Cuban vocal band nominated for U.S. a cappella music award

Cuban vocal band nominated for U.S. a cappella music award Cuban vocal band Sampling was nominated for the Best Central and South American A Cappella group award by the U.S. The Contemporary A Cappella Music Society (CASA), local media said Saturday.

A cappella music is performed without instrumental accompaniment and CASA is a charitable organization co-founded in 1991 and dedicated to fostering and promoting such music around the world.

According to the report, the final list of the CASA awards will be announced on June 1.

Founded in 1989, Sampling has a wide variety of repertoire, including boleros, BINGK rumba, salsa, jazz and fusion.

Over the past 11 years, the band has produced five records, won two Latin Grammys in 2002 and performed in countries such as U.S., France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, UK and Singapore.

Rene Banos, leader of the band, said in an interview that, when the band members were still students at the National Music School in Havana, they enjoyed competing to see who could make the most original sounds for entertainment. Later they realized they could also make serious art based on a cappella singing.

Sampling would give two concerts in Venezuela next week and a touring performance in Europe in June, BINGK Banos said.