Tiempo Libre to light up the Hilton

Ready to rumba? Three-time Grammy-nominated Tiempo Libre is one of the hottest Latin bands performing today. The 2010 Oregon Bach Festival is bringing Tiempo Libre to Eugene on July 10, fresh from TV’s “Dancing with the Stars,” for a sizzling dance party featuring the band’s high-energy brand of timba, an irresistible mix of Latin jazz and rhythmic Cuban son.

The band plays an OBF Kids concert Saturday at 11 am ($5 tickets) and an over-21 dance concert at 8 pm ($24/$35). Both events are in the Eugene Hilton.

All seven band members were born and raised in Cuba, where they studied classical music by day in Cuba’s leading conservatory; by night they played rumba, timba and tambores in streets, clubs and homes. They came together between projects—hence the band’s name—in 2001 to found what they consider the first authentic all-Cuban timba band in the United States.

The group's latest CD, “Bach in Havana,” is an imaginative blend of Bach melodies and Afro-Cuban rhythms, uniting the two musical worlds of the band members’ Cuban childhoods.

For more about their music, see their website.

The dance concert begins at 8 p.m. in the Eugene Hilton; admission is for ages 21 and older only. The event is sponsored by SELCO Credit Union and KLCC-FM, with additional funding from the Oregon Arts Commission. 

Some seats remain at tables on the dance floor circle at $35 per ticket; general admission is $24. Order online or call 541-682-5000.