ARTES DE CUBA

KENNEDY CENTER, WASHINGTON, D.C.

PART 2 - MAY 18, 2018

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY TOM EHRLICH © 2018

Here are the photos from my second day at the festival.  

Samples of more of the art exhibits on display at the Kennedy Center. 

Hybrid of a Chrysler by Esterio Segura. 

House constructed of Cuban coffee makers called Cafedral by Roberto Fabelo

Exhibit of household items called "Towers" by Roberto Fables suggesting that assuring man's daily sustenance is a towering achievement.

"Endless Circle" by Roberto Fabelo - people walking along the rim of a cauldron evoking man's daily struggle for subsistence

"Worlds" by Roberto Fabelo made of animal bones, bullet shells, charcoal, kitchen utensils and dried beans.  Roberto's commentary on the world's urgent problems was, famine, hunger and environmental degradation.

The free concert for this day was Cuba Goes Tap - a program created by Cuban-Dutch composer Kela Orozco, which featured tap dancer Max Pollak.  The program merged American tap dancing with Afro-Cuban music and dance.

Keyla Orozco introducing the program

Performers included Keyla Orozco director, composer, and curator, Max Pollak tap dancer, Ana Rosa Hernandez piano, Ilmar López-Gavilán violin, Diana Rosa Alvarez clarinet and Mariana Ramirez-Alvarado marimba, drums, percussion. 

The progam started with a solo piece by Max Pollak, which was a series of orisha prayers which he sang, tap danced and used his body and hands for percussion.

Max Pollak using his hand hitting his chest for percussion

Max Pollak

Ilmar López-Gavilán violin and Diana Rosa Alvarez bass clarinet

Mariana Ramírez-Alvarado

Mariana Ramírez-Alvarado

Max Pollak and band performing part of Traveling Shoe Stories about people who leave their home country

Max Pollak and Ilmar López-Gavilán

Max Pollak, Ilmar López-Gavilán and Diana Rosa Álvarez

Keyla Orozco and Max Pollak at the end of the program

There were two evening music programs on this day.  

First in the Cubano Club, Dafnis Prieto Sí o Sí Quartet performed. I was unable to attend.  Dafnis is one of the best drummers in the world today as well as being an excellent composer.

 Dafnis Prieto Sí o Sí Quartet performed jazz compositions composed by Dafnis Prieto. Although I did not see that program, I have attended and photographed Dafnis' band a number of times and I can guarantee that the concert presented a great program of modern jazz described as thrilling multifaceted ensemble, with an orchestral richness to match its rhythmic complexity and breath-taking energy.

Dafnis Prieto and Peter Apfelbaum posing for me after the concert

The band included Dafnis Prieto on drums, Peter Apfelbaum on tenor and soprano saxophones, Alex Brown on piano and Johannes Weiden Mueller on bass.

The other music program this evening was a special perfromance by the López-Nussa family in one of the theaters in the Kennedy Center.

Ernán López-Nussa and Harold López-Nussa

Julio César González on bass, Ruy Adrián López-Nussa on drums & Ruy López-Nussa on drums

This special concert included Ruy Adrián López-Nussa drums father of Harold López-Nussa (piano) and Ruy López-Nussa (drums), Ernán López-Nussa (also piano) is the brother of Ruy Adrián López-Nussa and uncle of Harold and Ruy López-Nussa, Julio César González on bass and Mayquel González González on trumpet.

Julio César González

Harold and Ernan López-Nussa

Ernan López-Nussa

Mayquel González González

Brothers Ernan and Ruy Adrian López-Nussa

Julio César González

Ruy Adrian López-Nussa

Ruy López-Nussa

Father and son Roy Adrian and Ruy López-Nussa

López-Nussa Family left to right Ruy, Ernan, Harold and Ruy Adrian

NIGHT ENDED WITH NOCHES CUBANA

Pepito Gomez and friends rocked the house again.

DJ Acho (Ariel Fernandez Diaz) spinning hot Cuban music inbetween sets.  He also produced the musicians performing at Noches Cubanas Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights..

DJ Acho

Yusnier Bustamante congas/timbales, Benjamin Willis bass and Pepito Gomez vocals/guitar.

Ariacne Trujillo

Ariacne Trujillo

Another evening of great Cuban music.  Next up May 19 with Los Van Van and others.