David Cultura Is Putting Melody First on His Radiant Debut Album

David Cultura is making jazz feel like a warm breeze. The Panamanian-born multi-instrumentalist is stepping into the spotlight with his debut album Cultura, out September 19 via Devon Allman’s Create Records, and it’s already shaping up to be a genre-fluid statement of intent.

The first single, “Margarita,” is a breezy, percussion-led track that feels like watching the sun dip below the horizon with a drink in hand. Like much of Cultura, the song threads Caribbean rhythm, jazz roots, and Latin soul with melodies that invite you in and never let go.

“I didn’t want this album to be over people’s heads,” David says. “I wanted it to move people—literally and emotionally.”

Across the album’s seven tracks, David flexes his chops on flute, sax, guitar, and percussion, while leaning into groove-forward arrangements that pull from Panama, St. Louis, and now, San Diego. It’s a debut that speaks multiple musical languages but tells one clear story: rhythm, melody, and cultural identity can live in harmony—and on the dancefloor.