A casual indoor group portrait photograph of the three Rum & Coke DJs sitting together against a plain light beige wall. From left to right: Jesus Rodriguez has short dark hair and a light beard, wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans, sitting with their hands resting on their knees. In the center, James Alvarez-Bacon (DJ Kumi) has long dark locs and a light beard, wearing a light gray t-shirt, leaning slightly forward. On the right, Harold Fandino has short dark hair and a dark beard, wearing a black t-shirt with a small colorful graphic and dark pants. In the foreground, resting on the light wooden crates in front of the group, are a glass bottle of Coca-Cola, a clear glass liquor bottle, a small textured object, and a glass filled with a dark liquid. — (L-R) Rum & Coke DJs Jesus Rodriguez, James Alvarez-Bacon (DJ Kumi), and Harold Fandino. Credit: c/o Rum & Coke

With roots at Gramps alongside DJ Action Pat, and after years of residency at Dante’s Hi-Fi plus sets at Montreux Jazz Festival, DJ Kumi, Harold Fandino, and Jesus Rodriguez bring their celebration of Caribbean and Afro-Latin sounds for a Tampa debut.

With a focus on the 1960s–1980s, the trio known as the Rum & Coke DJs tap into their roots — they’re from the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Nicaragua — while spinning funk, zouk, salsa, merengue, Afrobeat, soukous, cumbia, and more. Organizers Salsa con Ron — driven by the Sorta Pretty Good duo of Sean O’Brien and Effren Denson — have set a grown folks schedule for this party, which wraps by 10 p.m.

What’s more is that the get together comes complete with both chicken and yellow rice along with rum and Coke, and potential domino games on the Kress Contemporary atrium.

“I’m one of those people, like, I get an idea in my head and it’s so hard for me to let go of it,” longtime Tampa promoter O’Brien told Creative Loafing about his latest endeavour. “I like taking the risk of doing something special.”

Tickets to see Rum & Coke at Kress Contemporary in Ybor City on Sunday, May 31 are still available and start at $15.

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This article appears in May 21 – 27, 2026.