Lengaïa Salsa Brava is a Juno-nominated Montreal-based 12-piece orchestra created in 2012 by Latin and Guyanese trombone player Giany-Frantz Huyghues-Despointes. Its orchestral format of three trombones and a baritone saxophone gives it a unique sound color through power and harmony.
In 2023, Lengaïa released its third album Estética de un Rumbero.
Like its birthplace, Montreal, Lengaïa is multicultural: its members come from no less than seven countries — French Guiana, Cuba, Colombia, Peru, Quebec, Spain and Venezuela.
Lengaïa has accompanied several international artists from the world of salsa such as Yoko Mimata (2016), Ismael Rivera Jr (2017) and the singer of Fania All Stars, Ismael Miranda (2017), and collaborated with Jimmy Bosch as special guest on the Gold Diggers album in 2019.
Lengaïa is the winner of the Canada Latin Awards in the “Salsa Group of the Year” category for two consecutive years in 2017 and 2018.
With an average of 30 concerts each year since 2012, the orchestra has performed in festivals including Nuits d’Afrique, Salsa on St Clair, Toronto Salsa Festival, Festival Nuit Blanche de Montréal and London Sun Fest.
In 2019, the orchestra completed a successful tour in Colombia (Cali, Medellín and Bogotá).
The orchestra was nominated at the Juno Awards 2021 in the World Music category for the Gold Diggers album.
Lengaïa is distributed by Lulaworld Records and represented by Marylin Gilbert.
Awards
- “Prix des maisons de la culture” de Montréal, 2022
- Juno Award nomination 2021 for The Gold Diggers, World Music category
- New Gen Salsa TOP 100, August 2018 — #1 ranking for the song “Comedia del arte”
- Canada Latin Awards 2019 — Winner, Best tropical song of the year
- Canada Latin Awards 2018 — Winner, Salsa Orchestra of the Year
- Canada Latin Awards 2017 — Winner, Salsa Orchestra of the Year
- Canada Latin Awards 2016 — Nomination, Salsa Orchestra of the Year
Discography
- Estética de un Rumbero, 2023, Lula World Label
- The Gold Diggers, 2020, Lula World Label
- Impacto, 2018, iMusician Label
Soundtrack filmography
- “Exiliados” web series — song “Comedia del Arte”, Canada, 2019
- “Ultramarin, ultraterrien” documentary — song “Salsa Dura Hasta la muerte”, France, 2019
- “Cranks” movie, Canada, 2020
- “Mme Lajoie” movie, Spain, 2020
- “Diggstown” series, Canada, 2020