Tiempo Libre, the band referred to as the “first 100 percent Cuban Timba band in the United States,” will take the stage at 8 p.m. Fri., Dec. 2, at Tropical Park, 7900 SW 40th St., as part of the free Noches Tropicales concert series presented by the Miami-Dade Parks Department and sponsored by Target.  

Admission and parking are free. 

Classically trained in Cuba, the Miami-based, three-time Grammy-nominated Tiempo Libre composed of musical director and keyboardist Jorge Gomez and band mates Raul Rodriguez (trumpet), Leandro Gonzalez (congas), Tebelio “Tony” Fonte (bass) Armando “Pututi” Arce (drums), Joaquin “El Kid” Diaz (vocals), and Luis Beltran Castillo (saxophone/flute), is internationally acclaimed for its high-voltage timba dance music, an invigorating twist of Latin jazz, seductive Cuban son, and Afro-Cuban rhythms.

“Since we formed the band in 2001, it has been our mission to share the rich musical heritage that we knew growing in Cuba and our new American experience with as wide an audience as possible,” Gomez said.  “By reinterpreting and reinvigorating traditional Cuban music with a more youthful and modern appeal, we have forged a new sound that is the essence of Tiempo Libre (Free Time).”

The group will perform songs from their latest album My Secret Radio, a tribute to their teenage years in Cuba when they managed to circumvent the Castro government’s ban on American radio, crafting homemade antennas that would allow them to listen to Miami music stations and fuel their dreams of living in America.  The performance also includes selections from their three Grammy-nominated albums Lo Que Esperabas, Arroz Con Mango, and Bach in Havana, which the gives the music of classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach a unique Afro-Cuban beat. The group’s hit song “Tu Conga Bach” was featured on the hit TV show Dancing with the Stars.

In addition to live performances and recordings, Tiempo Libre remains active in community and educational outreach. As musical mentors, they participated in the artist in residence programs at Michigan State University and Interlocken Academy.

The Dec. 2 concert featuring Tiempo Libre is the second of four concerts spotlighted in the 2011-2012 season of Noches Tropicales.  More than 1,000 concert goers of all ages attended the season opener on Oct. 21, which showcased Orquesta La Tradicion with Salsa music legend Andy Harlow.  Upcoming free concerts in this series include world-acclaimed Puerto-Rican percussionist Edwin Bonilla (February 10), and the eclectic Afro-Cuban rumba ensemble Los Herederos (March 23). 

Now in its sixth year, Noches Tropicales has showcased 20 concerts that have included traditional Cuban contemporary music and zarzuelas, Argentinean tango, Brazilian jazz, and a Spanish version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Noches Tropicales concert goers are encouraged to bring along a blanket, chairs and snacks to better enjoy the festivities. For more information on Miami-Dade Parks’ Noches Tropicales free concerts at Tropical Park, call 305-271-0812 or visit www.miamidade.gov/parks.

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