Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco, a group founded in February 1993 by Manolito Simonet, who has served as its director. In its debut performance, the orchestra shared the stage with one of Cuba’s most notable groups, Los Van Van de Juan Formell, at the Salón Rosado Benny Moré at La Tropical (41st and 42nd Street, Playa, Havana City).

They won the award for Breakthrough Orchestra of the Year in 1994 on one of the most widely watched television programs, Mi Salsa, as a result of the popularity achieved with their first recordings. With the CD “Directo al corazón,” they made their debut in 1995 for the EGREM label (1008 3rd Street between 10th and 12th Streets, Miramar, Playa, Havana). The song ” Después de ti ” was a favorite among Cuban dancers. During this period, they traveled to Colombia for several months, which was their first international trip and performance.

In 1996, they released the album Contra todos los Previsiónos (Against All Odds), produced by the Spanish label Eurotropical, which solidified the orchestra’s popularity. The following year, Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco became the breakout band of Cuban music in Europe.

Manolito Simonet and his Trabuco have a broad repertoire that encompasses numerous and varied musical genres, both Cuban and international, such as Salsa, Bolero, Cha-cha-chá, Guaracha, Danzón, Cumbia, and Ballenato. This fact contributes to and is a fundamental element of their success.

Most of the lyrics for the songs included in their repertoire are written by Manolito. In his search for contemporary timbre and harmonic sounds, he uses carefully crafted lyrics with diverse themes. Among the songs performed by the orchestra that have been successful are Tu pa’llá y yo pa’cá and El Águila. The latter was a significant commercial success in the orchestra’s history.

In 2006, Manolito Simonet’s orchestra released its seventh album, and as a result of a live concert, the CD-DVD “Knock Out,” featuring Lázaro Valdés and Bamboleo, was released. This was followed by Control in 2008, in which the group showcases and demonstrates its high level of performance in traditional Cuban music.

Since its founding, they have toured extensively internationally, to countries on every continent, including Peru, Martinique, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Great Britain, Belgium, and almost every country in Europe.

El Trabuco is a Cuban music project inspired by its purest roots. Its sound is heavy, strong, yet refined, allowing it to boast a very distinctive signature. They manage to combine the genuine flavor of Son with the brutal fury of Timba in a way that satisfies all audiences. The orchestra fuses the charanga and conjunto formats, seeking a compact sound. To achieve a heterogeneous sound, the director also combined the violins with the brass instruments.

In September 2010, Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco released two new albums, Beat Cubano and Trabuco una vez más. The albums were produced under the Bis Music label. Prominent musical figures such as Emilio Vega, Ángel de Armas, and Germán Velazco collaborated on this project.

Beat Cubano was recorded in 2009 and consists of ten tracks. Among them are Timbalía, ¿Güines, que le pasa a Tata? (Give Me a Lot), and Bésame mucho (Besame Much), the latter performed by Chucho Valdés. The production highlights the track A flautazo limpio (Clean Flute), written by saxophonist, music producer, and flautist Germán Velazco. It features solos by flautists Orlando Valle “Maracas,” José Luis Cortés “El Tosco,” and David Bencomo.

The second album, Trabuco, once again pays tribute to the 17th anniversary of the orchestra’s founding. Most of the songs on the album are by Ricardo Amaray and the group’s director, Manolito Simonet. This album features all thirteen tracks and primarily features popular dance music.

Among the brilliant guests participating in the concert are Germán Velazco, Alfred Thompson, Pablito FG, David Blanco, guitarist Raúl Verdecia, and pianist Gilberto Santa Rosa, who plays the keyboard on the song Santiago de Cuba.

Manolito Simonet and his Trabuco have been honored with awards such as: The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Award in the tropical music category for the song “El Águila” in 1998. The 1999 Cubadisco Award in the dance music category for the production “Marking the Distance.” The 2005 EGREM Award in the dance music and record of the year categories for the CD “Locos por mi Habana” (2004); with this award they gained unanimous recognition from specialized critics and became the best-selling album in Cuba and abroad.

Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco occupies a coveted place among those who enjoy dance music and are faithful exponents of contemporary Cuban music.

Discography: Straight to the Heart (1995), Against All Odds (1996), Marking the Distance (1998), So Cuba Can Dance (2000), The Thermometers Broke (2001), Crazy for My Havana (2004), Seriously Speaking (2006), CD-DVD “Knock Out” (2006), Control (2008), Cuban Beat (2010), Trabuco Once Again (2010).