Yerba Buena Return With Buoyant ‘The Man With the Hat and the Tan (ManHatTan)’

Andres Levin — the producer, songwriter, and guitarist from Afro-Latin fusing Yerba Buena — returns with Yerba Buena’s new single, “The Man With the Hat and the Tan (ManHatTan),” alongside bandmate Pedrito Martinez and previous collaborator Ron Blake. The song also features a bevy of new guests, including Jon Batiste, Dayme Arocena, and Alain Perez. The single is the first release from an upcoming album arriving in the fall via Levin’s new label and platform, Tribe Caríbe.

The song is loosely based on the Venezuelan-born Levin’s journey through the Caribbean following several decades spent in New York City. In the accompanying Levin and Wes Walker-directed video, they travel to the regions that inspired the track. Collaborators are seen cutting and performing the song. Others join in to sing the buoyant refrain of “Manhattan, like to live in Havana,” a rollicking love letter to the areas that influenced the summery tune.

“I feel the fusion of the Caribbean and Latin American cultures is a necessary musical exploration for me and hopefully many others,” Levin said in a statement about the new project. “The album will feature artists from countries like Colombia, Haiti, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and more. We’re calling it Tríbe Caríbe.”