CUCU DIAMANTES
Cuban born CUCU DIAMANTES spent her early years studying Fine Arts in Havana. Her closest childhood friends, however, were invariably musicians from the renowned Havana Conservatory. After completing her Bachaloreate, CUCU traveled to Rome where she studied Art History and Restoration at the prestigious Academia di Belle Arti. Shortly after graduating from the Academia, she moved to New York City looking to tap into her musical curiosity.
Upon arriving to New York, CUCU met fellow Cuban, Juan Carlos Formell, and joined the band Cuba Libre. She performed as the band's background vocalist. Blue Note Records President, Bruce Lundval, met CUCU and hired her to A&R Cuban Music Compilations for the company. After about a year on the job she met the up-and-coming songwriter, producer, and arranger Andres Levin. They instantly bonded and began to co-write. Soon thereafter they decided to form a band and developed the concept for Yerba Buena.
CUCU quickly began recruiting the musicians for the band. She tapped into her vast network of Cuban-exiled musician friends living in the city. In no time, CUCU had forged a musical formation for which she and Levin co-created. A new sound, described by the critics as Latin Fusion combining Afro Cuban, Afro Beat, Hip Hop and many other elements. Yerba quickly became identified as a unique band, in great part due to CUCU's contribution as lead singer and primary song writer with Levin, and the aesthetic visionary creating the image for the band.
With Yerba, CUCU has released two albums. Their debut album, President Alien, was nominated for a Grammy in 2003. Its worldwide release was followed by a worldwide tour.
Island Life, their second album, was highly praised by the critics. A concept album featuring guests such as John Leguizamo, El Cigala, Orishas, M1 of Dead Prez, Les Nubians and many more. It is an urban-tropical synthesis that won't let you stop dancing. CUCU and Yerba's live shows are known as a place where a wealth of special guests join in and where "Resistance is futile, Dance you must, and Dance you will" according to the Washington Post.
CUCU has collaborated on fundraising records Red Hot + Latin and Red Hot + Rio, recording and co-writing with Carlinhos Brown, Caetano Veloso, Dead Prez, Voltio, Orishas, The Roots and Fun Loving Criminals. More recent collaborations include co-writing a song with Paulina Rubio on Paulatina.
In the last couple of years CUCU has participated in film projects such as
Lion's Gate upcoming release, Borderland, for which she co-wrote and performs the title song with Beto Cuevas. She also wrote and performed "Belly Dancer."
For The Noise (Sony Pictures), an upcoming urban hip-hop movie, set in New York City, she co-wrote and performed a song with Praz.
In the film Havana Nights: Dirty Dancing (J Records), CUCU had an on-camera performance with the song "Guajira" that was also featured on the film's soundtrack album.
In the film Ladron que Roba Ladron (Lionsgate), the song "Burrito"
performed by CUCU appears on the soundtrack.
Most recently CUCU landed an acting role in El Cantante (Picturehouse), the Jennifer Lopez/Marc Anthony biography of Latin music legend Hector Lavoe.
CUCU DIAMANTES' natural evolution as an artist has propelled her to write and perform a solo album to be launched in 2007. Given her boundless creative energy she will continue to collaborate with her band Yerba Buena as she continues to build her acting career and engage in co-writing collaborations simultaneously.
