MONTUNO CUBANO

Bringing the heat of Latin music.

Trayendo el calor de la música latina.

Jorge Peña, the composer, lead vocalist, and primary instrumentalist is from Santiago de Cuba which is widely recognized as the birthplace of traditional Cuban music.

Jorge writes about his family, his country, life experiences in Cuba, and love, and he uses the rhythms he learned from his musical family and from a generation of legendary Cuban musicians. His favorite theme is optimism.

The original music and the traditional Cuban repertoire includes bolero, guaracha, guajira, salsa, rumba flamenca, ballads, bolero son, and son Cubano. Salsa is a vibrant Afro-Caribbean dance music style; Bolero Son blends romantic bolero with the rhythmic backbone of Cuban son; Son Cubano is the foundational Cuban genre mixing Spanish guitar with African percussion; Guaracha is a fast-paced, festive style once sung in Havana’s theatres; and Bolero is the quintessential Latin American love song, slow and tender, often poetic in its lyrical expression.

The songs selected for an audience depend on their interest in hearing original compositions or an interpretation of traditional Cuban and Latin songs.

Years ago, while writing in Cuba, the primary focus was rhythm but now that Jorge lives in Canada, he has found a unique balance between the musical rhythms and the story.

It was a beautiful day when we recorded this video on a beach in Prince Edward Island, Canada.

This song has been released as a single and has been downloaded by radio stations in 15 countries. In addition to those countries, journalists and curators in several countries in South America are picking up the song.

Jorge wrote this song in Spain where he and his brother worked as professional musicians.

Although their focus is original music and their arrangments of traditional Cuban classics, they can entertain by adding unexpected songs that are known to the audience.

MUSIC

MontunoCubano_Frágil de Cristal _(radio mix)Montuno Cubano

00:00 / 03:41

Frágil de Cristal (radio mix)

Fragile Like Glass

by Jorge Peña - Salsa

MontunoCubano_TuAreteArtist Name

00:00 / 02:25

Tu Arete

Your Earring

by Jorge Peña - Bolero

MontunoCubano_Lágrimas NegrasMontuno Cubano

00:00 / 03:04

Lágrimas Negras

Black Tears

by Miguel Matamoros - Bolero Son

Traditional Cuban Music

INTERESTING FACTS

What is a Montuno?

In Cuban music, the montuno serves as the final section of a song, characterized by its faster tempo, boldness, and semi-improvised nature.

The term "montuno" which translates to "comes from the mountain" in Spanish, denotes a musical style that originated in Santiago de Cuba, where Jorge Peña grew up on a coffee plantation.

What is a Requinto?

A requinto is an instrument resembling a guitar, but it has a shorter, deeper body and is tuned higher, resulting in a bright sound.

If someone is playing guitar with Jorge, they should not watch his fingers.

Jorge's requintos are handcrafted in Mexico and in Spain.

QUOTES & REFERENCES

"The fusion of typical instruments and rhythms with a warm and soulful performance turns the song into a true tribute to Latin culture. We loved how the music conveys light, faith, and emotion—an irresistible invitation to dance, feel, and celebrate".

Cansei De Ser Pop, Brazil

"It is always gratifying to come across a project like this, where the root sounds are the ones that prevail within the song. An extremely well-tuned voice with great power, but above all with great flavor, which is the most important thing. Congratulations".

Nuestro Sonido, Colombia

"We are so grateful Jorge and his group has performed at our DiverseCity festival year after year. Montuno Cubano lit up the DiverseCity Festival with amazing energy, extraordinary talent and authentic Cuban vibes! Their music got everyone up and dancing — a perfect mix of rhythm, joy, and community. Muchas Gracias Jorge!!”

Bernadette Reynolds, Past Executive Director, Immigrant & Refugee Services Association PEI Inc

Prince Edward Island, Canada.

"Thank you for making us feel the excitement with your music; we loved it".

IN Zaguán Magazine, Colombia

"It's great to receive your music for the first time. I have to tell you that I loved it, great sound, very professional, everything very well produced".

daChance Music, Brazil

"“Frágil De Cristal - Radio MIX” bursts with vibrant Latin flair and an irresistible blend of rhythmic percussion and soulful vocals. We’ll feature it on our website to spotlight your energy and artistry".

LyricalOdyssey, USA

"What a beautiful song!! How much flavor this music has.

OIA!". (Organization of Independent Artists), Argentina

"When we listen to your musical project with this song, the first thing we want to highlight is that the sounds are very well produced, and you can hear the influence of great artists in your musical project."

Rocanrol, Media Outlet, Chile

"Montuno Cubano proves that music needs no translation—whether in Spanish, French or Italian, their reimagined classics had the crowd spellbound."

Sarah Segal-Lazar, Music Series Curator

Watermark Theatre, PEI, Canada

“This is the real thing, and I am here for it. Our listens will enjoy this”.

UWF Public Media, USA

“These guys were so fluid and tight…awesome show…just wow”.

Souris Hall, PEI, Canada

"'Bendita Luz' I loved how you capture that positive and spiritual energy in every verse. The lyrics, with their invocation to light to illuminate the path and ward off negativity, resonate deeply, especially in such a chaotic world, and the message of embracing enemies and blessing family conveys an inspiring peace. The Cuban rhythm fused with the Canadian landscape of Prince Edward Island in the video adds a fresh and universal touch, making the song feel like a ray of sunshine on the beach. As a music content creator, I appreciate the authenticity of your voice and Sergey Varlamov's production, which elevates Cuban Son to something international and vibrant.

Motion Music Group, Label, Media Outlet, Bolivia

"I wanted to express my admiration for the song; it has a captivating rhythm that truly resonates. The vocals are also impressive and harmonize beautifully with the melody". Cúsica, Venezuela

“We celebrate this release for its authenticity and the band's ability to deeply connect with the listener. We are confident that it will leave a lasting impression on those who take a moment to feel it with their hearts.”

QMC – ¿Qué Me Cuentas?, Media Outlet, Peru

"Thank you for sharing your work. At Latidoamérica, we celebrate the union of diverse sounds and the mix of rhythms that you propose in your songs. We want to share your song on our program, which airs live every Thursday from 6 to 8 PM local Argentine time".

Latidoamérica, Argentina

MEDIA STORIES

Cashbox is the leading Canadian industry-read (music) website. 60% of the readers are in Canada. The rest are international.

https://cashboxcanada.ca/reviews-album/cuban-roots-canadian-home-montuno-cubano-release-salsa-and-bolero-son-gems-tu-arete

Tinnitist is the most widely-read music blog in Canada, written by Canada’s most-followed music critic on social media.

https://tinnitist.com/2025/09/25/montuno-cubano-double-your-pleasure-with-tu-arete-bendita-luz/

Record World is the 2nd-oldest music industry publication behind Billboard.

https://www.recordworldinternational.com/2025/09/27/cuban-roots-canadian-home-montuno-cubano-release-salsa-and-bolero-son-gems-tu-arete-and-bendita-luz/

This is in Spanish (Venezuela)

https://plus.cusica.com/2025/10/21/montuno-cubano-lanza-el-album-fragil-de-cristal/

Numberous organizations in South America have heard the music and have asked for more information so they can publish stories and discuss Montuno Cubano on podcasts and on the radio.