Born in Chicago and raised in Miami by his Cuban-immigrant parents, singer, composer and producer Conde has been living in New York since earning a BA from Berklee College of Music in 1997.  After experimenting with jazz, rock, funk, blues and Latin music in his first couple of years in New York, Conde realized his musical journey was leading him back to his Cuban roots.  He formed ‘Ola Fresca’ (Fresh Wave) in 2000 with a clear goal to write new, original music based on the foundation of traditional, Cuban rhythms and style, while incorporating non-traditional elements for spice. This goal blossomed in his recording Ay! Que Rico, with Conde producing, arranging and writing most of the songs. Conde has also composes and produces music for film and the theatre. Recent works include original instrumental music and songs for 90 Miles, a PBS documentary, and the critically acclaimed off Broadway Intar production of Eduardo Machado’s The Cook.

Ben Ratliff’s 2007 review in the New York Times notes that singer-songwriter Jose Conde is formulating a contemporary Afro-Cuban music with an enlarged framework in Ola Fresca, bringing together son, guajira, guaracha with New Orleans funk, Nigerian Afrobeat, South American cumbia, James Brown rhythms, Haitian compas, Brazilian afoxe, New York City boogaloo and even jam-band stuff predicated on electric guitars as much as hand drums. That’s a lot of dance rhythm in one band, but there’s a folkish element too: Mr. Conde’s vocal understatement — unusual for the singer of a Latin dance band — and his emphasis on songs with characters, wordplay and some mild social ideas make this band as interesting as they are fun!

Links: www.olafresca.com  

Listen: http://www.myspace.com/olafresca