Well, have this day all to myself as Alan y estudiates are off to Cienfuegos and Trinidad till Domingo. Cheryl comes in tomorrow. This day has been devoted to getting exams graded and spending time shedding for my solo concert next Thursday. Finished grading around 2:00 and then went for a long walk and got some lunch. If anyone reading this comes to Habana in recent times and stays in the Verdado area, the place for the bomb almuerzo is La Habana Jazz Cafe in the gallery mall at the end of Paseo and calle uno: 1 block from Malecon and right across from the Hotel Melia. For $4, U get 1/2 pollo - either asado or frito, con rice and beans, a little salad of shredded beets and cabbage, and a drink. Cannot beat it for price, quantity or quality. Only available at lunch up till maybe 3pm. Plus great views of the Atlantic Ocean through large panes that could stand a serious cleaning but a good view regardless - 3 stories up so you can see forever out into the Atlantic looking north toward USA.
Spent some good time shedding this am too. Repertoire gonna include Saints, Cuban lullaby Duerme mi Negrita, Zenaida's Azules, Afro-Blue, Samira's Song, Miss Ann, Fonseca's song for Cachaito and who knows what else. The concert is next Thursday - solo soprano sax for Casa folks.
Cheryl is coming tomorrow and that will be great. We can hang for 8 days and see parts of Habana I know and parts I don't know. Glad to have her here with me. May go hear some boleros at UNEAC tomorrow after she gets in. Then to outside stuff on Sunday with rumba and guaguanco at noon, possibly classical concert honoring international dia de las mujeres at Teatro Roldan at 5 and then wrapping up with Roberto Fonseca at 11pm at Habana Jazz Club.
She will decide what, if any , we do of these possibilities. I am just the planner on this one, not the decider, even though I am lobbying heavily for Fonseca.
Gabi, mi maestro de espanol and el hijo de Hector y Mirta, has arranged with a friend of his to take all of us (Gabi, his friend and me) to and from airport to get Cheryl. Having them both should make things a lot easier than taking a cab back and forth. It is nice to have this local contact in situations such as this.
We are in the last weeks of this adventure. Three weeks from today sees us in our last three days in Habana. But plenty to happen before then, including a trip to Santiago on 3/19-22. And I have two musicians coming to the class - on March 24, Alberta Faya will present on the role of music in la revolucion and post la revolucion up to today. On St Patty's day, Sonia Perez will present on principal genres of cuban music culture with a focus on guajiro music. Her husband is Barbarito, the oud master from Buena Vista Social Club. Will let y'all know how it goes.
Oh Yeah, one of Zenaida's hijas brought in a radio last week and she keeps it on all day - which is great because I love radio and I get a chance to hear what is on the Cuban airways. Right now there is music of santeria ceremonies - sounds like regla de ocha but could be another regla such as palo. I have heard pop stuff, hip hop, older spanish songs like boleros and reggaeton...lord have mercy, reggaeton.
Das it for now - chaio.
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