ABOUT

Ivan Llanes is a Cuban-American percussionist, vocalist, composer, and bandleader whose work moves fluidly across Afro-Cuban music, jazz, Brazilian rhythms, funk, and soul. Originally from Camagüey, Cuba, and based in the New York City area, Llanes has developed a distinctive artistic voice built around rhythm - not simply as accompaniment, but as a language for storytelling, cultural exchange, and connection.

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His debut album, La Vida Misma (Vydia, 2024), marked his emergence as a composer and lead vocalist and earned a Cubadisco nomination for Best International Collaboration. "CUBAHIA," one of the album's signature tracks, was submitted to NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest, where it was recognized among the standout Latin entries and featured by NPR's Alt.Latino. In 2026, Llanes was awarded support from New Music USA's Creator Fund toward the development of his forthcoming second album.

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At the center of his artistic work is Ivan Llanes & Friends, his evolving ensemble and creative platform, bringing together exceptional musicians around an original sound rooted in Cuba and shaped by Llanes' musical life across cultures. The project has been presented at Carnegie Hall Citywide, Jazz at Lincoln Center in Times Square, Joe's Pub, National Sawdust,

Gantry Plaza State Park with Kupferberg Center for the Arts, The Django, and other notable stages, as well as through international performances and cultural exchanges.

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Alongside his work as a bandleader, Llanes is a member of acclaimed pianist Matthew Whitaker's Quintet and a vocalist and percussionist with People of Earth. Through People of Earth, he is part of a special collaboration with internationally celebrated pianist Yuja Wang, performing across distinguished concert stages and festivals in the United States.

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His career as an instrumentalist and vocalist includes performances and recordings with Arturo O'Farrill, Nella, Carlinhos Brown, Cimafunk, Bryan Carter, Descemer Bueno, Katreese Barnes, and César Orozco, among others. Llanes performed on Orozco's "Camaleón," whose arrangement received the Latin Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, earning Llanes an

official Latin Grammy certificate recognizing his contribution as an instrumentalist to the award-winning recording.

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His artistry has also extended to Broadway. Llanes made his Broadway debut with the Tony Award-winning Buena Vista Social Club and continues his connection with the production as a percussionist and vocalist on its First National Tour - a particularly meaningful chapter for an artist whose own musical identity is deeply connected to the rhythms and cultural legacy

of Cuba.

 

A respected percussionist and educator, Llanes has also appeared at PASIC, the Jazz Plaza Festival in Havana, and the International Percussion Festival 2 de Julho in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, while presenting performances, clinics, workshops, and master classes in the United States and internationally. His educational and community work has included collaborations with Carnegie Hall, Hofstra University, Get Empowered!, and Marquis Studios, among others.

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Whether leading his own ensemble, collaborating with internationally renowned artists, performing on Broadway and national

touring stages, or sharing the traditions that shaped him with a new generation, Ivan Llanes approaches rhythm as more

than sound - it is memory, movement, identity, and a meeting place between cultures.

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Llanes is Sponsored by:

Latin Percussion, DW Drums, VicFirth, Ultimate Ears Pro & Paiste​