You can take a Cuban musician out of Cuba, however, you’ll by no means take Cuban music out of them. For Aniel Someillan, Joaquin Sosa, and Barbaro Machito Crespo, creating a band seemed inevitable once they reconnected in a faraway land, Poland. They arrived one by one, each carrying their own unique musical background as precious luggage. All of them come from Havana, all of them grew up with live music at home; and all of them were encouraged by their families to play since early childhood. For Aniel and Machito, music was an essential part of religious celebrations. Little Joaquim could not resist jamming with uncles and cousins during family gatherings until one day his parents took him to a music school. Eventually, Aniel and Joaquin met in the conservatory in Havana. Back then, they had already played together in different bands celebrated in Cuba. Later, Joaquim left to play at global jazz festivals and learned from Paquito D’Riviera. Soon, he collaborated with Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, and other renowned artists. Aniel’s path led to collaborations with Naylor Azevedo (Probeta), Luzi Luna, Ksenia Franca, Amaro Freitas, Shabaka Hatchkings, and more. Finally Machito, the child prodigy of the Calderon family, was a performing musician already in his teens, first showing his talent in the theater, on television, or at popular Cuban events, and soon performing at festivals worldwide. Fast forward, in Poland, they already met as established musicians. They all admit that finding compatriots with the same musical goals was a serendipitous alignment. Interestingly, all of them chose Poland for the same personal reason: love. Obviously, their passion for music had always been present and had been behind all the previous steps that brought them together as a band. However, even they were surprised while exploring the musical prowess of their trio, which consists of clarinet/tenor saxophone, bass, and percussion. The band’s sonic concept is deeply rooted in Afro-Cuban rituals. Their rhythms and melodies are inspired by secular or religious celebrations, providing a direct connection to their Cuban ancestry. Since all the compositions are original, there is also room for a modern approach to jazz. The Ilu Trio leads the listeners to a musical point of bliss: there is joy resulting from discovering something new, yet grounded in centuries of tradition and faith. One of their first critics was… ECM pianist Shai Maestro. His review turned out to be quite simple: three concerts played together as Ilu & Shai Maestro December 2023 in Poland.