de cuba son

Originally formed by Arvis Mena (Cuba/Australia) in 2016, De Cuba Son started out playing traditional Cuban songs. Jeremias Sosa (Argentina/Australia) joined in 2018, and in 2022 they began writing music together after The City of Fremantle handpicked De Cuba Son for their video series, “The Mantle”, which inspired their first song, ‘While it Rains’. In classic Cuban style, their energetic and uplifting music is a conduit for heavy lyrical content- an expression of the hardships of living far away from loved ones. Now equipped with a world-class album worth of original songs and a stack of Cuban classics arranged for party sets, De Cuba Son is a favourite for WA festivals. They have played Perth Jazz Festival, Bunbury Fringe, Festival and JazzConnect multiple times, plus York Festival and In the Pines. In both 2022 and 2023 they were nominated as Global Act of the Year at the WAM Awards.

De Cuba Son’s core lineup includes Mohamed Builo Michel (Cuba/AU) on piano, Oslu Castaneda (Colombia/AU) on percussion and Chris Tarr (NZ/AU) on drum kit. In 2025, a dedicated horn section was assembled, consisting of Marc Osborne on saxophone, Marty Pervan on trumpet, and Alex Parkinson on trombone. ‘Sonando’- their debut album of original music influenced by salsa, son, jazz, flamenco and contemporary styles, is set to be released in March 2027.

SUNDAY MUSIC

Bask in the sunshine and enjoy a carefully curated line-up of our best musicians every Sunday in the beautiful setting of WFAC’s Front Garden.

Bring a picnic or enjoy food from Plated Cafe and drinks from the bar at this family-friendly event. Some chairs are provided.

Click here for concert information.