The traditional music of Cuba(Cayo Coco) was the Percuba festival, held in Havana April 13-17, 1999, at the Cuba at Casa de la Cultura de Plaza (Percuba 1). This event showcased traditional and concert percussion styles, and featured concerts, colloquia, contests, workshops, video presentations, and displays of instruments. Participating in this event were 400 Cuban performers and 40 guest members from 22 countries outside of Cuba.

Grupo AfroCuba is a Matanzas-based group which performs a variety of traditional Afro-Cuban music. Their success is evidence that the people of Cuba still enjoy the traditional sound of music. The goal and ambition of Grupo AfroCuba is to preserve the musical aspects of African heritage, and to introduce African heritage to new audiences.

AfroCuba was initially named Guaguanco Neopoblano and was founded in 1957 to play drum-chant style rumba. In 1968, they recorded under the name Folklore Matancero, and, in 1973, changed their name to Grupo AfroCuba. When they changed their name for the final time, they publicized their ambition "to preserve the African traditions of Matanzas and bring them to the attention of the rest of the world."Francisco Zamora Chirino, the group's artistic director said, "Our goal is to keep the legacy of our ancestors alive, while enriching it with our creative interpretation".