Colombian singer and songwriter Andrés Cepeda returns with “Andrés Cepeda Big Band 2 (En Vivo),” an ambitious live project that celebrates the history of big band music while exploring the connections between jazz, swing, and Latin American musical traditions.
Released on August 5, 2026, the album features 12 live recordings captured during a series of sold-out concerts at the Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo in Bogotá, Colombia, in June 2025.
The project begins with the sounds of American jazz and swing before traveling through the musical traditions of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Colombia, highlighting the ways these styles have influenced and become intertwined with Latin American music.
The repertoire includes classics such as “Sway (Quién Será),” “Y Hoy Como Ayer,” “Pachito E’ché,” “Lamento Borincano,” “Rayito de Luna,” “El Merecumbé,” “Mompoxina,” “El Año Viejo,” “Colombia Tierra Querida,” “Las Pilanderas,” and “Sin Fe (Poquita Fe).”
The album also features special appearances and historic voices. Lila Downs joins Cepeda on “Rayito de Luna,” while the recording of “Las Pilanderas” incorporates the original voice of legendary Cuban singer Celia Cruz. “Y Hoy Como Ayer” features the voice of another Cuban icon, Benny Moré.
The live production brings together more than 30 musicians, creating a powerful Big Band sound with an extensive brass section and a rich combination of jazz, tropical, Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Colombian instrumentation.
With Andrés Cepeda Big Band 2 (En Vivo), Cepeda pays tribute to the musical traditions that have shaped generations of Latin American artists while presenting them through the energy and sophistication of a modern Big Band.
Andrés Cepeda Big Band 2 (En Vivo)
A remarkable live celebration of jazz, Latin American music, and the timeless connection between the two.