Axel Tosca and Xiomara Laugart

Xiomara Laugart and Axel Tosca have a connection That far exceeds the normal mother/son relationship. Xiomara, known as "The Voice of Cuba," got her son interested in music at an early age. Axel won several piano competitions in Cuba before moving to the U.S. in 2005 as part of the Havana Nights revue that played for two years at the world-fames Stardust Casino and Resort, in Las Vegas. He continued his education at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. Xiomara has been representing her country and her people at venues around the world for over 30 years with the greatest of international talent. Those who have entered Cuba through Jose Marti International Airport in Havana will know that upon arrival, they are greeted by beautiful video images of Old Havana on TV screens and the sultry voice of Xiomara Laugart singing "Hoy mi Habana".She is a living legend in her native Cuba. At the turn of the millenium, Xiomara moved to New York City and became the lead vocalist of the band Yerba Buena. The group received a Grammy nomination in 2003 for their first album President Alien. Music from the album can be heard in the film Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights and in Pepsi commercials. In 2007, Xiomara left Yerba Buena and embarked on an adventure that held the enormous responsibility of representing one of the most important figures in Latin culture, Celia Cruz, the Queen of Salsa Music, in the first ever theatre production of CELIA: The Life & Music of Celia Cruz.

Photo Credit: Screenshot by WRTI