What do you get when you combine Cuban musicians living in Germany and Switzerland with a band leader and bass player from Slovenia? You get Tókame - a new group that mixes Cuban rhythms with Funk and Jazz.
The title track with vocals by Michel Valdes Martínez and Oslen Ceballos / Yuliesky Gonzáles guapeando on trumpet, has a nice smooth groove that will captivate dancers all over. Things get more aggressive on the intoxicating "No te metas conmigo". Here Mayelis Guyat shows she has swing and flavor for days. Aquilla Fearon sinks her teeth on "Dime qué tú quieres". And while I'm not a fan of Salsa sung in English, it works here thanks to the chorus sung in Spanish and that funky piano riff by Dalia Prada. And just in case you didn't take the band seriously, they provide two instrumentals, "El paseo" and "Danzoneton". Both tunes give plenty of room for each musician to shine.
Tókame has laid down the foundtation for a solid debut. Let's hope they continue to grow. These are the bands we need to support.
SALSA - SON - TIMBA - FUNK - JAZZ