Cumbancha records, a new independent record label specializing in world music, recently announced the signing of the first act on their roster, Anglo-Cuban band Ska Cubano. The label is scheduled to release the group's North American debut ¡Ay Caramba! on June 11th.

The 11-piece, London-based band has already made a name for themselves on the European festival circuit with their buoyant blend of Jamaican ska and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Ska Cubano's self-titled 2004 debut was a critical favorite in the U.K. and a cult classic in the U.S., where it was only available as an import. Cumbancha's release of ¡Ay Caramba! - the band's 2005 sophomore release - will make Ska Cubano widely available in the U.S. market for the first time. The release will be supported by the band's first ever North American tour this summer.

Cumbancha's support of Ska Cubano fits the fledgling label's mission well. Founded by ethnomusicologist and record producer Jacob Edgar – longtime A&R head of the influential Putumayo label – Cumbancha's goal is to bring wider U.S. exposure to deserving international artists. "Ska Cubano is a perfect example of a group that needs to be heard by a wider audience," said Edgar, in a press release, "and I'm certain that people of any age or background will find their music irresistible." The band's Afro-Cuban fusion aesthetic also dovetails nicely with the label's moniker – a Cuban word of African-derived origin that signifies an informal party or jam session.

In addition to licensing international releases for domestic distribution, Cumbancha expects to record new material as well. Based in the small town of Charlotte, VT, the label's headquarters boasts one of the best recording facilities in New England - in a farmhouse dating to the 1830s, no less. Here, Edgar plans to work more closely with many of the artists he first came to know through his work at Putumayo. "We used to say at Putumayo that doing compilations was like dating," he says, "and signing artists was like getting married. After years of flirting with some of my favorite artists, its nice to finally make some commitments and settle down."