Papo Y Son Mandao is a joyful musical group led by Alexis Muñoz Guevara, known as 'Papo,' born in Yaguajay, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, in 1964. Papo learned guitar and harmony through self-study and with the help of fellow Cuban musicians, beginning his professional career in 1993 with Trio En Sueño and touring Canada, Guatemala, Italy, and France.
He emigrated to Mexico in 2001, directing and performing with the group Coco Ache in Puerto Vallarta; eleven years later he moved to New Orleans, where he has become a staple of the Latin-Cuban music scene in the Crescent City and Baton Rouge. His repertoire spans Latin jazz, salsa, and cha-cha.
His 2018 release So What…¿Que Bolá? includes the title cut and the passionate 'Drume Negrita.' The group has played the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — including a 2025 Jazz & Heritage Stage set with a seven-piece lineup — and performed live in the WWOZ studio.
