Cuban Music in Old Havana

Old Havana is a place really picturesque and beautiful.offer the best of the popular art learned a long time
Its cobblestoned, narrow streets and corners full ofago.
the purest contrasts between sun and shade areSome 72 musical groups invite us to move our feet,
now a musical center -as it can be seen today- a realor simply to listen to them while we have a snack or
Cuban party.a supper in company of friends or relatives.
Noisy as it is, colonial Havana is better known for itsThe origin of such animation can be traced back to
more-than-80-year-old musicians than for itsDecember, 31st, 1994, when a supper was organized
museums -as many foreign visitors confess.at the Cathedral Square -the most emblematic of the
Perhaps, the world reign of Francisco Repiladofive squares that exist around that old area- and
(Compay Segundo), an already dead troubadour andfrom that moment on, music, gastronomy and
sonero propitiated that a considerable part of all thearchitecture combine in order to offer the visitor a
people who pass by this part of the Cuban capitalnew opportunity.
look for that musician's lineage -and find it.The milieu is contagious, but the most
Such richness can be found in bars, restaurants andrecommendable restaurants are El Patio, with its big
hotels of this Cuban area founded in 1519 -aumbrellas in the same Cathedral Square -all very
wonderful landscape full of chromatism and thenoisy- La Mina, Don Giovanni, the Lobby Bar of the
affable environment that its dwellers grant to thisAmbos Mundos Hotel, the Café Paris or La
place.Lluvia de Oro -all of them very close to each other.
There, tourism is operated by the Cuban companyThe Plaza Vieja (Old Square), for instance, has one
Habaguanex, an enterprise that was named after thecorner that is quite remarkable for its sounds and
last indigenous chief who lived in that area and sincemusic. It is the Café Taberna Benny
1994 has been in charge of maximizing the historicMoré, built as homage to the worldwide
and cultural recreation in the approximately 4.5 squarefamous musician of the same name who is already
kilometers of this old area of the city.dead and who was baptized with the name El
Through narrow streets, shops and truly beautifulBárbaro del Ritmo.
corners there can be seen lots of people walking andCuba is a great amalgam, but in the musical field it
mingling with foreigners who are eager to understandcultivates more than 25 diverse rhythms, among
the nature of Cubans, with a very strong base on itswhich we can clearly find the Son, the Conga, the
music and dance.Rumba, the Mambo and the Cha Cha Chá, now
Out of the 100 facilities for recreation or stores, 40very peculiarly diffused all over the world, especially
enjoy live animation, be it traditional, instrumental,through the Salsa.
Spanish or Latin-American music.It is all about a real Cuban party in all senses, capable
There exists a prevalence of young artists, but theof persuading the most gentle of all parishioners, may
most symbolic and appealing are the old ones whohe come from whatever corner of the world, simply
-with the strength of a thousand lions - continue tomagical.