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The Rhythm Explosion: Tony Succar Conquers the Legendary Tempo Latino Arena 2026

**The Latin Grammy-winning Peruvian percussionist and producer closed the 31st edition of the iconic French festival with a display of dynamism, cutting-edge percussion, and pure clave flavor.**

La explosión del ritmo Tony Succar conquista la mítica Arena de Tempo Latino 2026.

VIC-FEZENSAC (FRANCE) The small town of Vic-Fezensac, in the heart of the Gers department, once again became the European capital of Afro-Cuban music from July 30 to August 2, 2026.

On closing night, the legendary bullring turned Tempo Arena witnessed one of the most thrilling performances in its more than three-decade history: the showcase by Peruvian-American percussionist, arranger, and producer Tony Succar.

The Grand Finale at the Tempo Arena

The Tempo Latino festival celebrates the rich heritage of Caribbean rhythms. On the night of Sunday, August 2, following the jazz virtuosity of Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodríguez, Succar took the main stage backed by an exceptional lineup of musicians.

El percusionista y productor peruano galardonado con el Latin Grammy cerró la 31ª edición.

From the very first hit of the timbales, the two-time Latin Grammy Award-winning producer demonstrated why he is considered one of the most influential creative forces in the evolution of contemporary salsa.

The concert kicked off with an overwhelming energy that brought thousands of ecstatic dancers to their feet. Succar delivered a repertoire that navigated between:

Salsa Dura: Classic, high-octane style.
Afro-Cuban Jazz: Rich in colors, harmonies, and improvisation.
Caribbean Pop: Adding the fresh nuances that define his signature musical style.

The circular acoustics of the arena served as a natural resonator for the percussion’s polyrhythms, where Tony’s own timbale solos reaffirmed his technical mastery and deep-rooted connection to tradition.

Cutting-Edge Sound, Tributes, and a Global Vision

One of the night’s highlights came with the salsa reinterpretations from his renowned project, Unity: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson a landmark album that transformed global pop into an authentic tropical showcase.

Tony Succar y Mimy Succar (cuyo nombre real es Miriam Tayrako Sakaguchi).

The European crowd sang along to arrangements where sharp brass lines and salsero syncopation breathed new life into the “King of Pop’s” classics.

Succar also used the Vic-Fezensac platform to showcase tracks from his recent productions, characterized by avant-garde arrangements that never lose their danceable groove.

The tightness of the horn section and the rhythm ensemble kept the festive momentum high throughout the night, proving a rigorous production standard that spares no flavor.

The Enduring Power of Salsa on European Soil

The 31st edition of Tempo Latino brought together top-tier performers from various genres, sharing the lineup with prominent figures:

Featured Artists & Ensembles
Tony Succar
Alfredo Rodríguez
Maïté Hontelé
Orquesta Akokán
La Yegros
Matt Bianco

Note: Corrected the edition number in context to match the 31st edition noted in the header.

However, Tony Succar’s performance on the final night served as a powerful reminder of salsa’s current state: a living, evolving, and truly global genre.

With this concert, Succar not only fulfilled a long-awaited date with European clave enthusiasts, but also solidified his place among the great champions of contemporary tropical sound.

As the lights of the Tempo Arena finally went out, the standing ovation echoed through the streets of Vic-Fezensac, confirming that the new generation of salsa has one of its boldest architects in Tony Succar.

Tony Succar: “Thank you so much, TEMPO LATINO! It was an honor to return to this incredible festival after 9 years. We had so much fun! And it brings me so much joy to see how much people love salsa on this side of the world.”

By: Titouan Maza & Jean Paul Pourque.

Enjoy the Tempo Latino 31st edition with the best of Latin music in Europe

That has been a very long year waiting a new edition of the biggest Latin music event in Europe! This July, fans of our music will finally be able to enjoy the 31st edition of Tempo Latino, which is one of the largest international festivals of Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, and Latin music. During the four days of the festival, the audience can enjoy the best of salsa, Latin jazz, mambo, timba, and fused rhythms every year.

This festival is usually held in the small village of Vic-Fezensac in southwestern France, since 1994, which is when its first edition took place. Nowadays, the event is typically held during the last days of July and the first days of August.

A little of the history of Tempo Latino

As mentioned previously, the festival began, and is still held, in Vic-Fezensac, a small village of around 3,700 inhabitants located in the Gers, which is well known for its bullfighting tradition. This association was founded in 1993 by music lover and Latin music DJ Eric Duffau, an artist who sought a different alternative to traditional commercial communities and aimed to bring traditional musical roots to the heart of Europe.

The first edition, which took place in the summer of 1994, aimed to transform the small French village into the mecca of salsa, Cuban son, and Afro-Latin jazz for four days a year.

An initiative that began as a small project has grown into one of the biggest salsa festivals of the world, which already enjoys the support of 500 local volunteers who organize into neighborhoods and homes. To this day, Tempo Latino has achieved a perfect balance between an ambitious production and a local and friendly atmosphere. It should also be stressed that it has been held on a regular basis since 1994, except for 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Evolution and golden age

The festival expanded so much thanks to its authenticity and freshness that it has come to be known as “The One” and has established itself as a mandatory stop for the greatest Latin music glories, including Celia Cruz, Eddie Palmieri, Rubén Blades, Willie Colón, Tito Puente, Los Van Van, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, La Sonora Ponceña, Oscar D’León, Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Miranda, Johnny Pacheco, and many others.

Similarly, since its foundation, the festival has also served as a springboard for new musical talent, including solo artists and groups performing salsa brava, Latin hip-hop, Afro-Cuban funk, and other genres from places such as Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and New York.

Activities beyond the concerts

Tempo Latino has come to a point where it is no limited only to stage performances, which are still the main attractions for attendees. They also offer dance workshops, which are designed for both amateurs and professional dancers interested in learning more about the roots and evolution of Latin rhythms.

Similarly, the festival also offers music and percussion workshops, introducing both amateur and professional musicians to important topics such as the clave, rhythm, and a bit of the history of Latin and Afro-Cuban music. In the case of percussion workshops, instructors teach students how to play the congas, timbales, bongos, and campana. As for wind instruments and musical combos, classes are given in trombone, trumpet, and saxophone.

We also cannot fail to mention the international market, where attendees can buy all sorts of things from our countries, such as instruments, clothing, traditional cuisine, handicrafts, souvenirs, and more.

Orquesta Akokan, which is going to perform in this edition

Stages and structuring of the festival

Another of the great attractions of Tempo Latino is its “geo-rhythmic” network of locations, where you can find both concerts and peripheral activities that can be enjoyed simultaneously. Below are some of those that will be available for the 2026 edition:

Tempo Arena: This stage is located in the Vic-Fezensac bullring, known for its open acoustics and intense energy every night of the festival. Among the top artists that will perform there are Maïté Hontelé Y La Novia, Orquesta Akokán (Friday, July 31), Matt Bianco, Rogê (Saturday, August 1), Alfredo Rodríguez, and Tony Succar (Sunday, August 2).
La Conga (Tempo Social Club): This other stage is also very popular because it has a beachy vibe with real sand and operates from early morning until late into the night. As for the artists who will be performing, we can mention the queen of Argentine electronic cumbia, La Yegros, DJ Çarava, and DJ Lafuriosa.
Camp Tempo: This open-air format is packed every year with new musical proposals, alternative fusions, brass bands, and street groups that give life to the village during the day. In the 2026 edition, some of the alternative bands will include Chicos y Méndez, Chicharrón, Pixvae, and Aguanomas.
Saint-Pierre Church: This venue is solely and exclusively reserved to small, intimate acoustic concerts where, as a general rule, only pianists and Latin jazz artists perform in the festival’s most solemn format.

Puerto Rican Trombonist and percussionist Arturo Vazquez Jr. from Projecto 7 Salsa & Latin Jazz Band

Trombonist and percussionist Arturo Vazquez Jr. is joining us today to talk about his career and his current band, Projecto 7. This salsa and jazz band features an interesting mix of Latin genres and is often invited to popular local venues in Illinois, where Arturo and his bandmates live, including Two Brothers Roundhouse, Joe’s on Weed, and MCM Pub.

Here is a summary of how much we talk about his early years, the foundation of the band, and his current professional activities.

Arturo Vazquez singing — Percussionist and trombonist Arturo Vazquez Jr singing live

Arturo’s beginnings in music while he was still a child

As usual, before delving into other issues, we wanted to know a little about Arturo’s beginnings in music to establish a chronology, and he told us that he expressed interest in this world when he was just a 10-year-old boy. His grandfather was a musician, and he and his colleagues often organized parties in the municipality of Patillas, Puerto Rico, where the family lived, and jíbara music was always present in everyday life.

The first instruments he learned to play were the timbales and the bongo, but after his grandfather passed away, he was given the accordion his grandfather had played, although unfortunately it did not really catch his attention. That was why he remained focused on percussion. Furthermore, knowing how important it is to get a proper academic education, he studied at the Free School of Music in Puerto Rico for a time, but due to the financial difficulties that his parents were experiencing at the time, they decided to move with their son to New York.

In the mentioned city, he continued his percussion studies at the School of Liberal Arts, being Willie Colón and Tito Puente his greatest inspirations to become a professional musician.

Years later, specifically in the 1970s, his parents found work in Chicago and moved there. That was where Arturo studied high school and met many aspiring percussionists, so the competition was brutal. Therefore, the orchestra’s conductor offered him the trombone spot and gave him a large bass trombone.

projecto 7 led by Arturo — This is Projecto 7 Salsa & Jazz Band led by Arturo Vazquez

After he graduated, he began studying at the University of Illinois in Chicago, where he learned to read music and improvise with Professor J.J. Johnson during symphony orchestra concerts. Once he had gained a more or less acceptable experience in trombone practice, he remembered why or who inspired him to play in the first place, so he began playing in way Willie Colón would. That was not very common in his time, since most trombonists were classical musicians, but he did not care at all, so he started to entirely focus on salsa.

At the same time, he also specialized as a bomba and plena percussionist, so he trained at the Segundo Ruíz Belvis Cultural Center with maestro Rafael Cepeda, better known as “The Patriarch of Bomba and Plena” in Puerto Rico, who traveled to Chicago to teach percussion alongside AfriCaribe, a nonprofit cultural organization led by bandleader and singer Evaristo “Tito” Rodriguez. That was how Arturo also learned to play the pandereta and the barril, but with a focus on bomba and plena.

Professional opportunities before Projecto 7

Before creating his own group, Arturo gained considerable musical proficiency. In the area where he lived in Chicago, there were many gangs recruiting young people to sell drugs, resulting in the emergence of numerous initiatives that sought to keep kids off the streets such as El Congreso Puertorriqueño, whose main goal was to introduce them to Latin music. It was then that the artist met a record label called Caribe, thanks to which he made his first recording as a trombonist with the Orquesta La Unión. This was essentially one of several orchestras that served as a warm up for major groups and artists such as Hector Lavoe, Willie Colón, Ismael Miranda, Ray Barretto, and many others.

Projecto 7 playing at the Cubby Bear — Projecto 7 Salsa & Jazz Band playing at the Cubby Bear in Chicago

Before becoming a soloist, he put aside his career as a musician for more than 10 years because it was not enough to support his family, which already included two daughters. During those years, he studied psychology at the University of Chicago, studied therapy and rehabilitation at the University of Puerto Rico, and taught psychology and therapy at the Elgin Community College.

He worked in Puerto Rico from 1981 to 1988, when he moved to Miami to test the atmosphere in the city, but competition among Latino, especially Cubans, made it impossible for him to make a name for himself there, so he went to try his luck in Elgin, located about 31 miles from Chicago, where he eventually worked as a professional therapist and psychology professor.

Projecto 7 Salsa & Latin Jazz Band

His group, Projecto 7, started at a parranda in which Arturo and Los Hnos Rodriguez in Elgin. The artists invited him to join them and propose new things for the project. When the brothers’ orchestra disbanded, Arturo received a call from a former member of Orquesta La Selecta, Joe González, who moved to Elgin to care for his sick father. González proposed Arturo and other musicians to form a new group called Projecto 7, since there would be seven artists in the group.

Since then, they have made efforts to keep the same lineup of musicians, including musical director, pianist, and bassist Juan Rivera; trombonist Tony Morales; singer Ricky Rodríguez; and bongo player Luis Angel Palermo.

Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros: The Golden Legacy of the Cuban Trumpet

The history of Latin music cannot be written without mentioning the metallic brilliance and elegant phrasing of Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros.

Regarded by musicologists and peers as the “Latin Louis Armstrong,” Armenteros was more than just a trumpet virtuoso; he was a sonic architect who bridged the gap between traditional Cuban son, New York jazz, and the high-energy explosion of salsa.

Chocolate Armenteros🇨🇺fue una leyenda excelsa de la música cubana

Born on April 4, 1928, in Las Villas, Cuba, Armenteros carried the soul of his homeland to the world’s most prestigious stages.

His nickname, which became a hallmark of artistic quality, originated from a curious anecdote the musician shared in 2013: a young woman had mistaken him for the famous boxer “Kid Chocolate.”

What began as a case of mistaken identity ultimately became the name of a legend who would deliver his “knockouts” not with fists, but with perfect notes.

The Forging of a Master: From Arsenio Rodríguez to the “Bárbaro del Ritmo”

The career of Chocolate Armenteros serves as a detailed roadmap of the Golden Age of Cuban music. In 1950, he joined the ensemble of the “Blind Marvel,” Arsenio Rodríguez.

Alfredo Chocolate Armenteros el Legado de Oro de la Trompeta Cubana

Under Rodríguez’s tutelage, he recorded essential pieces of the Caribbean songbook such as “Deuda,” “Tengo que olvidarte,” and the iconic “La vida es un sueño.”

This period was vital in defining his style: a fusion of technical discipline and a gift for organic improvisation.

His rise was meteoric. By 1953, he was already a member of Sonora Matancera, the island’s most influential musical institution. That same year, he participated in a historic milestone: the founding of the band led by his cousin, the great Benny Moré.

Alfredo Chocolate Armenteros, Lino Frias, Carlos Patato Valdez y el Negro Vivar 1973

The sound of Chocolate’s trumpet was a key gear in the machinery of Moré’s “Tribu,” cementing his status as the most sought-after instrumentalist of his generation.

Conquering New York and the Global Stage

In November 1958, Armenteros’ destiny changed forever. He traveled to New York with the Fajardo y sus Estrellas orchestra for a private performance at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

The event carried high-level political weight: it was a gala for the presidential campaign of then-candidate John F. Kennedy. Following this encounter with the Big Apple, the trumpeter decided to settle permanently in the city, becoming an ambassador for Caribbean rhythms at the epicenter of jazz.

In New York, his talent flowed through the most influential groups of the era:

The Machito Orchestra (1963): Where he fused Cubop with Afro-Cuban jazz.
Eddie Palmieri (70s): Contributing his power to the experimental sound of salsa brava.
Tico-Alegre All Stars (1975): Sharing the stage with giants like Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Ismael Rivera, and Cachao.

An Endless and Eternal Style

In the late 70s and early 80s, Armenteros not only returned to collaborate with Sonora Matancera but also took the definitive step as a bandleader.

Under his own direction, he left behind memorable productions such as Chocolate Dice (1982) and Estrellas de Chocolate (1987), proving that his creative well never ran dry.The most admirable aspect of Armenteros was his artistic longevity. He remained active in festivals and concerts well into his 80s, preserving a privileged embouchure and a sense of timing that seemed to defy the laws of physics.

Alfredo Chocolate Armenteros y Eddie Moltalvo

Today, nearly a century after his birth, Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros remains the gold standard for trumpeters. His life was a testament to elegance, his music a bridge between nations, and his trumpet an eternal echo of Cuban identity that continues to resonate in every jazz descarga and every salsa step around the world.

Also Read: Larry Harlow and Ismael Miranda: The birth of “Arsenian Salsa,” a tribute to the music of Arsenio Rodríguez the creator of Son Montuno and the “King of Guaguancó.”

Rafaelito and his career between Munich and New York

We had a very personable and honest conversation with Rafael Pareja Ibañez, who via WhatsApp has given us a few minutes of his busy schedule to tell us a bit about his fascinating career to date and the group he currently leads, Rafaelito Y Su Tumbao.

The artist, born in Lima, Peru, has a huge love for music and remains intact to date, so he says it is a pleasure to share the story of how he came to pursue it professionally, no matter how many times he tells it.

Rafael’s beginnings in music

Rafael was first inspired by the artists his parents used to listen to at home, including La Sonora Matancera, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, and many others. Family social gatherings always featured iconic songs by these stars, so he could not help but be interested in music at the early age of 10.

It all started when his father caught him beating some paint buckets to make it look like he was playing a drum set on the roof of their house, which led him to enroll his child in a music school to take guitar lessons. While it is true that this was the first instrument he learned to play, he also plays the baby bass in salsa and the piano together with all the percussion instruments.

At that time, what the young man played the most was rock and pop because the radio and other media left little room for Latin music. In fact, Rafael formed his first rock band at 16, as this was the genre with which young people identified the most in the 1980s.

Move to Germany

At 20 years of age, Rafael decided to move to Germany, specifically to Munich, where he lived for more than 27 years. It was there that he came into contact with people of other nationalities and had far more access to Latin music, especially Peruvian music, which surprised him greatly. He also got to listen to international stars such as Eddie Palmieri, Miguelito Cuní, and Arsenio Rodríguez.

Rafaelito and Nicky Marrero — American Latin jazz percussionist Nicky Marrero and Rafaelito at Mamajuana Cafe in the Bronx

It was also in Munich where he began to have his first professional experience together with major musical groups from there such as the Sexteto Melaza, where he played alongside musicians from different parts of the world. At a student barbecue, Rafael was hanging out with many Latinos, and they began to sing and play instruments together, leading them to form a group, which they named Melaza. During that time, he dedicated himself to play salsa, guaracha, son, bolero, and cha-cha-cha in a sextet format.

The group featured a guitarist, a bassist, a conga player, a timbalero, a bongo player, and a singer. This sums up his first musical experience in Germany, which lasted about a year and a half. It also helped him draw the attention of other musicians in the city’s music scene, who convinced him to join other projects that were being created.

Another of those projects included a trio of young musicians called Madera Limpia which was founded in 2005, when rap, reggaeton, reggae, and many other genres mixed with Latin rhythms such as changüí or kiribá were super trendy. It turns out that a Romanian couple traveled to Cuba, produced a film called “Paraíso,” and went on a concert tour through Europe and North Asia. Therefore, they needed to hire many musicians, including the members of Madera Limpia, who contacted Rafael through connections and asked him to be their bassist. The Peruvian accepted the offer and toured all those places with these musicians, an experience he talks about with great affection.

Back in Munich, he met Lou Bega, the creator of the hugely popular swing-pop cover of Pérez Prado’s “Mambo No. 5,” which stayed at number one for 36 consecutive weeks in the United States. When his producer wanted to find a band to accompany him, there were very few Latin musicians in the city and Rafael was one of them. Obviously, they called him and his colleagues to work on some demos featuring Bega’s vocals and trumpet samples. After being selected, he became the director of his live band and accompanied him on many concerts in Europe between 2007 and 2008.

El Canario and Rafaelito — José Alberto ”El Canario” and Rafaelito

Rafaelito Y Su Tumbao

Right there in Munich, Rafael finally made up his mind and formed his own musical group, Rafaelito Y Su Tumbao, which currently has branches in Munich, Lima, and New York, where the artist currently resides. Rafael arrived in this city as early as 2020, which is when he got to perform with stars such as Charlie Aponte, Andy Montañez, Jose Alberto “El Canario,” Hildemaro, and many others. When he saw how good the human material was in his new place of residence, he also founded Rafaelito Y Su Tumbao in New York with musicians from there.

What is striking about his move to New York is that it was motivated by Rafael’s reunion with his childhood sweetheart in Peru, whom he reconnected with in 2019. It turns out that his partner was living in New York, so he jumped on this new opportunity that life offered him and made the romantic decision to cross the Atlantic again and marry her. This radically changed his life both personally and professionally, but he’s glad he did.