Tag Archive for: cuban women in music

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What to expect from the Havana Jazz Plaza Festival 2023

By Ismelys Quevedo (Cuban Music Teacher and Business Development Specialist of Havana Music Tours and Musical Getaways) 

jazz-plaza-official-flyer-2023The 38th edition of the Havana Jazz Plaza Festival will take place next January from the 22nd to the 29th in cities like Havana and Santiago de Cuba. The festival will be represented by the free spirit of jazz and visual arts, which is reflected in the event’s promotional poster by famous Cuban artist Arturo Montoto.

This festival edition will be a big celebration with two special tributes. One to its creator and Cuba’s National Music Award Winner 2012, Bobby Carcasses, and the other to the 70th anniversary of the Latin Grammy Award Winner group, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. Members of this last group will join the festival in this celebration offering a special master class to show the wide range of interconnections of jazz music with other music genres.

The Havana Jazz Plaza Festival 2023 edition’s promotional music video by composer and pianist Roberto Fonseca (Art Director of the festival) was recently released with the title “Madre Oshun.” A beautiful song that brings together representative jazz performers such as Yandy Martinez (bass), Dayron Ortiz (electric guitar), Ruly Herrera (drums), Adel González (Congas), Javier Zalba, and Emir Santa Cruz (saxophones), Roberto Garcia, Thommy Lowry (trumpets), Eduardo Sandoval and Yoandy Argudín (trombones), Rodrigo Sosa (quena flute) and the voices of Zule Guerra and Brenda Navarrete (batá drums). “Madre Oshun” also has the special participation of the saxophonists Cesar Lopez and German Velazco, along with the classical music singer Bárbara Llanes.

Among the main venues selected for the 38th edition of the Jazz Plaza Festival in Havana are the Teatro Nacional de Cuba (Sala Avellaneda and Sala Covarrubias), Teatro América, Teatro Martí, Sala Tito Junco del Centro Cultural Bertolt Brecht, Teatro del Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Pabellón Cuba, Fábrica de Arte Cubano, and the Casa de la Cultura de Plaza. Other activities will be happening on the other side of the island, especially in Santiago de Cuba city. The venues selected for this part of the event are the Iris Jazz Club, Patio de la UNEAC, Teatro Martí, Teatro Macubá, and Plaza Dolores. 

Among the well-curated concerts, the Jazz Plaza Festival will also propose other internal events like Primera Línea and the International Colloquium “Leonardo Acosta in Memoriam.” Yes, Primera Línea is back. This music business event, developed to create an interchange between musicians and business people from the global music industry, has brought a lot of success for Cuban musicians. So, the festival organizers are bringing it back in 2023. 

On the other hand, the Annual International Colloquium “Leonardo Acosta in Memoriam” will proudly commemorate its XVIII edition. This event, curated by musicologist Nerys Gonzalez Bello, will dedicate part of its workshops, lectures, and professional exchanges to a few important anniversaries, such as: the 90th Birth Anniversary of musicologist Leonardo Acosta, the 85 death anniversary of Chano Pozo, the 45 years of the foundation of CIDMUC (Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de la Música Cubana), the 60 Anniversary of the Original de Manzanillo band, and the 65th anniversary of the pianist and composer Ernán López Nussa.

At the moment, only a few artists have been confirmed as part of the event’s Line-Up. However, Havana Jazz Plaza Festival is well known for showcasing the best jazz musicians of Cuba and the world. So, we believe that this 2023 edition won’t be different. 

Join us on our special annual jazz tour. Together we can enjoy the best music of Havana during Cuba’s famous music festival, the Havana Jazz Plaza. As always, we expect the best from this 38th edition of the festival, and you should too.  More info on our tour page, HAVANA JAZZ FESTIVAL TOUR 2023.

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Cuban Women in Music: Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists – Part 2

ByYami Cabrera (Cuban musicologist and Business Development Director of Havana Music Tours and Musical Getaways) 

Modernity in Cuban music continues to showcase excellent female artists, who make the culture grow on the island more and more. In the last 20 years, women musicians have stepped forward to create songs in various genres. Therefore, we could not end Women’s History Month without honoring the new generations of Cuban Women in Music. That’s why we are launching this second part of our blog CUBAN WOMEN IN MUSIC: SPOTIFY PLAYLIST TRIBUTE TO WOMEN ARTISTS – PART 1.

In this new edition of our tribute blog post, we will be presenting the songs we recently added to our Spotify Playlist, Cuban Women in Music; Playlist Tribute to Women Artist. These additions mainly display songs popularized or composed by Cuban singers.

This new list of artists included in our Playlist will find an extraordinary variety of impressive Cuban and Cuban-American female musicians who defend their musical roots worldwide. Most of them are considered among the best contemporary female singers and composers in Cuba and Latin America due to the diversity of their voices and musical spectrum.

Cuban Women in Music, 21st Century songs written or popularized by female musicians in the last 20 years

  1. Ángel y Habanera – by Liuba María Hevia
  2. Mala – by Haila María Mompié
  3. La Bella Cubana – by La Camerata Romeo / Zenaida Romeo
  4. Bailando con otro – by Anacaona / Omara Portuondo 
  5. Donde stabas anoche – by Aymee Nuviola / Septeto Santiaguero
  6. Lágrimas de soledad – by Danay Suarez
  7. Guajiro – by Sexto Sentido
  8. Tu nombre – by Diana Fuentes
  9. Equivocao 8.6 – by Telmary y Habana Sana
  10. Tenerme – by Gretell Barreiro
  11. Palabras – by Haydée Milanés
  12. La rumba me llamo yo – by Daymé Arocena
  13. Mulata Linda – by Brenda Navarrete
  14. Tengo que partir – by Luna Manzanares
  15. Voy – by Eme Alfonso
  16. River – by Ibeyi
  17. Universo – by Yissy García y Bandancha

Bonus track: Havana – by Camila Cabello / Young Thug

You can find our Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists here. Enjoy, and let us know your opinion about our selection on the bottom part of this blog post. 

If you want to know more about women in Cuban music, check out our blog, THE 10 MOST INFLUENTIAL FEMALE MUSICIANS IN CUBAN MUSIC FOR 2020.

 

 

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Cuban Women in Music: Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists – Part 1

ByYami Cabrera (Cuban musicologist and Business Development Director of Havana Music Tours and Musical Getaways) 

Cuban women are the inspiring soul of the great culture that Cuba preserves. Each sector of Cuban society and each bit of history contains the names of sovereign and courageous women who became examples for the nation and the world. That’s why we want to share this Spotify Playlist Tribute to honor the role of Cuban women in music during this Women’s History Month. 

There is an extended list of female figures who have triumphed in the Cuban and international music scene when it comes to musicians. They have made history through songs.

Many of these courageous women have become an example for younger generations in Cuban society. Among these musical legends it is possible to mention: Maria Teresa Vera, Omara Portuondo, Celia Cruz, Isolina Carrillo, Mercedita Valdés, Elena Burke, Rita Montaner, Celeste Mendoza, Rosita Fornés, and others.

Vanesa-formell-cuban-women-in-music

Vanesa Formell

Nowadays, Cuban culture enjoys an immense arsenal of talented young women who defend their musical roots anywhere. Cuban women musicians have positioned themselves among the best in the industry. Some of them are Daymé Arocena, Eme Alfonso, Yissy García, Brenda Navarrete, Luna Manzanares, Gretell Barreiro, Diana Fuentes, Telmary, Vanesa Formell, Aymée Nuviola, La Reina y la Real, etc.

@havanamusictours

#WomenInMusic #CubanWomen in Music,@DayméArocena at #Havana #JazzPlazaFestival 2019 🇨🇺 #jazz #cubansinger #musicacubana #cubanmusic #womenhistorymonth #trending #sing

♬ original sound – Havana Music Tours

What is in our Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists? 

A long list of women’s names has become part of Cuban cultural and daily life due to their crucial role in music. We know that we can count thousands of songs dedicated to Cuban women, but we can also acknowledge a lot written, performed, and popularized by various women. In this Part 1 of our Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists, we would like to mention essential classic songs written or popularized by women musicians in Cuba.

The following list mentions a few of our favorite classic songs written or popularized by Cuban women.

  • Veinte Años (written by Maria Teresa Vera, in 1935)
  • Damisela Encantadora (popularized by Esther Borja in 1935)
  • Dos Gardenias (written by Isolina Carrillo, in 1945)
  • Quimbara (popularized by Celia Cruz in 1974)
  • El Manisero (popularized by Rita Montaner, in 1927)
  • Yo soy el Punto Cubano (written by Celina González, in 1956)
omara-portuondo-cuban-women-in-music

Omara Portuondo

Cuban women’s beauty and unique identity have also been a source of inspiration for multiple musicians. You can find lots of great songs dedicated to Cuban women. Many of them become representative compositions of Cuban music internationally. We decided to include a few of these songs on our Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists Part 1. 

The following list mentions a few of our favorite classic songs dedicated to Cuban women.

  • Guantanamera (written by Joseíto Fernández, in 1929)
  • Longina (written by Manuel Corona, in 1918)
  • Marilú (title theme of the orchestra Los Van Van, between 1969 and 1970)
  • María Caracoles (written by Pello El Afrocán, in 1964)
  • Yolanda (written by Pablo Milanés, in 1970)
  • El cuatro de Tula (written by Sergio Gonzalez Siaba of the Buena Vista Social Club, in 1996)

You can find our Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists Part 1 here. Enjoy, and let us know your opinion about our selection on the bottom part of this blog post. 

If you want to know more about women in Cuban music, check out our blog, THE 10 MOST INFLUENTIAL FEMALE MUSICIANS IN CUBAN MUSIC FOR 2020.

 

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