Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros is one of NYC’s best Cuban dance bands. They play Cuban Timba for dancing. Salsa evolved in New York City from 1950s Cuban dance music. Timba evolved on the streets of Havana since the 1970s.
It’s led by singer Gerardo Contino, pianist Axel Tosca Laugart and percussionist Yusnier Bustamante Sanchez.
- Gerardo Contino & Los Habaneros play Cuban Timba at Terraza 7 in Elmhurst, Queens on Sat, May 6 at 10pm. $15. 🇨🇺
Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros are One of NYC’s best Cuban Dance Bands
Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros is a band that is getting hot in 2017. They call Gerardo “El Abogado de la Salsa Cuba” (the lawyer of Cuban Salsa). He is an intellectual property (IP) lawyer. That makes Gerardo and Rubén Blades the two most famous lawyers in Salsa.
In Cuba, Contino was the lead singer of NG La Banda, one of the Cuban bands that grew out of the Cuban legends Irakere and Los Van Van. NG La Banda helped define Timba, the Cuban pop mix of Salsa, Funk, and Afro-Cuban folk. Contino founded Los Habaneros when he came to New York City.
Axel has a great Timba-oriented band of his own and also plays for his mom, Cuban vocal legend Xiomara Laugart. When you fly into Havana, that’s her voice you hear singing Guantanamera in the airport. She really is a guantanamera, a woman from Guantanamo.
When you consider their backgrounds, Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros starts to make a lot of sense: Salsa + Funk + Afro-Cuban folk.
Everything changed during the pandemic, but Contino used to host Cuba Caliente and Latin Grooves salsa dance parties. Sometimes part of the band would join in.
Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros Albums
Somos Latinos
Los Habaneros’ first album, Somos Latinos (2013) earned critical acclaim. But it’s their live shows that get people talking, and dancing. “People who can’t even dance were trying,” said Alicia Olatuja of NPR/WNYC about a live performance.
Los Habaneros NYC
Los Habaneros stretch their wings with Los Habaneros NYC (January 26, 2018). Like the title says, the album moves with the variety of rhythms that make up our city. There’s Cuban/Puerto Rican Salsa, Cuban Timba, Dominican Bachata and Merengue, Colombian Vallenato, and even some old Irish melodies thrown in for good measure.
The album is like a tour through our neighborhoods. There’s Union City, El Barrio and Loisada, Washington Heights, Jackson Heights and more. This is who we are as Latinos, a mix of all peoples from all places.
The music flows with that happy, loving tropical spirit that is Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros’ signature. This is a band that is growing beautifully. Better see them while you still can.
Los Habaneros Live in New York City
Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros play Cuban Timba at Cuban Restaurant Mi Salsa Kitchen in the Lower East Side on Sat, Oct 2 at 11pm. 🇨🇺
Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros play Cuban Timba at the Roxy Bar at the Roxy Hotel in Tribeca on Sat, Oct 2 from 8-10:30pm. 🇨🇺
Tuesday, January 14, 2020 ~ The loud music and happy cries coming from the basement of the Roxy Hotel are Los Habaneros making everybody caliente from 10:30pm. $20
Friday, October 4, 2019 ~ Los Habaneros and DJ Andy play El Barrio Artspace PS109 in El Barrio East Harlem from 6-10pm. $15
Contino plays Las Tapas in Washington Heights, Manhattan on Friday, April 13.
Los Habaneros play Zinc Bar in Greenwich Village, Manhattan on Thursday, April 19 at 7 pm & 8:30 pm. $25
Los Habaneros play Friday Salsa Night at SOBs in Hudson Square (West SoHo) on Friday, April 27 at 5 pm. $10 – $15
The band plays a Free concert for dancing at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center on Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 7:30 pm. Free
Los Habaneros play Madison Square Park in Manhattan’s Flatiron District on Wednesday, August 1 from 6 – 8 pm.
Contino plays Latin Grooves at The Django in Tribeca, Manhattan on Tuesday, August 7.
Los Habaneros play the Highline Ballroom in Chelsea, Manhattan on Friday, August 10.
Los Habaneros play The Archway in DUMBO, Brooklyn on Thursday, August 23 at 6 pm.
The band plays the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan’s Upper West Side on October 17, 2017.
The band plays with the Max Weinberg Orchestra at The Frick Collection museum in Manhattan’s Upper East Side on Saturday, October 21, 2017.
The band plays a Cuba Caliente party at The Woods in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Sundays November 5, 12, 19, & 21 from 6 – 11 pm.
The band plays a Habana Nights party at Lucille’s in the B.B. King Blues Club in Midtown, Manhattan on Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 11 pm. $15, Ladies Free
Contino and Los Habaneros play the Fat Cat in Greenwich Village on Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 8 pm.
Gonzalez y Gonzalez CubaCaliente! January 18 & 25, 2017, 9pm-1am
BAMCafe Saturday, February 11, 2017 from 9:30-10:30pm
Contino is singing with FANIA All-Star Larry Harlow and the Latin Legends at the Blue Note in Greenwich Village, Thursday-Sunday, May 25-28. It’s a powerful show and Larry Harlow is a really great guy. The only problem is there isn’t much space to dance at the Blue Note. You will want to dance.
The band plays the Habana Nights, Saturday June 10 Midnight-2am, and the Closing (for now) party Thursday, June 13 at 11pm at Subrosa in the Meatpacking District. No cover
For more information, visit www.LosHabanerosNYC.com
