Bio Ritmo

Richmond-based Salsa Revivalists

Bio Ritmo has invested over two decades in the study and performance of ‘salsa’ music – a genre that evolved during the 60’s and 70’s that fused traditional African, Latino and Caribbean rhythms and melodies with American Jazz sensibilities. The members of Bio Ritmo represent a new generation of ‘salseros’ and are recognized around the globe for their innovative song writing and for pioneering the ‘indie’ salsa movement. This movement aspires to not only preserve the roots of salsa but to contribute to the evolution of the music by incorporating new sounds, rhythms and influences from around the world. Based out of Richmond Virginia, since 1991, Bio Ritmo began as an experimental percussion ensemble. Founding members Jorge Negron, Rei Alvarez and Jim Thomson shared a love for classic salsa and soon thereafter decided to expand the group’s instrumentation, thus creating a full-fledged salsa orchestra. Over the last 21 years, the ten-member, Bio Ritmo has performed throughout the US, Puerto Rico, Canada, Europe and The Republic of Georgia. They have independently released 10 albums and have been featured on numerous compilation albums including the 2012 'Rough Guide to Salsa' distributed by the UK’s World Music Network, which also featured a bonus compilation CD of exclusively Bio Ritmo music. Their albums have been featured in the iTunes top ten best Tropical albums of the year and recent publications such as Wax Poetics, Latin Beat Magazine and Spain’s EnLace Funk magazine have spotlighted Bio Ritmo, further strengthening the band’s reputation as one of the most original and forward thinking bands in the modern indie Salsa music movement.