Born in 1972 in Manzanillo, in the eastern heartlands of Cuban 'son', David Alvarez grew up making music. He took up classical guitar early and then also percussion, taking music lessons first in Manzanillo and then at the Conservatoire in Santiago de Cuba, before eventually moving to Havana. Here he became involved in the contemporary 'nueva trova' song movement joining the group of Pedro Luiís Ferrer, one of Cuba's modern troubadours in 1989. Then in the mid-1990s Alvarez brought together his own cutting-edge group of young musicians to found 'Juego de Manos' (Conjuring) named for one of his early songs full of word play. Their first album was Rimasones (Rhyming Sones). Then in 2000 Tumi music brought out 'Mundo Loco' (Crazy World), Alvarez' rootsy fusion of Caribbean sounds. The song 'Son demasiado' (Too Much Son), with which Alvarez won the special critics prize in the 2000 Adolfo Guzman competition (Cuba's prestigious annual music prize), gives its name to this his third album.

"With the vibrant energy of a sparkling new generation of Cuban musicians David Alvarez and Juego de Manos offer irresistible songs to dance to with the infectious sounds of the Caribbean rippling through them."
Jan Fairley