Frágil de Cristal

Montuno Cubano recently released the album Frágil de Cristal. Blending salsa, bolero son, son cubano, guaracha, and bolero, the album brings Cuba’s most cherished traditions into dialogue with the global stage, reimagined from the group’s new home on PEI.

At the heart of Montuno Cubano are Cuba-born brothers Jorge Luis Peña Acosta (vocals, requinto, guitar) and Luis Peña Acosta (vocals, guitar, percussion), whose sibling harmonies define the group’s sound. Alongside them are musicians Mark Carr-Rollitt (Latin percussion), Christopher Martell (upright bass), Devin Hornby (electric bass), and Sergey Varlamov (keys, violin, bass), who contributed to the studio sessions and select live performances, enriching the recordings with authenticity and depth.

Montuno Cubano’s repertoire spans salsa, guaracha, bolero, rumba flamenco, and son cubano, weaving stories of love, resilience, and cultural memory. As Jorge explains: “First I hear the rhythms in my head. If I am excited, I write salsa or guaracha. If I am calm, I write boleros. Rhythm drives the song, but now that I live in Canada, I focus on both the rhythm and the story.”

The songs were recorded over several years at Crabbe Road Productions in PEI with producer Sergey Varlamov, whose violin contributions add an international texture to the band’s Cuban foundation. “Although the style of my music is Cuban, with Sergey adding violin my recordings feel more international. It’s amazing to hear how the requinto, violin, and percussion work together,” Jorge reflects.

Montuno Cubano’s music is both an homage to heritage and a contemporary offering. It highlights Cuba’s deep well of musical genres while making them accessible to audiences around the world—an invitation to feel joy, connection, and rhythm.

montunocubano.ca