Earth would be regarded as the music planet if Cuba were the only country on the planet. That’s why, for the Havana Jazz Festival, international celebrities, and jazz fans converge in Cuba like pilgrims to Mecca. Cuba is a country full of vibrant rhythms, colors, emotions, scents, and flavors. The throbbing Jazz music of Cuba – and the enthusiastic, friendly inhabitants who create and enjoy it – are what visitors remember most. Jazz and Cuba are as intertwined as any musical genre and country can be.
This country’s essence is inextricably linked to the centuries-old form of creative expression. There is no better opportunity for jazz fans and aficionados to explore this intoxicating art form than during the Havana Jazz Festival. If previous events are any indication, the festivities will be packed with the same energy and enthusiasm that jazz brings to Cuban radio.
Origins
Bobby Carcasses and other well-known Cuban jazz performers performed the first jazz concert at the Casa de la Cultura de Plaza in downtown Havana in 1978, launching the Havana International Jazz Festival (Cuba Jazz Festival). The name ‘International Jazz Festival Plaza’ comes from the fact that it began in this open-air arena.
The Casa de la Cultura de Plaza hall, with its lovely little outside terrace, is still a popular venue for concerts and jam sessions. Following this success, a second Jazz festival with pianist Chucho Valdes was held the following year. Famous musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Charlie Haden, Roy Hargrove, Jack DeJohnette, and Danilo Perez performed often in Havana.
Chucho Valdes became artistic director and president of the Organizing Committee of the Havana International Jazz Plaza Festival in 1996, with Alexis Vazquez Aguilera as vice president. The festival has subsequently grown to include all of downtown Havana’s major performance rooms, as well as impromptu street jam sessions along the Malecon.
The Havana Jazz Festival had its humble beginnings in 1979 when it was initially organized. However, the music, which is the star of the event, has a much longer history. Jazz is an unscripted mix of African and Spanish influences, with a splash of Latin American, European, and, more lately, American inspiration.
For its creative flow and idealized attractiveness, unfettered music has garnered universal recognition. Its popularity soared in the late 1800s, when US-Cuban ties triggered a sharing of the one-of-a-kind outlet, with New Orleans reaping the benefits. Today, jazz connects people of all ages, eliciting a reverent grin and a timeless tap of the foot. This produces a powerful magnetic pull that draws musicians and fans from all over the world to this small Caribbean island to celebrate music.
The Celebration
Music and Cuba are inextricably linked, and many styles of music can be heard at all hours of the day and night from restaurants, cafés, houses, businesses, automobiles, and the streets themselves. Havana will come alive with sound during this annual festival, as groups from all across the “country of music” unite to share their love and craft.
Along with the fantastic music, you’ll have the chance to explore Havana’s gorgeous architecture, sample traditional Cuban cuisine, learn about the country’s complicated history, and travel along the famed Malecon seawall in a classic 1950’s car. You will socialize with the locals, who will treat you as if you were a distinguished visitor.
Music and Cuba are inextricably linked, and many styles of music can be heard at all hours of the day and night from restaurants, cafés, houses, businesses, automobiles, and the streets themselves. Havana will come alive with sound during this annual festival, as groups from all across the “country of music” unite to share their love and craft.
Taste Of Music: Seeing the young up-and-coming talent hit the stage, however, is half the fun of the experience. Their songs will undoubtedly be less well-known than those of established jazz greats, but you could be watching the next Dizzy Gillespie before he becomes Dizzy Gillespie.
The Joven Jazz (Young Jazz) Festival, a competition between young artists, takes place just days before the more-known festival for those truly interested in watching the future wave of outstanding jazz musicians. You will be directly aiding the preservation of a classic genre of music in any case. With occurrences like this, it’ll undoubtedly be handed down to the next generation.
Also Read: Learn How To Come Up With Famous Barbados’ Cuisine (Flying Fish and Coucou).
