1. Angelica Lopez (Colombia) - Singer
The talented Cartagena-born singer arrived in the UK in 2002 and has since made her mark as one of Europe’s most unique Colombian folk acts, with her group Papayera. Her wonderful voice has long harnessed the respect of her peers and Angelica won over both audiences and judges to become the LUKAS’s first ever female Vocalist of the Year.
https://www.facebook.com/angelicaloal
2. Gledys Ibarra (Venezuela) - Actress
This great Venezuelan actress was already a national treasure in her home country before arriving on UK shores. With an established career in theatre, cinema and television in Venezuela, Colombia, México, the US, France and Spain, Gledys has won many awards for her craft. Today she adds a LUKAS to her trophy cabinet for her acclaimed performance in ‘Darwin’s Tortoise’ at London’s Cervantes Theatre by Juan Mayorga and directed by Paula Paz.
3. Rene Alvarez (Cuba) - Musician
Led by Venezuelan born Rene Alvarez, who is musical director, arranger, producer and singer, this is without a doubt one of the most explosive salsa bands in Europe right now. Using some of the finest Latin musicians in the UK a band, Rene has established a sound and style as good as any Cuban salsa band in the world.
https://www.facebook.com/Cuban-Combination-1536979216566143/
4. Eric Moreno (Colombia) - DJ
Young Eric is part of the new generation of UK Latin Club DJs who are taking Latin music to new audiences with their ingenious mixing of Reggaeton and Latin club hits. Eric plays for 100s of people every week and has proved to be this year’s most popular DJ among Latin club goers.
5. Malena Arcucci (Argentina) and Mariana Aristizabal Pardo (Colombia) - Theatre Directors
Having trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and at the Universidad Distrital in Bogotá, Colombia Mariana has worked both as a solo performer-creator and has devised collaborative performances in interdisciplinary projects that involve theatre, dance and music. With a background in sculpture and installation, Malena trained as a theatre designer in both Buenos Aires and London. She is currently doing an MA in Design of Experiences. They were both awarded the CASA bursary for emerging theatre artists, and received the LUKAS Theatre Production of the Year Award in 2018 for their work ‘I Occur Here’. In 2019 these two creators are looking into taking the company further, we are currently developing two shows. One will be a part of a performance philosophy symposium in Amsterdam, in March. The second one is a devised and physical piece called "Us Six", based on poems by latin american female writers. Having received Popelei Commissions 2018/2019, they will endevour to continue bringing Latin American voices on stage.
6. Omar Puente (Cuba) - Violinist
Composer, arranger, violinist and band leader Omar Puente is one of the most respected violinists on the global Jazz scene. Since leaving Cuba in 1997, where he was First violinist at the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra, Omar has played with the likes of John Williams, Kirsty MacColl, Jools Holland, Eddie Palmieri, Ruben Gonzales, Winston Marsalis' and Nigel Kennedy. He returns to pick up his second LUKAS after winning 2017 LUKAS Jazz Act of the Year.
https://www.facebook.com/omar.puentefiffe
7. Eliane Correa (Cuba/Argentina/Luxembourg) and Juanita Euka (Congo/Argentina) - Musicians
These two feisty and talented Latin London musical wonders are trailblazers for Latin creative women in the UK. As well as being an outstanding pianist, producer and composer Eliane also curates London's Latin Jazz Festival. Juanita Euka is a unique vocalist, drawing on her African and Argentine roots. Together in their band, Wara, they fuse the fieriest of contemporary Havana grooves with the dynamic sounds of London’s underground. They lead a group of Pan-Latin musicians in a hard-hitting mix of dembow, Afro-Latin folklore, hip-hop and reggae.
https://en-gb.facebook.com/waramusic/
8. Claudia Aurora (Portugal) – Fado Singer
Though now residng in Bristol, this Porto born singer-songwriter live in London for many years and is the UK’s leading voice of Fado, the deeply expressive soul music from Portugal. Claudia’s first album "Silencio" was signed by Harmoni Mundi and took her to tour Europe and the Far East. Over the years Claudia has established herself as one of the finest Portuguese Fado singers of her generation.
https://www.facebook.com/Claudia.Aurora.Fado/
9. Dorance Lorza (Colombia) - Musician
Colombian born band leader Dorance Lorza already had a very impressive record from back home as a musician, arranger, composer and producer, working with the the biggest names in Colombian salsa music such as Los Niches, Los Del Caney, Los Titanes, to Fruko y su Orquesta. Since arriving in the UK, he has headed el Sexteto Cafe. one of the most popular and booked salsa bands in the UK and have been featured at many prestigious salsa congresses and jazz festivals . Pioneering the worldwide “salsa con vibes” and were one of the first bands in Europe to favour the small combo salsa sound of 1960s/1970s bands like Joe Cuba Sextet/ New Swing Sextet/Pete Terrace Combo rather than that of the more common big brass-heavy salsa orchestras of the day. Dorance has won LUKAS award as musician and this year for his album 'Tributo a Cali'
10. Fernando "Kbson" (Colombia) - DJ
Fercho, as he is also known, has been one of he most influential Latin DJs in the UK for over 2 decades. Colombian born and london raised, he has shared his passion for salsa music with generations of salsa lovers and is still the reference when it comes to Salsa in the UK. This is his third LUKAS which shows how popular Fernando still is!
https://www.facebook.com/KB50N
Please tell us who your favourite artists and creatirs are, by nominating them at www.thelukas.co.uk
