Michel Padron & His Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra will make its official debut as part of the Jazzata concert series. Led by Cuban trumpeter, arranger and composer Michel Padron, the project brings together a 12-piece orchestra to revive and reimagine the golden era of Afro- Cuban jazz. Drawing on the legacy of Machito, Chano Pozo and Mario Bauzá , alongside figures such as Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente and Bebo Valdés , the orchestra blends historic repertoire with bold new original compositions. In the States, it was Gillespie who was influential in bringing Cuban musicians into America where their infectious, rhythmic, danceable sounds; soon regularly topped the US charts, reflected in the dance scene in New York at the famous Palladium Ballroom. This launch marks the beginning of a long-term artistic project, for authentic Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz in the city. With a history of critically acclaimed live concerts and the musical partnership of Padron and pianist Jim Blomfield at its core, the project positions Bristol as a growing centre for the real sound of Afro-Cuban jazz.