Arriba, arriba ?the Bermuda Music Festival opens today with the pulsating Latin rhythms of Cuban band Elio Reve Jr. y su Charangon.

Labelled as one of Cuba?s most important bands, Orquesta Reve has is the most important music school with many of the country?s top musicians as its alumni. Now led by Elio Reve Jr., son of the man considered to be the father of salsa, the band is one of the most successful Cuban orchestras. They have incorporated the rhythm of changui, an original music genre from the eastern part of the island, to Son and Salsa and enjoy top ten hits on the Cuban radio shows.

Elio Reve senior was born in Guant?namo in 1930. From a very early age he played quinto and bombo drum at the carnivals in Santiago and Guant?namo. He soon became a great rumba musician, a qualified dancer of the French tumba and a master and revolutionary of changui. In 1955 he left for Habana and began working with several bands. In 1956 he formed Orchesta Reve. He was the first to use the five-key timbal, one of the first to incorporate the trombone sound into an orchestra. He experimented with the bata drums, bringing them into popular music and created a unique sound with the timbales. His band began to be affectionately called ?Orchesta Padre? ? ?Father of all Orchestra? and Elio earned the title ?El Padre de la Salsa? or ?The Father of Salsa?.

In 1977 Elio Reve died in a freak road accident. His son Elio Jr. who began as a professional pianist , was considered a key element in his father?s band Orchesta Reve; more commonly known as El Charangon.

Elio Reve Jr. y su Charangon perform at the Hamilton Princess tonight at 7 p.m.