Orquesta Failde, founded in Matanzas, Cuba in 2012 by Ethiel Failde, a descendant of Miguel Failde, the originator of the danzón, seeks to perpetuate that legacy alongside the entirety of Cuban popular music. Their distinctive format enables them to showcase a diverse array of rhythms, spanning from traditional genres (danzón, son, mambo, cha-cha-cha, bolero) to more modern and tropical styles such as timba, Latin jazz, salsa, merengue, and cumbia. La Failde has received nominations for a Latin Grammy in 2020, 2023, and 2025 in the Best Traditional Tropical Album category. The ensemble consists of young musicians who blend academic training with the popular traditions of a city renowned as the birthplace of rumba, danzón, Dámaso Pérez Prado, and the Sonora Matancera. 

A three-time recipient of the Cubadisco award, they have performed in over 40 cities across Mexico, Spain, Hungary, the United States, Colombia, Canada, Peru, and Martinique, at prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center in Washington, Places des Arts in Montreal, Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Gran Canaria, László Papp Budapest Sports Arena in Hungary, Zócalo in Mexico City, Cordillera Festival in Bogotá, Mérida Fest, and Afro-Caribbean Festival in Veracruz. 

Orquesta Failde has performed on stage and in recordings alongside artists including Omara Portuondo, Silvio Rodríguez, Johnny Ventura, Raphael, Eugenia León, Andy Montañez, Gaby Moreno, Aymée Nuviola, Pasión Vega, Haila, and the Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba Ballet. They are presently the primary catalyst for the potential designation of the danzón as a cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO. 

– ROLLING STONE OCTOBER 2025