Tiempo Libre at Arts Garage

The seven members of Tiempo Libre met as teenagers at one of Cuba’s premier conservatories, where they mastered the critical skills necessary to play classic Cuban music. During a time in Cuba when listening to American music was forbidden, the boys crowded around a homemade radio and listened to the beats of Michael Jackson, Chaka Khan, and Earth, Wind, and Fire.

After emigrating to the United States, the men formed Tiempo Libre, a band that celebrates the best of Latin and American music. Since their inception, they have garnered three Grammy nominations, the first for their debut album Bach in Havana, which melds classical tunes by Johann Sebasian Bach with the soul-stirring rhythms of salsa, merengue, and cha-cha. The group has since been nominated for 2 more Grammy awards, and has toured and performed extensively, including a performance on the ABC television hit Dancing with the Stars. Tiempo Libre is the picture of musical innovation, and is one of the hottest young bands in both Latin and contemporary American music today.