Los Guanches are bringing authentic Cuban music to Fuji Rock.

Los Guanches are bring a distinctive Cuban music to Fuji Rock this year, performing on multiple stages with a pair of dancers even giving a clinic on how to salsa.

We caught up with Los Guanches in the Oasis area and they were happy to talk about mojitos, salsa and meringue dancing, and their distinctive style of  life and culture.

“We have been playing music for 20 years, and we do many different styles ranging from authentic Cuban music to meringue and Afro-Caribbean beats” said Los Guanches front man.

He added that things are getting much better in Cuba and his band plays most weekends at 10PM in the event with sets lasting 2 hours. It’s the first time to come to Japan, though the visa process was anything but easy according to John Helmer.

Helmer is known to many for his work on a documentary about Fuji Rock called “Tents, Bugs, and Rock andRoll.” He is also the one known for selling Cuban hats and what some call the Glastonbury hat which is actually the fiber from a palm plant.

This year, Helmer is taking his talents to managing as festival organizers told him to bring the best band from Cuba to Fuji Rock this year.

“I saw 6 bands, and when I saw Los Guanches, I knew that this was the right band.”  Soon after that Helmer was busy arranging visas, and now, shuttling the band between the many stages at Fuji Rock.