Santa Rosa Symphony, Tiempo Libre team up for free concert

The Santa Rosa Symphony and the Green Music Center will present a free concert for the community, “A Symphonic Night in Havana,” at 7 p.m. Sept. 6 at Weill Hall + Lawn featuring Cuban music group Tiempo Libre and the Santa Rosa Symphony under Principal Pops Conductor Michael Berkowitz.

Classically trained at Escuela Nacional de Artes in Cuba, the members of Tiempo Libre started playing together as teen-agers while listening to popular American music on the radio, which was illegal at the time. The musicians emigrated to the U.S. and formed the band in 2001, blending together the sounds of Cuban timba, classical melodies and Latin rhythms. Timba is a genre based on Cuban pop music along with salsa, Afro-Cuban music and American funk and R&B.

During the concert, the band will perform high energy dance music featuring songs from their 2011 album, “My Secret Radio,” as well as selections from their new recording of their three, Grammy-nominated timba albums, “Bach in Havana, “Lo Que Esperabas” and Arroz Con Mango.”

Led by pianist and music director Jorge Gomez, the band includes vocalist Xavier Mili, bassist Wilvi Rodriguez Guerra, saxophonist and flutist Luis Beltran Castillo, conga player Leandro Gonzalez, trumpet player Raul Rodriguez and drummer Israel Morales Figueroa.

The concert, which requires a ticket, is sold out but there is some availability due to returned tickets. If you have tickets you are unable to use, or you want to inquire about ticket availability, call the Green Music Center box office at 1-866-955-6040.

The Green Music Center at the Sonoma State University campus will open for outdoor seating and picnicking at 5 p.m., Weill Hall will open at 6 p.m.

Concert-goers can bring in food but no outside beverages. Water bottle filling stations will be available, and food and beverages may be purchased on site. Bring low lawn chairs or blankets for outdoor seating.