CUBA 50 Celebrating Cuban Culture  /  February 2020

All the latest cultural news from Cuba and events coming up around the UK

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Eliades Ochoa in London on 26 February 



Eliades, the former Buena Vista Social Club kingpin is known as Mr Chan Chan in his hometown of Santiago de Cuba, from the song that Compay Segundo gave to him to make its first recording. His unique guitar and vocal style has made him a champion of string and percussion driven son, bolero and guaracha. 

He will be performing with Cuban jazz violinist Omar Puente in London on 26 February. don't miss it!

Get 30% off tickets using our special code 170719 when you book online here. 
 

Want to learn or improve your Cuban-style dancing in 2020?

We list some of the many classes all over Britain offering Cuban salsa or other Cuban dance classes. We have mentioned where they are taught by Cuban teachers. Of course there are many other dance teachers who are qualified and experienced and will give you an excellent grounding in Cuban dance. Let us know your recommendations.

Get dancing and enjoy this fabulous part of Cuban culture!
 
 
 

Cuban artist Lesbia Vent Dumois wins the Cuban national visual arts prize

Cuban painter and printmaker Lesbia Vent Dumois has won Cuba’s most prestigious annual visual art award for the year 2019, for the  "delicate lyricism" of her work, but also for her contribution to the island's cultural life since the early 1960s as an artist, curator, gallerist and teacher. She is also a founding member of UNEAC.
 
 

Who was Jose Marti?

Find out more about Cuban poet and national hero Jose Marti - and why he and his legacy is celebrated on the anniversary of his birth on 28 January every year across Cuba.

Read the words of his most famous poem 'Versos Sencillos' in English and spanish, on which the famous Cuban song 'Guantanamera' is based.
 

Cuban duo Gente de Zona and the Miami cultural blockade

The Mayor of Miami and others in the US attempt to block Cuban musicians from performing in Miami venues to punish them for not renouncing their homeland. Cuban rap duo Gente de Zona are the latest victims.
 
 
 
 

"Yesun is the album I’ve always wanted to make – all my influences are here. All the sounds and vibes that make me who I am”

Read a review of Roberto Fonseca's latest album 'Yesun' 

Buy the album

Watch a video of the track 'Aggua' from the album 
 

Buy Cuban coffee, honey, chocolate 

Fresh and rich Crystal Mountain coffee, beans and ground, direct from the Escambray mountains of central Cuba, delicious honey from Matanzas and much more
 
 
 

EVENTS COMING UP
 
 

CineCuba free screening, 24 February, Manchester


A New CineCuba film club launches in Manchester Monday 24 February with screening of fascinating documentary '638 Ways to Kill Castro'. Check out the full year's programme, with bi-monthly screenings, of feature films and documentaries from and about Cuba, exploring society, politics, history and culture of the island.
 
 

CineCuba: 'Finca Marta - greening agriculture in Cuba', 24 February, London


CineCuba London continues its season of free screenings of features and documentaries, this month on the theme of sustainable agriculture in Cuba with interviews with Cuban agronomist Fernando Funes about his own longterm project his farm Finca Marta, which supplies organic vegetables locally and to Havana.
 

Eliades Ochoa + Omar Puente, 26 February, London


Eliades is still known as Mr Chan Chan in his hometown of Santiago de Cuba. He played the first notes on his guitar at the age of six, and at twelve he walked around town singing what he had learned from the radio – the rest is eternal Cuban music history. For 30% discount on tickets use code 170719 when you book online here
 
 
 
 

Acosta Danza: Evolution, 1 March - 11 April: Southampton, Cardiff, Inverness, Bradford, Brighton, Salford, Plymouth, Newcastle, Nottingham


With its mix of ballet and contemporary dance, Carlos Acosta’s company brings a new programme, in which  Acosta  himself makes a guest appearance. Paysage, Soudain, la nuit by Swedish choreographer Pontus Lidberg; the iconic Rooster, choreographed by Christopher Bruce; and a new work by Cuban choreographer Raúl Reinoso.
 
 

Yelfris Valdes,

1 March - Leeds, 3 March -Bristol

“The incredible Afrocuban Trumpet player... Yelfris Valdes, sounds like his horn could be made of glass!” Mary Anne Hobbs – 6 Music. After 10 years with Sierra Maestra, and deep roots in jazz, Yelfris has spent some years in London exploring a beautiful, more spiritual and varied sound.
 

Alexander Abreu and Havana D'Primera at Havana to Londres music festival, 7 March, London


Wow! An all dayer feast of live Cuban music and dance, with daytime dance workshops with 12 teachers, followed by an evening of live bands, headlined by top Cuban timba group Alexander Abreu & Havana D'Primera, supported by Rene Alvarez and his Cuban Combination, Jesus Cutino y su orquesta, Osvaldo Chacon y su timba , Oscar Martinez and the Latin All Stars. Book now!
 
 
 
 

Poetry: Inside Che's little green notebook, 16 March, London 


Poetry evening exploring Che Guevara's self-identified failure as a poet and the contents of his little green notebook of works his favourite poets, with readings in English and Spanish of some of hi favourite poems including by Cuban national poet Nicolas Guillen. 
 
 

Alma de Tambor + Ran KanKan, 28 March, Oxford


Alma de Tambor is a female percussion and vocals project under the creative directorship of Cuban rumba singer and musician Gerardo de Armas Sarria, exploring the essence of Cuba's African rhythms. Cuban dance teacher and performer Ariel Rios Roberts will lead a dance class and 20 piece Oxford based band Ran Kan Kan, inspired by the music of Cuban big bands will lead the party.
 

Want to learn songs of the Orishas?, London

The London Lucumi Choir is open for new members in 2020.They are a high quality performance and recording group who sing songs to Orisha and other Afro-Cuban genres accompanied by Bata drums. They have just released their 4th album and are planning on touring in Cuba end of May.  

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