Concert For Cuba Livestream

The “Concert For Cuba” livestream that aired the weekend of July 18 and 19th produced by Hothouse Global brought us an inspirational virtual interchange between Cuban and US musical artists courtesy of the Hothouse Global organization and was broadcast on Twitch.tv. Performances were provided this past Saturday and Sunday by a combination of major acts from Cuba and the United States in an effort to send a message to end the Cuban blockade by the US and to honor Cuban medical workers who have served in the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic in 26 countries.

The performers that were featured in the livestream included Los Van Van, Alexander Abreu y Havana d’Primera, Orquesta Aragon, Septeto Santiaguero, Omara Portuondo with Orquesta Failde, Dionne Warwick, Michael McDonald, Osain Del Monte, Ozomatli, Arturo O’ Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Moncada, Pablo Menendez and Mezcla featuring Barbara Dane, Dayramir Gonzalez and Omar Sosa duo, Ricardo Lemvo, Miguel Zenon, Nachito Herrera, Sintesis, Pedrito Martinez, Ben Lapidus, the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, Bush, John Santos Sextet and others.

The livestream was a mixed bag that ranged in genres from Pop to Timba to Son Jarocho. The livestream was at best – both entertaining and thought provoking. There were moments of musical greatness that stood out especially the rousing performances from Los Van Van, Septeto Santiaguero, Omara Portuondo with Failde, Ozomatli and Osain Del Monte on Saturday, and Alexander Abreu/Havana d’Primera, Aragon, Ricardo Lemvo, the Gonzalez/Sosa duo, Susana Baca and Nachito Herrera on Sunday. An all-star finale ended the livestream on both days. Sunday’s Cuban hip hop flavored finale ended with a heartfelt message to end the blockade. Unfortunately for me, I missed part the beginning of Sunday’s program that included pop icon Dionne Warwick, Canadian Afro-Cuban Jazz artist Jane Bunnett and Pablo Menendez’s Mezcla with special guest vocalist Barbara Dane.

The speakers that were featured in the livestream were a mix of passionate Cuban and US activists, medical workers, actors and musicians that included Michael Moore, Danny Glover, Ed Asner, Ron Pearlman, John Santos and other notable activists. This block of speakers expressed their solidarity with Cuba, highlighted the important work contributed by Cuban medical workers abroad and advocated for the end of the blockade by the US. The SF Bay Area’s own Cuban artist advocate Bill Martinez (pictured top left) was one of the key producers who worked with Hothouse Global on the livestream . For more information, go to hothouse.net.