Jazz and culture bring New Orleans and Cuba together

After 10 days, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival concluded on May 7, one of the most important music festivals in the United States, which featured Cuba as the invited country in its 48th edition. 

 

This Festival that has brought together in this rhythmic city outstanding musicians of the US and global music industry ever since its establishment in 1970, was attended by over 100 Cuban artists who brought to New Orleans, not only the richness of the Cuban jazz movement, but also the sounds and culture of Cuba in general.  

 

The Cultural Exchange Pavilion was the hub and main stage of the presentations by the Cuban  musicians, who included important music personalities and bands such as Chucho Valdés, Los Van Van, Septeto Santiaguero, Conga de los Hoyos, Changüí Guantánamo, Septeto Nacional Ignacio Piñeiro, Gente de Zona, Telmary y Habana Sana, Daymé Arocena, Adonis y Osain del Monté, Caury, among others. 

 

Likewise, the Festival was attended by a representative group of Cuban craftsmen and plastic artists, and photographs and multimedia were exhibited, which also contributed to show and highlight the Cuban contemporary and popular culture.

 

The Ambassador of Cuba to the United States, José Ramón Cabañas Rodríguez, and representatives of the Embassy of Cuba in Washington D.C., attended segments of this event that evidenced the deep roots and cultural traditions uniting New Orleans and Cuba and the prospects for the increasing cultural exchange between the US and the Cuban peoples. 

 

The delegation of Cuba that participated in this event seized the stay in this city to exchange with representatives of different sectors, including the Mayor of New Orleans, Mitchell J. Landrieu; former senator Mary L. Landrieu;  Quint Davis, Director of the Festival; Brandy D. Christian, President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans and with members of the INCUBASO (International Cuba Society), an important association of Cubans residing in this city.