Originally launched at The Cross as a quintet in December 2016, AfroKan was relaunched as a septet in 2025 as part of the Wellington Jazz Festival to celebrate resident Cuban musician and band leader Rafael Ferrer Noel's 20th anniversary in New Zealand. AfroKan (a Yoruba term used in Cuba meaning Africano de Corazón -African at Heart) plays 100% authentic and totally danceable Afro-Cuban and Latin Jazz and is collaboration between graduates of the NZ School of Music and resident Afro-Latino musicians. Repetoire includes compositions by Afro-Cuban Jazz greats such as Chucho Valdéz, Carlos “Patato” Valdéz, Poncho Sánchez, Rubén González and Orlando “Maraca” Valle amongst others. Presented with the support of Ministry of Ethnic Communities.