Palenke - London's leading Latin American Dance Band - was born in 1990 to the collective talents of Fernando Suarez (Kinacho) and Lisandro Zapata.  Both are highly professional performers and are widely experienced in the Latin and jazz scene.
 
The band's eclectic repertoire is passionate, dynamic and eminently danceable: from the characteristically hot-blooded tempos of Cuban salsa and Brazilian lambada, and the traditional folk rhythms of Colombian cumbia and Dominican merengue, to the latest Latin pop, Caribbean reggae and universally popular Spanish-style "Gypsy Kings".
 
This all-singing, five-piece band includes the traditional Latin rhythm section: piano, guitar, bass, congas, bongos and timbale.  Adriana Santana, who has become "the Queen of Salsa" in London captivating audiences with her magic voice and sensual dancing, fronts it.

After eight years, Palenke has toured Switzerland (Montreux Festival), France, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco, Malaysia, Indonesia, Ireland and Turkey.  The band has performed for dignitaries such as Prince Charles, the late King Hussein of Jordan, King Juan Carlos of Spain and has become a spicy ingredient at hotels, clubs and many pop stars parties in the UK.  The band is well known from north to south as a leading Latin band spreading the Latin fever from small to big audiences.  Palenke has been invited to the Barbican Centre, the South Bank, the Edinburgh Festival and has appeared on several TV shows.  They are currently working on their first original CD.