Charanga Agozá

About the Band

Charanga Agozá, a charanga ensemble based in Madison, Wisconsin, was formed in 2009. The group plays charanga, a dance oriented musical genre that originated in Cuba at the turn of the twentieth century and peaked in the 1950s. Charangas also became popular in New York City during the early days of the salsa movement in the 60s and 70s.

Musical styles featured in Charanga Agozá’s repertoire include danzón, cha cha, mambo, and modern day salsa played charanga-style.

The group consists of Amber Dolphin on violin, Ben Knox on flute, Yanzel Rivera on vocals, Paul Muench on piano, John Mesoloras on double bass, Flaviano Estrella on trombone, Salar Saleh on timbales, José Madera on percussion, Jake Kruse on the Cuban tres, and Yorvanis Durán Córdova on congas.