Gilles Peterson's Havana Cultura Band has been played on NTS over 30 times, featured on 26 episodes and was first played on 21 May 2013.

Gilles Peterson brings the heartbeat of Havana’s music underground to Europe for a special tour during November. Celebrating the latest instalment in his Havana Cultura album series, Gilles imports an all-star Cuban live band to inject some authentic Latin flavour and showcase the full spectrum of raw Cuban rhythms, and recruits a heavy line-up of DJ talent to maintain the heat long into the night.

Continuing his longstanding love affair with Cuba and its musical melting pot, globetrotting DJ/broadcaster Gilles Peterson is back with a new chapter in his Havana Cultura album series – producing an original studio album and lovingly curating a compilation of new Cuban talent.

Having spent the last three years travelling regularly to Havana I've understandably become more attached to this fascinating, almost otherworldly city. I'm also slowly getting to grips with the relationship music has here with the spirits and its people… the drum goes deep. Gilles Peterson

Welcoming a string of guest musicians, vocalists and rappers to Abdala Studios, Havana, Gilles orchestrated the glorious sound clashes that populate the latest chapter in this landmark series, highlighting a clutch of artists innovating in the spaces between jazz, soul, traditional Cuban rhythms, reggaeton and hip-hop. The so-called “Havana Cultura Band” will bring the essence of those exciting, anything-goes recording sessions to Europe, featuring the cream of Cuban artists… the full rainbow spectrum from freeform rumba styles to frenetic, danceable piano workouts via hip-hop’s golden age and classic soul. The internationally acclaimed pianist Roberto Carcassés heads up an all-star cast featuring soul diva Danay Suarez and Edrey from hype rap outfit Ogguere… Gilles P, as creative head of the project, will of course be jumping up on the turntables for a DJ set, ably supported by co-producer and close confidante – the very talented Simbad.

The album, Gilles Peterson Presents ‘Havana Cultura: The Search Continues’ is released on Brownswood Recordings on November 14th 2011.