The Casa Latina All-Stars Biography

The excitement of New York’s salsa scene has been imported to England by the Leeds-based, ten-piece group Casa Latina All-Stars. With no member older than 30 years old, the group brings a youthful approach to their music, infusing progressive “salsa moderna” with funk, jazz, and Cuban-style rap. Directed by conga player Sam Bell, a resident musician at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, the Casa Latina All-Stars was formed by ex-members of British salsa band Pa’llante. Accompanists for New York-based boogaloo king Pucho and Cuban vocalist Pichi Valdez, in 1996, the group released the debut single “A Whole Bunch of Bongos” on British jazz label Yardbird Suite Records the following year. The Casa Latina All-Stars continue to perform regularly at Leeds nightspot Casa Latino.