Mambo, Latin Jazz, and Beyond: Bobby Sanabria on the Rhythms That Built a Tradition
Grammy-nominated drummer, composer, bandleader, and educator Bobby Sanabria joins Art Farm at Serenbe Music Council chair Gary Cassis for a deep dive into one of America's most vibrant musical traditions: the intersection of Afro-Cuban music, mambo, and jazz. Bobby traces mambo's roots back to the Bantu Congolese people of Cuba and the true father of the mambo, Arsenio Rodríguez, then follows the music's evolution through Antonio Arcaño, Pérez Prado, and the Machito Afro-Cubans, whose fusion of jazz arranging with pure Afro-Cuban rhythm helped inspire Dizzy Gillespie's own collaborations with conga legend Chano Pozo. Along the way, Bobby breaks down the clave — the five-beat rhythmic key that drives salsa, Latin jazz, and, as he explains, so much of the American musical ethos most people don't realize traces back to Africa. The conversation also touches on Bobby's new release, Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band: Arsenio and Beyond, Live at the Bronx Music Hall, the decades-long effort to honor Arsenio Rodríguez's forgotten legacy in the South Bronx, and why understanding the history and communities behind this music matters for the next generation of musicians and listeners alike. Join us Saturday, September 19, 2026, at the Art Farm at Serenbe as Bobby Sanabria and Sexteto Ibiano bring the evening "Mambo, Latin Jazz and Beyond" to life. Whether you're a lifelong fan or discovering this music for the first time, expect a night of rhythm, improvisation, culture, and dancing. Tickets and details at the Art Farm at Serenbe website.
