita (Rodríguez) is a Grammy- and Latin Grammy-winning Cuban singer, actress, and producer from Havana. Her parents were popular Cuban folk singers known as Mima y Pipo, so she grew up in a musical family. Albita is loved for revitalizing música guajira, a form of traditional Cuban country music, and authentic son Cubano. This is important work because even though son Cubano is having a moment right now with the Broadway show “Buena Vista Social Club,” we are losing our traditional heritage to the predominance of social media.
Today Albita sings on the world’s great stages with top Latin artists, symphony orchestras, and even performs with the Miami City Ballet every year. Her signature song is “Que manera de quererte,” produced by Emilio Estefan (Miami Sound Machine and Gloria Estefan) who is one of America’s top Latin producers. “Hoy no voy a trabajar,” featuring legendary Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, is one of the songs that made Albita an international star.
Rodríguez refers to her sound as music of the “solar,” which is a field, or in town might be a patio. That’s the natural home of Latin music where families and friends gather after work. Someone sets a rhythm, someone starts singing, and we dance, eat, and drink together. This is traditional Caribbean life.
The 2024 Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner has been awarded Cuba’s highest artistic honor, the “Order por la Cultura Nacional” (Order for National Culture). Albita was the Calle Ocho Carnival Queen in 2005. That’s Miami’s Little Havana carnival. The same year, she sang in the musical “The Mambo Kings.” She won an Emmy Award for her television variety show “La Descarga con Albita” (Jam with Albita).
Albita got her start singing in clubs in Havana. She became an American in 1993. She was unknown when she first came to the States, but rapidly built a large fan base. Her core audience is Miami Cubans who miss their island home. Puerto Ricans love her too.
Editor Iroko Kíkokí ~ I saw Albita perform a holiday concert with Gilberto Santa Rosa in Carolina, San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2022. I was impressed by her big voice, tremendous stage presence, and ability to improvise. Santa Rosa is himself a famous improviser. She challenged him to a trovador battle which is just like a rap battle, but in a Latin context. The whole crowd was stunned by the cleverness, joy, and humor in her improvisation. She is really inspiring.
Love this video for its driving Puerto Rican salsa opening with great dancing. Then Albita comes in with her big voice and riffs in a very Caribbean way about how she loves you. She raps with Gilberto about how Cuba and Puerto Rico love each other. Then the rumba break at the end takes us back to our shared roots in Mother Afrika. Cuba and Puerto Rico really are as two wings of the same bird.
Important Albums
- “Masters of Our Roots” (2025), with legendary Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés, is Albita’s latest. Chucho was just named an NEA Jazz Master.
- “Albita Llegó” (Albita Arrives 2004) won the Latin Grammy for “Best Contemporary Tropical Album.”
- “No se parece a nada” (It Doesn’t Look Like Anything, 1995) was her first U.S. album. It was produced by Emilio Estefan (Miami Sound Machine).
- “Habrá Música Guajira” (There Will Be Guajira Music, 1988) was her very first album.
Social Media
- Instagram @albitacantante
- Facebook @UnaMujerQueCanta
- YouTube @AlbitaCantante