Leticia y su Rumbadama are reputed to be one of the best salsa bands in The Netherlands. Rumbadama – as the band is more popularly known as – has not changed it’s line-up since 1996, when they performed live for Tros Sesjun on Dutch national radio and made their debut tour in Sweden and Finland. Since then they have remained a very popular and catchy part of the Latin music scene.

The rhythmic heart and soul of Leticia y su Rumbadama are Cuban born singer Delia Gonzalez with her very groovy maracas, Edith Mossel on congas and Leticia on timbales. Talented bass player Mick Paauwe and pianist Lilian Jarad complete the basic line-up. To play ‘Salsa Dura’ at full power, the Rumbadama line-up is joined by trumpeters Ellister van de Molen and Viktoria Bori.

Besides having a wonderful mastery of their instruments, six of the eight ‘Machas’ sing coro and beautifully arranged close harmony ‘mambo-riffs’, which creates Rumbadama’s immediately recognisable vocal sound.

The repertoire of Leticia y su Rumbadama spans from traditional Cuban Son to a diversity of Salsa and Caribean styles such as Cha Cha Cha, Guaracha, Son Montuno, Rumba, Plena, Bomba and the very danceable Merengue. From their very first note, people want to dance to the catchy performance of these Salsa Machas.

Leticia often invites the most celebrated guest-musicians of the Dutch Latin- and Latin-Jazz scene (Lisi Torres vocals, Leslie Lopez baby bass, Leslie Joseph steeldrums among others) to join the band.

See also the band’s website.