Cuerda & Clave

The Betsy Piano Bar hosts Cuerda & Clave every Sunday from 6 PM to 11 PM as part of Miami Beach’s longest-running live jazz series—seven days a week, nine shows weekly. No cover, no minimum—come at your leisure for a cocktail in the Lobby or reserve a dinner table at LT Steak & Seafood.

Enjoy the dynamic sounds of acclaimed pianist and composer Edgar Pantoja, whose music blends Cuban roots with global rhythms, alongside percussionist Gabriel Ramon Placido, a Puerto Rican artist with international orchestral and jazz experience. Together, they deliver a vibrant fusion of Latin jazz, improvisation, and world music.

6 PM TO 11 PM

EDGAR PANTOJA is a Pianist, composer, arranger, and music educator who specializes in modern and traditional Cuban genres, Latin jazz, and world music. His engaging music combines Cuban roots sources of rumba, son, and timba with international rhythms of samba, Moroccan Gnawa, jazz, and funk. Born in Santiago de Cuba, Pantoja has spent decades touring and collaborating with myriad stars, including Rubén Blades, David Murray, and Angelique Kidjo. He was also a pianist/keyboardist and arranger for Cuban conga maestro Pedrito Martinez. Pantoja graduated from the Conservatorio Esteban Salas and the Conservatorio Jose Maria Ochoa, in Cuba. @edgarpantojamusic

GABRIEL RAMON PLACIDO - Puerto-Rican native Gabriel Ramon Placido was born into a family of musicians. He graduated in 2006 from the Conservatory of Puerto Rico as a percussionist. During his college years, he represented Puerto Rico with the Conservatory Symphonic Band at Carnegie Hall. Before graduating, Gabriel won the percussionist position in the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra and went on to tour with them internationally. He has recorded music by the composer Roberto Sierra and the urban singer Daddy Yankee. As a music educator, he has taught specialty classes to music teachers, junior students, and youth students. He also teaches drums and percussion privately. In 2022, Gabriel started his master's degree in jazz drums at Florida International University with Professor Ludwig Afonso. Since 2023, Gabriel has been playing the instrument in different venues in Miami and teaching at the South Florida Center of Percussive Arts.

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