Descemer Bueno

Early life

Bueno studied music in Cuba and became a music teacher before forming his jazz combo band Estado de Animo in 1990, which also included guitarist Elmer Ferrer and pianist Roberto Carcassés. His band encountered some success during the 90's touring in Spain, Bolivia, Uruguay, Germany, and Argentina. Descemer also performed in the United States in 1998 with the jazz ensemble Column B.

During this period, Bueno was artist-in-residence at Stanford University in California, and spent a year teaching at the University of South Africa in Cape Town. In 1999, after moving to New York, Bueno became active in his hip-hop band Yerba Buena writing or co-writing most of the songs for their debut album President Alien. Yerba Buena songs can be heard in several American movies and Pepsi commercials.

Bueno soon moved back to Cuba and began producing, arranging, and composing music for many young Cuban musicians including Haydée for Haydée Milanés, La Isla Milagrosa for William Vivanco, and Breathe for Yusa. He also composed part of the music for the film Habana Blues (2005), being in the group of winners of the 2006 Goya award for Best Original Music. Several of Descemer's songs were in the soundtrack of Habana Eva by Venezuelan director Fina Torres, which won Best Film at New York International Latino Film Festival, and Best Film at Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival.

Descemer is also known for his writing skills, being a named "bolerista" to be reckoned with after having written a set of boleros for Fernando Alvarez just before Alvarez' death in 2002.

Career

In 2005 Bueno recorded his first solo album Siete Rayo, a hip-hop fusion album, after signing with Universal Latin. His album featured George Pajon of the Black Eyed Peas. The Batanga magazine wrote then about Bueno, "The underground voice of AfroCuban fusion, Descemer Bueno, is now setting the pace for the future of Latin Music."

Bueno's second solo album, Bueno, appeared in 2012, featuring duet performances of Bueno's compositions with an array of contemporary Cuban musical stars, including Kelvis Ochoa, Gema Corredera, Haila, X Alfonso, Baby Lores, and Alain Daniel. Bueno has produced albums for rising Cuban stars, including Diana Fuentes and Haydee Milanes.

Bueno has worked with Enrique Iglesias on the latter's albums Euphoria and Sex and Love. He gave Enrique his song "Bailando" which appeared on Iglesias' album, Sex and Love. The song became an international hit by Iglesias featuring Descemer Bueno and Gente de Zona, and in some versions Sean Paul, or others. "Bailando" was awarded multiple Latin Grammies in 2014, including "Song of the Year." Bueno also composed the song, "Cuando Me Enamoro," which became a major international hit by Juan Luis Guerra and Iglesias.

Bueno is currently working on a new double album, and has appeared in 2016 as a guest artist on the new album, Habana Dreams, by the master New York-based Afro-Cuban percussionist, Pedrito Martinez, where he performs on the song, "Dios Mio," written with Martinez.[1] Bueno also appears on the new album, Quiero Guarachar, by the Miami-based Afro-Cuban Funk group, PALO!, as a vocalist and co-composer of the song "Agua Pa' Los Santos," which also features Pedrito Martinez and master Afro-Cuban percussionist, Roman Diaz, as guest artists. Bueno is also featured in the PBS documentary, Ivy League Rumba, about the 2015 Brown University Latin Jazz and Pop Festival, directed by Miami-Based team, Joe Cardona and Ralf Gonzalez, and to be distributed nationally by American Public Television, the distribution arm of PBS.

Awards

Albums

Singles

Films