Get on your feet!
This audience snapshot is from the conclusion of our first installment of The Source Project, our annual exploration of African influence on new-world cultures. Alexa Burneikis, our curator for The Source Project, describes her vision for this year’s series as recreating “the FEELING of visiting Cuba by turning the venue inside out and transforming it with music, dance, (mojitos!), and art all around — all very much interactive.”
Over eight days, we had many different types of Cuban events throughout our spaces including Cuban Dreams, an art exhibition featuring the work of Havana-born visual artist Carlos Mateu. Below is a piece called “Self Portrait” that depicts his dual identities as both a Cuban and also a New York resident.
The Source Project got off to an inauspicious start. The proposed first event on Sunday, May 1, was a street party on Broadway with traditional Cuban drum music. Our goal was to recreate a famous alley in Havana, the Callejón de Hamel, which serves as a home for Afro-Cuban art and traditional drum music called rumba. Unfortunately, the event featuring Román Díaz and his rumba ensemble was rained out. As you can see from the photo, the whole street fair was canceled. Weather was not on our side.
The next night featured boleros and mojitos in Bar Thalia with Cuban diva Xiomara Laugart at the mic. Her band, which included her son Axel Tosca Laugart on keyboard, truly embraced Alexa’s transformative vision for Bar Thalia, and the full house couldn’t get enough of them! Xiomara’s set ranged from classic songs like “El manisero” (“The Peanut Vendor”) to contemporary songs. This photo, taken from the street, captures the intimate atmosphere and includes some work by Carlos Mateu.
Later in the week, virtuoso saxophonist and percussionist Yosvany Terry brought his Afro-Cuban Sextet to the Thalia for an evening of Afro-Cuban jazz. His sextet included two percussionists: one on drum set and the other who moved between congas and bata drums, traditional Cuban drums used in rumba.
To close The Source Project, Pedrito Martinez brought down the house with an incredible, high-energy salsa show. He turned the Peter Jay Sharp theatre into a dance hall with a special album pre-release party. Here is the conguero virtuoso himself and the rest of the band in action on stage last Sunday.
I imagine many in the sold-out audience came to see Pedrito’s special guest, legendary singer from NG La Banda Issac Delgado; Issac performed a number of songs, including “Habana Dreams,” the title track of Pedrito’s new album.
People of all ages were there to dance — in the aisles, at the back of the house, and even on the stage!
In addition to music events, Secret Science Club North featured a presentation given by marine biologist Fernando Bretos. He touched on political and social changes in the Caribbean nation, its relationship to the United States, and joint international efforts to study the waters between Cuba and Florida. And last, but certainly not least, Havana Film Festival New York joined our celebration with four screenings of documentaries on Cuban music. The series included 12 different films, some being screened in New York for the first time.
Watch out for more information on next year’s Source Project. No matter where we explore next, The Source Project 2017 will be filled with just as much verve as this year’s celebration. I hope to see you then!
