Sabor Exclusive with Omar Sosa: Unique Afro-Cuban Sound Makes Norfolk Debut

"I listen to more traditional, ethnic music-because everything comes from the traditional music of every part of the world," he said. Of late, Sosa has tuned in to music from Mongolia, Tibet, Mali, Ghana and Tanzania as well as European classical music.

African and Cuban melodies, combined with other international influences, form Sosa's own sound. "The African tradition is so big," he said. "And with the Afro-Cuban tradition, we have a different point of view-combining the Santeria tradition, the country style of Cuban music-all of this music comes together because I use jazz as a link to all music."

Sosa began playing percussion at age 8 in his home town of Camagüey, Cuba. "Percussion was-is-my first music," Sosa said. "I don't have classical training as a piano player. I keep my percussion playing with the piano." Sosa pointed out that the piano actually is a percussion instrument, in the way the keys strike the instrument's strings.

Sosa said that upon hearing the news, he could not believe that Israel "Cachao" Lopez, the Cuban bassist-composer credited with inventing the mambo, had passed away last week. Sosa had played with Lopez over the summer. He plans to dedicate his next album to the pioneering Cuban musician. "He was, in my opinion a strong African musician. one of our kin," Sosa said. "We lost one of our masters. we need to keep the legacy, to let everyone know where we come from, and try to keep the tradition."

Sosa has visited many of the places that influence his music, and is constantly traveling. He has journeyed to Africa, and spent several years in the 1990s absorbing the African-rooted culture in northwest Ecuador. He considers the recent filming of "Light in the Sky," a Music Video from "Afreecanos" in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, to be the highlight of his musical career.

"I spend most of my time touring-all year," he said. "This is hard for my two kids. but life is like this." Sosa tries to return to his native Cuba once a year, and also has family in Spain and Miami.

Sosa's lifestyle continues to tie him to the road, yet allows him to remain focused on the ultimate goal of his music: the pursuit of freedom.

The audience at the 7 p.m. Sunday concert will be treated to tracks from Sosa's previous albums as well as new performances from " Afreecanos."

"We'll start with a previous record: 'Live à FIP,'" Sosa said, referring to the 2006 album recorded live in Paris. "'Afreecanos' is a product of 'Live à FIP.'" He will also play tracks from his Grammy-nominated album, "Mulatos".

Sosa will be joined on stage by the new Afreecanos ensemble, featuring Senegalese vocalist and percussionist Molly Sylla, drum and bassist Marque Gilmore and Mozambican electric bassist Childo Tomas.

Sosa looks forward to his first visit to Norfolk. The trip will be a celebration of sorts-he is about to turn 43.