Tumba Francesa - Soul Jazz Records presents TUMBA FRANCESA: Afro-Cuban Music From The Roots (2026)

Tumba Francesa la Caridad de Oriente is a distinguished Cuban institution dedicated to preserving a 140-year-old tradition of Afro-Cuban music and dance. The ensemble’s work features a rare fusion of African drumming and French patois vocals, earning it the designation of a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Originally established as mutual aid societies by refugees of the Haitian Revolution, these organizations synthesized African rhythmic structures with 18th-century French formal aesthetics. Currently, only two such institutions remain, including this one based in Santiago's Los Hoyos district. This release by Soul Jazz Records documents a vital cultural legacy that remains a significant element of contemporary Cuban identity.

Tracklist:
1-1 Pedro Perez-Sarduy - Introduction [2:42]
1-2 Tumba Francesa - Camagüey [2:56]
1-3 Tumba Francesa - Muerivé Yo Dilá (Masón) [6:31]
1-4 Tumba Francesa - Mapuá Livé (Yubá) [3:29]
1-5 Tumba Francesa - Vamos A Dividir (Masón) [5:04]
1-6 Tumba Francesa - Tambores 1 [4:14]
1-7 Tumba Francesa - Ven Mi Morena (Tahona) [6:05]
1-8 Tumba Francesa - Muediné Consá (Yubá) [3:20]
1-9 Tumba Francesa - Societé Guantánamo (Masón) [3:29]
1-10 Tumba Francesa - Tambores 2 [2:26]