Timba Británica y Tristan Butler

After their sold-out debut PizzaExpress Live show, drummer and percussionist Tristan Butler returns with his 15-piece Cuban Salsa orchestra Timba Británica to PizzaExpress Live with an all-new show featuring, for the first time live, original material. Inspired by Cuban salsa greats such as Los Van Van, Bamboleo, Havana D’Primera, Alain Perez and Manolito y su Trabuco, Timba Británica’s new material blends son, rumba, funk and salsa into a powerful, groove-based performance that turns any venue into a vibrant Cuban nightclub. Tristan Butler is a London-based drummer, percussionist and bandleader who has been working extensively on the UK Latin music scene for over a decade. He studied Classical Percussion at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, before travelling extensively across Latin America, immersing himself in the study of Latin and Afro-Cuban percussion traditions. This journey eventually led him to Havana, where he lived and studied, working closely with leading Cuban percussionists such as Changuito, Yaroldy Abreu, Enrique Pla and Roicel Riverón, as well as musicians from some of Cuba’s most influential bands, including Alain Pérez, Manolín and Manolito y su Trabuco. Over the course of more than a decade, Tristan has performed extensively across the UK with a wide range of Latin bands, becoming a familiar presence on the national salsa and Latin jazz scene. Alongside this, he founded and hosted the London Latin Jam, which quickly became an important meeting point and creative hub for Latin and jazz musicians in the city. Out of this environment, Timba Británica was formed in 2024. The 15-piece orchestra is made up of a powerful mix of leading Latino musicians and UK jazz artists, united by a shared passion for Cuban timba. Timba Británica has already completed two UK tours. In 2024, the band toured with a tribute to Los Van Van, featuring Grammy Award-winning vocalist Mayito Rivera, including a headline performance on the Latino Stage at Glastonbury Festival. In 2025, the band toured a tribute to 1990s Cuban salsa with singer Dayan Carrera, formerly of Pupy y Los Que Son Son. The group’s upcoming performance marks a particularly special moment in its development, as for the first time Timba Británica will present original compositions by Tristan Butler live. "“the cultural duality lies in the blend of players from both countries… an intoxicating blend of son, salsa, rock and funk” " - JAZZWISE