Latin GRAMMY-nominated pianist and composer Joachim Horsley has returned with his latest single, “Havana Prelude.” The track marks a distinct technical milestone for the artist, intersecting the demanding architecture of Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G Minor (Op. 23 No. 5) with the complex structures of Cuban Timba and Afro-Cuban Abakúa rhythms.
A Classical-Caribbean Dialogue
The single represents the first time Horsley has adapted Rachmaninoff’s catalogue into a Caribbean idiom, expanding on an ongoing, long-term project aimed at reframing Eurocentric classical canons through African and Caribbean musical traditions. While preserving the intricate block chords and wide leaps native to the original composition, the arrangement introduces a volatile rhythmic foundation that completely alters the piece’s atmospheric weight.
“Rachmaninoff is a very special composer, and combining his music with dance rhythms from Cuba is an angle I hope people find as a fresh offering of a legendary classic,” Horsley notes regarding the arrangement.
Deconstructing the Studio Process
The foundational tracking for “Havana Prelude” began during Horsley’s 2025 European tour at School Farm Studios in England, utilising his live rhythm section: Murphy Aucamp (drums/timbales), Yonathan “Morocho” Gavidia (percussion), and Damian Nueva-Cortes (bass). In an inversion of traditional classical recording methods, the band tracked their rhythms over a preliminary MIDI sketch, allowing the percussion to dictate the groove before Horsley recorded the final acoustic piano layers on a Steinway D back in Los Angeles.
“Havana Prelude” serves as the lead excerpt from Horsley’s upcoming album and video series, Supervision, scheduled for release later this year.
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