There has long been a love affair between jazz and Latin rhythms, with American jazz musicians finding Latin styles exotic and Latin musicians equally fascinated by jazz. Both cultures have independently drawn on the music of Africa, which forms the third leg of this love triangle – producing music that is powerfully exciting rhythmically, deeply felt in the body, by turns celebratory and yearning. In Cincinnati, the latest expression of that love affair is Mambo Combo.

Celebrating the classic mambo, Latin jazz and cha-cha of Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, Poncho Sanchez and Mark Levine, Mambo Combo has its compass set toward Cuba. It’s stocked with an all-star cast of Cincinnati-area musicians from the bands Tropicoso, ZUMBA, Mambo Diablo, Salsa Renegades, Drums for Peace and the Blue Wisp Big Band.