What are you listening to? 
Lots of Cuban music of course (Roberto Fonseca, Chucho Valdés…), but also Esperanza Spalding, Melody Gardot, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Richard Bona & Mandekan Cubano, German group Jungle by Night and many others…

Your all-time favourite album? 
As Canções de Eu Tu Eles by Gilberto Gil. Growing up in Cuba meant that I had a lot of contact with Latin American culture, and this was one of the albums that we regularly played at home.

Musician you most admire?
Cellist Jacqueline du Pré. 

Favourite new artists? 
I definitely would recommend listening to the nine-piece Jungle by Night and French jazz drummer Anne Paceo.

Memorable musical encounter? 
Meeting Sting at Jazz à Vienne in 2014.

First album you ever bought? 
One of Jacqueline du Pré’s albums. Ever since I started playing cello I have always loved her.

What’s your motto in life? 
I think the most important thing is to love what you do for a living, if you’re not doing this you’re wasting your time.

If you weren’t a musician, what would you be? 
I would work for a music label, or do something else connected to the music industry.

Read the review of Ana Carla Maza’s Bahía 

This interview originally appeared in the August/September 2022 issue of Songlines. Never miss an issue – subscribe today