Dany Noel Trio
Latin Jazz (CU)
AVAILABILITY
2026 | Upon request
Line-up
Dany Noel | bass and voice
Italuba, Horacio “El Negro” Hernández, Celia Cruz, Omara Portuondo, Chucho Valdés, Bebo Valdés, Paquito D’Rivera, Concha Buika, Jerry González, Ojos de Brujo
Roberto Carcassés | piano
Interactivo, Chucho Valdés, Changuito, Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Descemer Bueno, Yusa, Telmary, Ojos de Brujo, Selma Reis
Alejandro Chávez Báez | drums
Dany Noel, Adrián Estévez, Raúl Venegas, Agnese Carrubba, Michel Herrera, David Lechuga, Yadier Noa, TimbaLive
Style
A Cuban Latin jazz trio centered on melodic bass, percussive voice and high-density interplay.
Clave becomes architecture: tumbao, montuno and drums converse with open harmonies and modern colors.
A compact, physical and narrative sound suspended between jazz, bolero, timba, funk, flamenco and Afro-Cuban roots.
Profile
Dany Noel Trio is built around Dany Noel’s instrumental and vocal voice: the bass is not only a harmonic foundation, but a melodic guide, rhythmic engine and call point for collective dialogue. With Roberto Carcassés on piano and Alejandro Chávez Báez on drums, the project brings three schools of contemporary Cuban music into tension: tumbao as structural thinking, Afro-Cuban pianism open to funk, timba and modern jazz, and drumming able to translate clave, songo and swing into an elastic language. The result is an essential but dense trio, where singing, groove and improvisation build a direct, urban and deeply Cuban narrative.
Details
Dany Noel | bass and voice. Leader, composer, arranger and producer of the project, he brings to the trio a bass-led approach in which low-end line, singing and rhythmic phrasing act as a single voice. His path crosses Italuba, the European Latin jazz scene, flamenco-jazz and collaborations with Celia Cruz, Omara Portuondo, Chucho Valdés, Bebo Valdés, Paquito D’Rivera, Concha Buika and Jerry González. In a 2022 interview he summed up his relationship with the language this way: “Jazz is simply freedom.”
Roberto Carcassés | piano. Pianist, composer, arranger, producer and director of Interactivo, he works in the trio as a harmonic and rhythmic architect: montuno, reharmonization, timba-funk and modern jazz coexist in a mobile writing style. Public sources connect him with Chucho Valdés, Changuito, Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Descemer Bueno, Yusa, Telmary and Ojos de Brujo. In a 2021 interview he stated: “You cannot censor yourself,” a phrase consistent with his idea of music as a space for speech and relationship.
Alejandro Chávez Báez | drums. A Cuban drummer documented in Dany Noel Trio contexts and on Dany Noel’s album Detalles, he supports the project with drumming that combines clave precision, dynamic control and contemporary drive. His presence acts as a hinge between Noel’s bass-led voice and Carcassés’ pianism: he does not merely accompany, but opens transitions, answers vocal phrases and gives the trio a dancing trajectory without stiffening the improvisation. Publicly traceable collaborations include Dany Noel, Adrián Estévez, Michel Herrera, David Lechuga, Yadier Noa and TimbaLive.
Discography
Dany Noel: Mi Sentir, Dime Si Tú Sabes, Proposición, Confidence with Dario Chiazzolino, Tinta Unida, Por la Habana, Haciendo Camino, Intercambio, Detalles; with Italuba: Italuba, Italuba II.
Roberto Carcassés: Invitation, Matizar; with Interactivo: Goza Pepillo, Cubanos Por El Mundo, Qué lindo es el amor, Interactivo en vivo en El Sauce, Interactivo en vivo en Fuji Rock, En fa sostenido; relevant credits on Jazz Timbero, Trampas Del Tiempo, Breathe, Techarí, Havana Cultura: The Search Continues.
Alejandro Chávez Báez: Dany Noel’s Detalles; documented activity with Dany Noel Trio and in Afro-Cuban sessions/live contexts with musicians connected to the Cuban, Madrid and Latin jazz scenes.
Quotes
“Jazz is simply freedom.” — Dany Noel; interview for the presentation of Intercambio; Normanno.com; 2022-05-16; https://normanno.com/cultura/la-musica-di-dany-noel-suona-al-retronoveau-di-messina-il-jazz-e-liberta/
“Music is what I feel; I never plan something precise, I sit down and what has to happen happens.” — Dany Noel; interview for the presentation of Intercambio; Normanno.com; 2022-05-16; https://normanno.com/cultura/la-musica-di-dany-noel-suona-al-retronoveau-di-messina-il-jazz-e-liberta/
“I started playing at the age of 10 and since then I have never stopped, and I think I will never stop as long as I have the strength.” — Dany Noel; interview/article by Laura Lipari; LetteraEmme; 2022-05-18; https://www.letteraemme.it/giovedi-jazz-al-retronoveau-dany-noel-presenta-intercambio/
“Noel was ripping through a fast solo while simultaneously vocalising it.” — Sebastian Scotney; live review, Alex Wilson and Friends / London Latin Jazz Festival; London Jazz News; 2016-10-02; https://londonjazznews.com/2016/10/02/review-alex-wilson-and-friends-at-the-2016-london-latin-jazz-festival/
“You cannot censor yourself. I have not stopped expressing myself and backing up what I say with my work.” — Roberto Carcassés; interview by Ismario Rodríguez and Jesús Jank Curbelo; Periodismo de Barrio; 2021-01-23; https://periodismodebarrio.org/2021/01/roberto-carcasses-todas-las-personas-tienen-derecho-a-decir-lo-que-piensan/
“I feel that the culture of a country opens many doors for people, and I think the Cuban government understood that.” — Roberto Carcassés; interview on Interactivo and cultural expression; Miami New Times; 2014-02-28; https://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/interactivos-roberto-carcasses-on-democracy-in-cuba-liberty-is-something-very-personal-6456438/
“I know Dany Noel, we have been working together, is an excellent bass player capable of playing any music genre with absolute mastery.” — Chucho Valdés; testimonial for Dany Noel’s Bass Latin teaching material; Dany Noel official site; 2022; https://www.danynoel.com/projects
Reviews
REVIEW: Alex Wilson and Friends at the 2016 London Latin Jazz Festival — London Jazz News; Sebastian Scotney; 2016-10-02;
https://londonjazznews.com/2016/10/02/review-alex-wilson-and-friends-at-the-2016-london-latin-jazz-festival/
Live review that mentions Dany Noel as a Cuban bassist based in Madrid and highlights his ability to play a fast solo while vocalising it at the same time.
La musica di Dany Noel suona al Retronoveau di Messina: «Il jazz è libertà» — Normanno.com; Alessandra Mammoliti; 2022-05-16;
https://normanno.com/cultura/la-musica-di-dany-noel-suona-al-retronoveau-di-messina-il-jazz-e-liberta/
Interview/article on the European presentation of Intercambio: Noel describes the album as a journey through different sonorities, from Latin jazz to blues and flamenco, and defines jazz as expressive freedom.
Giovedì jazz, al Retronoveau Dany Noel presenta “Intercambio” — LetteraEmme; Laura Lipari; 2022-05-18;
https://www.letteraemme.it/giovedi-jazz-al-retronoveau-dany-noel-presenta-intercambio/
Article presenting the Intercambio release party: it retraces Noel’s Cuban training, collaborations with Pio Leyva, Omara Portuondo and Celia Cruz, and the role of Italuba in his path.
Interactivo, Goza Pepillo — The Guardian; John L Walters; 2007-05-17;
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/may/18/worldmusic.shopping
Review of Interactivo’s album Goza Pepillo, a collective also built around Roberto Carcassés: the text highlights its mixture of Afro-Latin music, progressive funk, rap and high-level Cuban musicians.
Que Lindo Es El Amor – Interactivo Review — All About Jazz; James Nadal; 2015-05-24;
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/que-lindo-es-el-amor-interactivo-self-produced-review-by-james-nadal
Review of the album Que Lindo Es El Amor: Interactivo is described as an experimental collective directed by Roberto Carcassés, with a timba-funk concept that integrates rumba, rap, reggae, hip-hop and Cuban tradition.
JazzAmore, all’Unical Dany Noel con Fabrizio Bosso e Roberto Carcassés — Meraviglie di Calabria; author not indicated; 2026;
https://www.meravigliedicalabria.it/jazzamore-allunical-dany-noel-con-fabrizio-bosso-e-roberto-carcasses/
Article presenting the AfroJazz Experience, led by Dany Noel with Roberto Carcassés on piano: the project is presented as a meeting of Afro-Cuban roots, modern jazz, interplay and creative freedom.