Andrea y Su Charanga: From ‘76 to Now With Love

In the 70’s Charanga music—a smooth, creative, and extremely danceable form of Cuban Salsa featuring flute and violins—exploded on the scene with the creation of Charanga ’76. The public loved the band and its female flute player who was at the center of all the attention. Coined as the first woman flutist to play Charanga music in the United States, Andrea Brachfeld burst into the spotlight and has been creating and playing this music, and many others, ever since. After a brief hiatus from the music scene, Andrea Brachfeld and Son Charanga was created in 2003, coming out with Back With Sweet Passion on Latin Cool Records. This record featured the crème of the crème of Charanga music including Oscar Hernandez on the piano, four-time Grammy winner and now the leader of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, and Alfredo de la Fe playing the violin, famous for playing with Eddie Palmieri. Now the group has been reconfigured once again with Bill O’Connell on the piano, Ruben Rodriguez on the bass, Willie Martinez on drums, Chembo Corniel on the congas, violinists Sam Bardfeld and Ali Bello, and vocalists Robert Meir (currently with Charanga ’76) and Willy Torres. From decades of Charanga ‘76 hits to the original music of flutist Andrea Brachfeld, this band will reignite your passion and is sure to get you up and dancing.