Raúl Monsalve y los Forajidos

Raúl Monsalve is a Venezuelan composer, vocalist, bassist, and band leader who taps directly into the connections between Latin and West African music, with a strong jazz component built in. He has been working with the band Los Forajidos, which comprises a number or top-notch musicians from a studio background who add their own fire and diverse flavors into the songs as they slalom between traditions. Together, they explore an Afrobeat sound (the classic one, not Afrobeats, the more modern one) that moves the audience with its call-response structure and its distinct rhythmic flourish. He has also been collaborating regularly with musicians active in or adjacent to the genre.