The ocean breeze tousled my hair as I desperately ran through the streets of Santa Monica worried that I would miss the performance of Sargento Garcia at the pier as part of a free summer concert series. The full blown party had the floor boards trembling above the cool ocean water as we all grooved the reggae beats of the European artist.

Fans sang along with their favorite tunes and some even joined in the beats with their own cowbells. The ensemble that accompanied Sargento Garcia was a diverse set of musicians from all over the world including Cuba, and France. Sargento’s music comes from many inspirations, but he best describes it in his own words by telling us a little bit about his album “La Semilla Escondida”: “When I first started this project, my goal was to combine the two sounds I love most: Jamaican and Cuban music. I am fighting for a world without borders, but with many more colors? Music can only be understood in terms of a blend. Everything that we listen to today is the result of a coming together of sounds.”

After shaking hands with Sargento himself, we ended the night by sharing a burrito on the sands of Santa Monica as we listened to the symphony of the ocean waves reflecting on a memorable performance…