Line Up

Dany Noel | Bass & voice
Chucho Valdés, Horacio “El Negro” Hernández, Roy Hargrove, Diego El Cigala, Bebo Valdés, Buika, Tony Succar, Nella, Ojos de Brujo, Giovanni Hidalgo, Omara Portuondo, Changuito

Meddy Gerville | Keyboards & voice
Wyclef Jean, Randy Brecker, Giovanni Hidalgo, Nguyên Lê, Horacio Hernandez, Dominique Di Piazza, Louis Winsberg, Lionel Louéké

Dani Morales | Drums & percussion
Jorge Pérez, Aurora García, Jorge Vera, Raúl Venegas, Miguel Núñez, Albita, Lolita, Christian Tonos

Pitch

Three islands, one groove: maloya from Réunion, Afro‑Cuban folkloric drive, and modern jazz harmony.
Singing bass & voice, percussive keys, and drums that pivot from dance‑floor clarity to open improvisation.
A rhythm‑forward trio set designed for jazz and world stages.

Style

AfroCuban Reunión is a three‑way conversation between Réunion Island’s maloya pulse, Afro‑Cuban folkloric drive, and contemporary jazz harmony. Dany Noel anchors the sound with a singing bass and voice—tumbao weight, melodic counterlines, and storytelling phrasing—while Meddy Gerville answers with percussive keys, chant‑like motifs, and Creole‑tinted voicings that keep the music ritual‑leaning and modern at once. Dani Morales keeps the current moving: Afro‑Cuban pulse on the kit and timbales, elastic swing, and sharp dynamic turns that let the trio flip from groove to open improvisation without losing the body.

Profile

AfroCuban Reunión brings together three musicians shaped by deep, place‑specific traditions and an outward‑looking jazz language. Meddy Gerville carries the circular, trance‑leaning energy of maloya into a keyboard vocabulary that can sound percussive, orchestral, or prayer‑like. Dany Noel turns Afro‑Cuban forms (son, rumba, bolero) into open frameworks for interplay, using bass and voice as equal melodic forces—supporting, commenting, and occasionally leading. Dani Morales completes the triangle with a drummer‑percussionist’s command of Afro‑Cuban timelines—cáscara and songo logic on the kit, timbal color when needed—building layered grooves that stay dance‑clear while opening space for improvisation.

The result is vivid and immediate: rhythm‑forward, melodically direct, and improvisational at its core.

Repertoire

The trio’s set blends originals and tradition. As Noel puts it: “We’d play Meddy’s tunes, my Latin‑jazz themes, and a traditional Cuban song sung by me—with jazz always in the influence.” Expect a journey that can touch bolero, son and guaracha, alongside contemporary jazz improvisation.

Members

Dany Noel

Cuban bassist and vocalist with deep roots in Latin jazz and flamenco, Noel is a bandleader and a sought‑after collaborator. His writing privileges groove and song‑form, while his bass lines stay vocal and narrative—often doubling as a second melodic voice. He co‑founded ITALUBA with Horacio “El Negro” Hernández (Grammy‑nominated for ITALUBA 1), and has participated in multiple award‑winning projects (Latin GRAMMY and other international recognitions).

(“Invites us on a fresh and fascinating musical journey that shows the essence of Latin jazz and the culture of his country.” — Ladbroke Hall, 2025-03-07)

Meddy Gerville

Gerville’s keyboard work fuses Creole songfulness with modern jazz touch: left‑hand ostinati, chant‑like motifs, and harmonies that open the music without diluting its roots. His phrasing balances clarity and surprise—often building long arcs over steady, ritual‑like cycles. As a vocalist he favors direct, earthy delivery that sits naturally inside the groove.

(“Grooves from the first note… and the set is a fine one.” — Peter McLaren, Jazz in Europe, 2017-02-14 — translated)

Dani Morales

Madrid‑based Cuban drummer and percussionist (kit & timbales), Morales moves fluently between Afro‑Cuban vocabulary, jazz time, and high‑energy stage formats. Documented in European listings with Dany Noel’s trio and in Patáx lineups, he plays as a groove architect: tight timeline control, quick orchestrations across the kit, and a clear sense of lift that keeps melodies and vocals supported without over‑filling.

(“With Dani Morales on drums… they deliver high‑quality music from the first moment and never stop surprising.” — Natalia Eseverri, El Arcón de Natalia, 2024-10-03 — translated)

Awards

• Dany Noel — ITALUBA 1 (Grammy nomination, Best Latin Jazz Album, 2004); participation in Latin GRAMMY‑winning projects (incl. El Último Trago; Más De Mí).

• Meddy Gerville — Pian’Austral competition prize (2000) (as reported in musician bios).

• Dani Morales — No independently verifiable major awards found in dated mainstream sources reviewed; documented performance credits with Dany Noel Trio and Patáx in European press.

Releases

Dany Noel

• INCOHERENTE SOCIEDAD (feat. Chabuco) — Single — 2025-12-17

• Detalles — Album — 2024-04-08

• Intercambio — Album — 2022-04-26

Meddy Gerville

• Tropical Rain — Album — 2025-02-12

• Lèr larivé — Single — 2024-12-16

• Le larm dan mon zié (version Séga) — Single — 2023-11-22

Dani Morales

• La razón — Single (YOSU LAROCA) — 2025-12-13

• Cántale a la Vida — Single (Albita & Lolita) — 2025-08-22

• Traigo de Todo (feat. Dany Noel) — Single (Christian Tonos) — 2025-07-31

Press

All excerpts below are translated into English for editorial use. Keep the original links for verification.

Project

• “AfroCuban Reunion… closes the XXIV edition” — Jazzitalia (staff), 2025-08-04
  Excerpt: “An intense sonic journey between Réunion, Cuba and Europe… maloya, Afro‑Cuban and modern jazz… colors, ancestral rhythms and improvisation.”

• AFROCUBAN REUNION — artist page — BeatOnto Jazz Festival (staff), 2025-07-02
  Excerpt: “A trio that fuses Réunion roots, Afro‑Cuban energy and contemporary jazz… bold improvisations and rhythms that speak to heart and body.”

Noel

• “Dany Noel Cuban Project — Jazz & Dinner” — Ladbroke Hall (event page), 2025-03-07
  Excerpt: “A fresh and fascinating musical journey… the essence of Latin jazz… bolero, son, guaracha… and unreleased original songs.”

• “Dany Noel Trio feat Ivo Neame & Jorge Perez” — EFG London Jazz Festival (event listing), 2023-11-11
  Excerpt: “A new project led by Cuban bass virtuoso and singer Dany Noel…”

• “En Casa Limon” (album review) — Phillip Woolever, All About Jazz, 2021-01-24
  Excerpt: “Percussionist Israel Suárez and bassist Dany Noel provide admirable support throughout.”

Gerville

• “Tropical Rain — Meddy Gerville Trio” — Dot Time Records (label page), 2017-02-17
  Excerpt: “Grooves from the first note… and the set is a fine one.”

• Meddy Gerville — musician bio — All About Jazz (staff), 2017-07-18
  Excerpt: Mentions maloya roots and the Pian’Austral prize (2000).

Morales

• “Crónica «Patáx» (Teatro Cervantes, Málaga)” — Natalia Eseverri, El Arcón de Natalia, 2024-10-03

• Excerpt: “With Dani Morales on drums… high‑quality music from the first moment… never stop surprising.”