Join the Downtown Seattle Association/Metropolitan Improvement District as they kick off the 46th year of their free summer concert series, Downtown Summer Sounds presented by Amazon! This year’s program includes 19 outdoor concerts featuring local, national and international bands. Funk, soul, and bravado, Cuban artist Cimafunk debuts in Seattle as part of the free Downtown Summer Sounds concert series.
Downtown Summer Sounds concert series runs from July 11 through August 28. Check out the full concert lineup at downtownseattle.org/dss
Thu Aug 14 2025
4:00 PM - 6:30 PM
$0.00
All Ages
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Downtown Summer Sounds Presented by Amazon
Cimafunk (FREE with RSVP)
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Cuban music has a new global ambassador: Cimafunk. With a name and image that pays tribute to
the Cimarrons – Cubans of African descent that resisted slavery – and music and showmanship that
re-embodies funk legends from the last century, the medical-school student turned funk artist has
developed into a musical force crafting the sonic future of the island and a global, cultural
phenomenon that unites and celebrates blackness across borders, oceans and languages.
With his unmistakable AfroCuban sounds, no holds barred live show and multiple Grammy-
nominations, Cimafunk is redefining what the planet understands as Cuban music. Cimafunk’s
debut album “Terapia” (2018), with its groundbreaking #1 single “Me Voy” – followed by his
breakout performance at SXSW 2019 and widely praised NPR Tiny Desk Concert, started a
movement of converting millions of people to the religion of groove, one live show at a time. The
AfroCuban rockstar has moved the spotlight well beyond the Buena Vista Social Club, salsa and
reggaeton.
From a local sensation on Havana’s small alternative music scene to global success, Cimafunk’s
ascent is as dizzying as an F1 race. Performing with La Tribu (The Tribe), his 9-piece band from
Havana, Cimafunk has electrified global audiences on massive stages and worldwide temples of
music, making a name for himself as one of the great showmen of today. From New Orleans Jazz
Festival and Lollapalooza Chile to becoming the first Cuban-born artist to play Coachella, this
undisputed star of Afro-Latin music has earned the adoration of musical icons such as Argentine
Fito Páez, who has hailed him as "one of the lights of the continent's future,” the Godfather of
Funk George Clinton, who refers to him as “the next one,” and Chucho Valdés, who credits
Cimafunk with masterfully and organically blending “AfroCuban with African American,
converting this into a new school that until now I haven’t heard done.”
Cimafunk’s distinctive musical fusion continued to grow in its artistry with both the release of his
second album "El Alimento” (‘The Nourishment ) -which was met with an abundance of critical
praise that included Best Albums of the Year lists of Rolling Stone, NPR and more… as well as an equal
volume of glowing reviews for his unrivaled live shows, which quickly made him one of the most in-
demand festival performers.
Cimafunk has collaborated on records and shared the stage with the likes of Alejandro Sanz,
CeeLo Green, ChocQuibTown, Chucho Valdés, Fito Páez, Fonseca, Fred Wesley, Galactic,
George Clinton, Jon Batiste, Juanes, Leoni Torres, Lettuce, Lupe Fiasco, Preservation Hall,,
Omar Portuondo, Orquesta Aragón, Robert Glasper, String Cheese Incident, The Soul
Rebels and Trombone Shorty. Susan Sarandon, Ron Delsner and other personalities have
become superfans, often seen side-stage lost in the groove, and the likes of Paul McCartney and
more have come out to check out the AfroCuban sensation.
After the success of El Alimento, Cimafunk delves even further into his exploration of the
intersections between funk and the sounds of the continent and gives us Pa' Tu Cuerpa (Mala
Cabeza Records), his most polished and mature production to date, on August 23 rd , 2024.
- - - -
“Cimafunk’s masterful album is the soundtrack for a euphoric soul train, serving up funkadelic grooves, kinetically
punctuated by Cuban rhythms [and] stellar guests… with the joy of being alive in its every note.” – NPR
“a frenetic joy ride of freewheeling blasts of percussive funk intercut with pumped-up classic Cuban riffs… Cimafunk is
engaging in a cultural mixing that celebrates a kind of Latin American hybridity … with mind-bending results. ‘El
Alimento’ has thoroughly transformed him into an international funk champion” -NY Times
“CIMAFUNK is A Must-See Act… … Cimafunk is Creating The New Sound Of Cuba & Redefining Latin
Alternative… with an energetic intensity that has drawn comparisons to James Brown… A funkadelic force to be
reckoned with… Cimafunk has exploded on a global scale. The 2x GRAMMY nominee is now a trailblazing creator
whose music unites Afro-Cuban rhythms and African American funk”- GRAMMY.com
“Cimafunk [has] one of the most exciting live shows… perpetual showmanship and natural ability to hear music in
everything is Cimafunk’s signature… squarely in conversation with American funk, rap, and soul, drawing out a
connection that’s always existed between Black art … pulling listeners into Cimafunk’s magnetic orbit… crisscrossing
the globe, winning fans over with his electric stage presence” – ROLLING STONE
$0.00 All Ages
Join the Downtown Seattle Association/Metropolitan Improvement District as they kick off the 46th year of their free summer concert series, Downtown Summer Sounds presented by Amazon! This year’s program includes 19 outdoor concerts featuring local, national and international bands. Funk, soul, and bravado, Cuban artist Cimafunk debuts in Seattle as part of the free Downtown Summer Sounds concert series.
Downtown Summer Sounds concert series runs from July 11 through August 28. Check out the full concert lineup at downtownseattle.org/dss
Downtown Summer Sounds concert series runs from July 11 through August 28. Check out the full concert lineup at downtownseattle.org/dss
Cuban music has a new global ambassador: Cimafunk. With a name and image that pays tribute to
the Cimarrons – Cubans of African descent that resisted slavery – and music and showmanship that
re-embodies funk legends from the last century, the medical-school student turned funk artist has
developed into a musical force crafting the sonic future of the island and a global, cultural
phenomenon that unites and celebrates blackness across borders, oceans and languages.
With his unmistakable AfroCuban sounds, no holds barred live show and multiple Grammy-
nominations, Cimafunk is redefining what the planet understands as Cuban music. Cimafunk’s
debut album “Terapia” (2018), with its groundbreaking #1 single “Me Voy” – followed by his
breakout performance at SXSW 2019 and widely praised NPR Tiny Desk Concert, started a
movement of converting millions of people to the religion of groove, one live show at a time. The
AfroCuban rockstar has moved the spotlight well beyond the Buena Vista Social Club, salsa and
reggaeton.
From a local sensation on Havana’s small alternative music scene to global success, Cimafunk’s
ascent is as dizzying as an F1 race. Performing with La Tribu (The Tribe), his 9-piece band from
Havana, Cimafunk has electrified global audiences on massive stages and worldwide temples of
music, making a name for himself as one of the great showmen of today. From New Orleans Jazz
Festival and Lollapalooza Chile to becoming the first Cuban-born artist to play Coachella, this
undisputed star of Afro-Latin music has earned the adoration of musical icons such as Argentine
Fito Páez, who has hailed him as "one of the lights of the continent's future,” the Godfather of
Funk George Clinton, who refers to him as “the next one,” and Chucho Valdés, who credits
Cimafunk with masterfully and organically blending “AfroCuban with African American,
converting this into a new school that until now I haven’t heard done.”
Cimafunk’s distinctive musical fusion continued to grow in its artistry with both the release of his
second album "El Alimento” (‘The Nourishment ) -which was met with an abundance of critical
praise that included Best Albums of the Year lists of Rolling Stone, NPR and more… as well as an equal
volume of glowing reviews for his unrivaled live shows, which quickly made him one of the most in-
demand festival performers.
Cimafunk has collaborated on records and shared the stage with the likes of Alejandro Sanz,
CeeLo Green, ChocQuibTown, Chucho Valdés, Fito Páez, Fonseca, Fred Wesley, Galactic,
George Clinton, Jon Batiste, Juanes, Leoni Torres, Lettuce, Lupe Fiasco, Preservation Hall,,
Omar Portuondo, Orquesta Aragón, Robert Glasper, String Cheese Incident, The Soul
Rebels and Trombone Shorty. Susan Sarandon, Ron Delsner and other personalities have
become superfans, often seen side-stage lost in the groove, and the likes of Paul McCartney and
more have come out to check out the AfroCuban sensation.
After the success of El Alimento, Cimafunk delves even further into his exploration of the
intersections between funk and the sounds of the continent and gives us Pa' Tu Cuerpa (Mala
Cabeza Records), his most polished and mature production to date, on August 23 rd , 2024.
- - - -
“Cimafunk’s masterful album is the soundtrack for a euphoric soul train, serving up funkadelic grooves, kinetically
punctuated by Cuban rhythms [and] stellar guests… with the joy of being alive in its every note.” – NPR
“a frenetic joy ride of freewheeling blasts of percussive funk intercut with pumped-up classic Cuban riffs… Cimafunk is
engaging in a cultural mixing that celebrates a kind of Latin American hybridity … with mind-bending results. ‘El
Alimento’ has thoroughly transformed him into an international funk champion” -NY Times
“CIMAFUNK is A Must-See Act… … Cimafunk is Creating The New Sound Of Cuba & Redefining Latin
Alternative… with an energetic intensity that has drawn comparisons to James Brown… A funkadelic force to be
reckoned with… Cimafunk has exploded on a global scale. The 2x GRAMMY nominee is now a trailblazing creator
whose music unites Afro-Cuban rhythms and African American funk”- GRAMMY.com
“Cimafunk [has] one of the most exciting live shows… perpetual showmanship and natural ability to hear music in
everything is Cimafunk’s signature… squarely in conversation with American funk, rap, and soul, drawing out a
connection that’s always existed between Black art … pulling listeners into Cimafunk’s magnetic orbit… crisscrossing
the globe, winning fans over with his electric stage presence” – ROLLING STONE
the Cimarrons – Cubans of African descent that resisted slavery – and music and showmanship that
re-embodies funk legends from the last century, the medical-school student turned funk artist has
developed into a musical force crafting the sonic future of the island and a global, cultural
phenomenon that unites and celebrates blackness across borders, oceans and languages.
With his unmistakable AfroCuban sounds, no holds barred live show and multiple Grammy-
nominations, Cimafunk is redefining what the planet understands as Cuban music. Cimafunk’s
debut album “Terapia” (2018), with its groundbreaking #1 single “Me Voy” – followed by his
breakout performance at SXSW 2019 and widely praised NPR Tiny Desk Concert, started a
movement of converting millions of people to the religion of groove, one live show at a time. The
AfroCuban rockstar has moved the spotlight well beyond the Buena Vista Social Club, salsa and
reggaeton.
From a local sensation on Havana’s small alternative music scene to global success, Cimafunk’s
ascent is as dizzying as an F1 race. Performing with La Tribu (The Tribe), his 9-piece band from
Havana, Cimafunk has electrified global audiences on massive stages and worldwide temples of
music, making a name for himself as one of the great showmen of today. From New Orleans Jazz
Festival and Lollapalooza Chile to becoming the first Cuban-born artist to play Coachella, this
undisputed star of Afro-Latin music has earned the adoration of musical icons such as Argentine
Fito Páez, who has hailed him as "one of the lights of the continent's future,” the Godfather of
Funk George Clinton, who refers to him as “the next one,” and Chucho Valdés, who credits
Cimafunk with masterfully and organically blending “AfroCuban with African American,
converting this into a new school that until now I haven’t heard done.”
Cimafunk’s distinctive musical fusion continued to grow in its artistry with both the release of his
second album "El Alimento” (‘The Nourishment ) -which was met with an abundance of critical
praise that included Best Albums of the Year lists of Rolling Stone, NPR and more… as well as an equal
volume of glowing reviews for his unrivaled live shows, which quickly made him one of the most in-
demand festival performers.
Cimafunk has collaborated on records and shared the stage with the likes of Alejandro Sanz,
CeeLo Green, ChocQuibTown, Chucho Valdés, Fito Páez, Fonseca, Fred Wesley, Galactic,
George Clinton, Jon Batiste, Juanes, Leoni Torres, Lettuce, Lupe Fiasco, Preservation Hall,,
Omar Portuondo, Orquesta Aragón, Robert Glasper, String Cheese Incident, The Soul
Rebels and Trombone Shorty. Susan Sarandon, Ron Delsner and other personalities have
become superfans, often seen side-stage lost in the groove, and the likes of Paul McCartney and
more have come out to check out the AfroCuban sensation.
After the success of El Alimento, Cimafunk delves even further into his exploration of the
intersections between funk and the sounds of the continent and gives us Pa' Tu Cuerpa (Mala
Cabeza Records), his most polished and mature production to date, on August 23 rd , 2024.
- - - -
“Cimafunk’s masterful album is the soundtrack for a euphoric soul train, serving up funkadelic grooves, kinetically
punctuated by Cuban rhythms [and] stellar guests… with the joy of being alive in its every note.” – NPR
“a frenetic joy ride of freewheeling blasts of percussive funk intercut with pumped-up classic Cuban riffs… Cimafunk is
engaging in a cultural mixing that celebrates a kind of Latin American hybridity … with mind-bending results. ‘El
Alimento’ has thoroughly transformed him into an international funk champion” -NY Times
“CIMAFUNK is A Must-See Act… … Cimafunk is Creating The New Sound Of Cuba & Redefining Latin
Alternative… with an energetic intensity that has drawn comparisons to James Brown… A funkadelic force to be
reckoned with… Cimafunk has exploded on a global scale. The 2x GRAMMY nominee is now a trailblazing creator
whose music unites Afro-Cuban rhythms and African American funk”- GRAMMY.com
“Cimafunk [has] one of the most exciting live shows… perpetual showmanship and natural ability to hear music in
everything is Cimafunk’s signature… squarely in conversation with American funk, rap, and soul, drawing out a
connection that’s always existed between Black art … pulling listeners into Cimafunk’s magnetic orbit… crisscrossing
the globe, winning fans over with his electric stage presence” – ROLLING STONE
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