Founded in San Diego in 2004, the Manny Cepeda Orchestra is led by Puerto Rican composer, arranger, percussionist, and Latin Grammy–nominated bandleader Manny Cepeda. Blending classic salsa traditions with Afro-Caribbean, merengue, and Cuban influences, the ensemble delivers high-energy dance music rooted in decades of international performance experience. Cepeda, a former U.S. Navy Band timpanist, has toured throughout South America, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean while composing original works featured across Southern California festivals and stages.