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THE CALIENTE FESTIVAL IN HAVANA
By roving party animal and diligent observer Rafael Lam
The month of March has been very hot in Havana, with the Caliente International Music Festival from the 8th through the 11th, organized by the Swiss company Sound Managers and the Cuban Institute of Music. Cuban artists performing were: Los Van Van, NG la Banda, Isaac Delgado, Manolito Simonet, Carlos Manuel y su Clan, Los Munequitos de Matanzas, Tata Güines, Changuito and Chucho Valdés.
Also in attendance were foreign artists from the workshop of Herbie Hancock, the DJ Jeff Mills, the dance group Magic Dancers, and the Flamenco group Mártires de Compás. In the inaugural gala ball on the 8th, ten Grammies walked on stage -- Herbie Hancock, who has won eight, and Chucho Valdés, who has two, including the Latin jazz Grammy for 2000. The two pianists commanded a great presence on stage, double-handedly pulling off a colossal concert.
On Friday the 9th in front of Malecón facing the Gulf, Herbie Hancock got together with the salseros and timberos to make music that could be heard ninety miles north, with an open-air free show in which Hancock played with Charanga Forever, NG la Banda, Isaac Delgado, Manolito Simonet and many more.
Saturday the 10th was a night of dancing at the National Theater with several invited dance groups. In a highly anticipated show, Carlos Manuel y su Clan appeared for the first time ever at La Tropical, the legendary giant open-air dance hall and beer garden that charges admission in Cuban pesos, where he created a sensation with his big hit from 2000-2001: "Malo cantidad."
Sunday the 11th was the grand finale at the National Theater, with rumba night. Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Changuito, Tata Güines, Gerardo Piloto, Mario Rivera "Mayito" of Los Van Van and Herbie Hancock played in a symphony of drums in which they interpreted, among other pieces, "Manteca", the mystical Latin Jazz piece by Chano Pozo. Chucho did not attend, as he was ill.
This Festival Caliente was a marvelous gift that functioned as a prelude to Cubadisco, which will be celebrated in May.
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