Ivan Llanes

Ivan Llanes is a master percussionist, bandleader, and vocalist from Cuba, based in New York City. Fluent in the Latin, Caribbean, and jazz traditions, he arrived in the U.S. in 2012 after extensive work at home with Maraca and dozens of other artists including Descemer Bueno, Marlow Rosado, Carlos Vives, Jencarlos Canela, and Michel Herrera, among others. He founded Ivan Llanes & the Cuban Way in 2013, playing everything from timba and salsa to bolero and danzon to pre-revolutionary Afro-Cuban jazz. After establishing his reputation, he branched out, working with R&B, jazz, and funk artists including Valerie Simpson, Katreese Barnes, Colin Hay, and Arturo O'Farrill. Llanes is also a session sideman and has made records with Fleur Seule, J. Hoard, and Chicago's instrumental indie rock band, Marbin (Dirty Horse). Llanes released La Vida Misma, his debut album, in 2024.