Roberto Fonseca was already at North Sea Jazz in 2010 and three years ago he shared the stage with Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara. He will return this year, stronger and more mature than ever. His album ABUC (Cuba spelled backwards) is widely acclaimed. On the record, the keyboard player explores the many styles, dances, and rhythms of Cuba. As a teenager he was already noticed in Havana and catapulted into world fame for his work with the Buena Vista Social Club. He is even more adventurous as a soloist. On his latest album he works from danzon to mambo, contradanza, cha-cha-cha, and bolero. He is by no means traditional, regularly you hear echoes of hip hop or electro: the album has the feel of a jam session. With his piano playing Fonseca weaves a zigzag thread between Cuba, jazz, and Africa, ties it into knots and unties them again.
