Legendary Cuban Violinist Omar Puente at Oriole

OMAR PUENTE
with Fernando Depestre, Jimmy Matinez & special guest Mamadou Sarr
Oriole . Tuesday 22 September 2026
Doors 8pm . £25 general - £60 premium . 7-9 Slingsby Place, WC2E 9AB

Cuban virtuoso violinist Omar Puente returns to Oriole - a meeting of Afro-Cuban fire and jazz sophistication, played in an intimate and close-quarter setting. 

One of the most distinctive voices in British jazz, Havana-trained Puente bends the violin around Cuban rhythm and improvisation, moving from tender balladry to full-throttle descarga without missing a breath. He leads a formidable band: Fernando Depestre on piano, Jimmy Matinez on bass, and his own violin at the helm.

Joining them as special guest is master percussionist Mamadou Sarr. Born in Dakar and based in London, Sarr is one of the world's leading West African percussionists - the featured player for Baaba Maal, a decade-long collaborator with kora virtuoso Sona Jobarteh, and a recording and touring artist with Grammy-winning Mumford & Sons. In 2013 he was invited to perform for Barack and Michelle Obama on their state visit to Senegal. His djembe, sabar and calabash bring a deep Senegalese pulse to Puente's Cuban swing.

Two traditions, one room, no distance between you and the band. Expect a night that moves.

Limited capacity - advance tickets strongly recommended. No door guarantee.