Corazón de Chonta blends the rich rhythms of Colombia’s música del Pacífico with the vibrant energy of New York’s jazz scene. Led by Dan Neville—recipient of the 2025 Fellowship Grant for Music Composition from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts—the group honors tradition while forging new musical ground. A vibraphonist and composer who studied extensively in Colombia with the late Diego Obregón, Dan brings a deep understanding of the music’s roots while pushing its boundaries. Featuring Xiomara Torres, a renowned singer from Guapi, Colombia, alongside Manuel Valera (piano), Alejandro Flores (bass) and Ari Hoenig (drumset), the band fuses currulao, aguabajo, bebop, and hard bop into a sound that is both authentic and innovative. Xiomara’s soulful voice bridges generations of Pacific coast tradition, bringing deep emotional power and cultural authenticity to the music, ensuring its evolution on an international stage.

Las Guaracheras is an all-women salsa sextet born in the city of Cali, Colombia in 2017. The ensemble´s cultural and artistic objective is to uplift a female voice within Afro-Latin music and build a more inclusive, diverse and respectful cultural space for all. Their music communicates joy, memory and transformation. With vibraphone, percussion, bass, piano and vocals, Las Guaracheras present an explosive show that provokes dancing, singing as well as reflection. They toured the US in Fall 2024, being presented at Freight and Salvage (CA), Old Town School (IL), Lotus Fest (IN), etc.

Among multiple presentations in the best salsa forums in Colombia, Las Guaracheras have performed on stages and festivals such as: Salsa al Parque in Bogotá, Portamérica Latitudes in Guadalajara, Mexico, Las Fiestas del Pitic in Hermosillo, Mexico, Sunfest in Canada, Feria de Cali, Sevijazz, the Colsubsidio Theater in Bogotá, BIME Spain, Madrid, and Barcelona and they closed last year with a presentation before 12,000 people in the Zócalo of Mexico City.