Though "timba," the name ascribed to NG La Banda’s bold fusion of American funk and disco, hyperkinetic Latin rhythms, and improvisatory melodic lines, initially offended the sensibilities of traditionalists, the style’s bracingly contemporary sound gained almost immediate support from the Cuban general public. Flautist José Luis Cortés, who had served tenures with the pioneering dance outfits Irakere and Los Van Van, formed the ensemble in the mid ‘80s. The group spent several years playing more traditional Latin jazz before finding their voice with EN LA CALLE, generally considered the first timba album, in 1989. Their subsequent albums, including CABARET PANORAMICO and ECHALE LIMON, have inspired the formation of countless timba outfits in both Cuba and southern Florida.