Ivan Llanes

Ivan Llanes is a master percussionist, vocalist, and educator from Cuba, based in New York City. Fluent in the Latin, Caribbean, and jazz traditions, he arrived in the U.S. in 2012 after extensive work at home with Maraca and dozens of other artists including Descemer Bueno, Carlos Vives, Jen Carlos Canela, and Miguelo Valdez. He founded Ivan Llanes & the Cuban Way in 2013, playing everything from timba and danzon to pre-revolutionary Afro-Cuban jazz standards. After establishing his reputation, he branched out, working with R&B, jazz, and funk artists. Llanes is also a sessio...