Cuba Was Magical!

The people welcomed us with open arms and huge smiles.  The interplay between the Cuban and American musicians illustrated just how much music is the language that transcends all cultures.  What a treat!

Highlights included: delivering donations to La Colmenita, a children’s theatre troupe in Havana.  The kids bubbled with stage presence.  Their English was way better than my Spanish!

Riding in a Cocotaxi – a cross between a vespa and an overgrown bright yellow football helmet!

My producer, Terry Miller, Patty Stong Barrett and Julio Reyes are jumping into our ride – a 57 pink chevy! Gotta love Cuban cars!

Hanging out on the breezeway at the beautiful Hotel Nacional — watching folks from all over the world enjoy the malecon, also known as the 7 mile cement sofa, that overlooks Havana Harbor. (People come to the malecon to hang out, play music and enjoy the sea.)

Music with Terry Miller, Julio Reyes, Brian Nova, Alberto Faya, Russ Hands and others at gorgeous Havana venues including La Florida and The Hotel Nacional. Singing Moon River at Kadir’s villa with Julio Reyes, amazing guitarist.  Kadir is a national treasure, an artist who comments on power and suppression by using iconic symbols.

At the nightly cannon firing ceremony with my dear friend and extraordinary pianist, Patty Strong Barrett.

Clowning around with my crazy producer in Cuba