Rene Alvarez (Musical Director, composer, arranger, trombonist, pianist and vocalist) 

Born in Santiago de Cuba, Rene graduated as a trombonist from the Conservatorio Esteban Salas Music School of Santiago de Cuba, at the age of 17 he took part in six international choral festivals alongside choirs of the rank of the Swedish National Choir, the National Choir of San Francisco, USA and the Chamber Choirs of Canada and Denmark. From 2001 to 2007 René was the lead trombonist in Sur Caribe, one of the most famous groups in Cuba over the past decade. Sur Caribe scored several huge hits in Cuba and won several national prizes, including Best Selling CD of 2006 category of the CubaDisco music fair in Havana. 

René recorded four albums with Sur Caribe, three of them as trombonist and vocalist and the most recent “Añoranza por la Conga” as co-producer as well. He has worked with a number of major record labels on recording projects, with four albums recorded for labels such as Fonovisa in Mexico, Warner and Sony music US, including one with the Santa Barbara line up. 

Playing live, René has taken part in a number of big international events such as the Glastonbury Festival (2006 and 2007) and Electric Picnic, Ireland (2007) sharing the stage with George Clinton, Sinead O’Connor and Franz Ferdinand. More recently with Cuban Combination at; Brecon Jazz festival, Salsa Congress in Bournemouth and London, Imperial Jazz Festival London, The National Theatre and Carnival de Cuba, Latinossegor France and much more.