Havana Jazz Festival Report, by CCJ traveler Larry Lofgren
Over three years ago, my son was performing in an all-nation orchestra in Orlando, Florida, over Thanksgiving break. I had been to Cuba in 2011 with the Washington State Bar Association and thought, as long as I was going to Orlando, I might as well investigate how easy it would be to take my son to Cuba for a short trip. I contacted Cross Cultural Journeys, a Bainbridge Island tour company specializing in trips to Cuba. That conversation led to plans to take the high school jazz band to Cuba in April 2020, with fundraisers and lots of planning. Unfortunately, Covid canceled our trip.
I had a travel voucher with Cross Cultural Journeys, so I decided to risk going on their trip to the Havana Jazz Fest in January 2022. It seemed like a safe bet, but then Omicron hit just before the trip. My son and I decided to go for it anyway. We had some last-minute scrambling to do to get a PCR Covid test within 72 hours of arriving. We found facilities that could provide quick results, both tested negative, and boarded a plane for Havana in Ft. Lauderdale early in the morning of January 17, 2022.
My son is a sophomore studying jazz trumpet at the prestigious University of North Texas music school. He also plays clarinet and saxophone. He was eager to attend the jazz fest and participate in jam sessions with Cuban musicians. As soon as we got out of the airport, his jaw dropped (according to his self-report, as we were wearing masks). He was amazed by the colors of the old cars, the buildings, and even the dirt. The Cuban government strictly enforces a mask mandate, and everyone outside and inside wore masks. We were in Cuba but still had to worry about obtaining a Covid test to get back into the country.
The jazz was amazing. We saw at least one band a day, often two. We brought about $300 worth of reeds for saxophones and clarinets to a music conservatory, along with wet-dry sandpaper to make stiffer reeds less stiff—a gift that was greatly appreciated. My son was invited on stage to play a trumpet solo with the students and a virtuoso piano player we had seen, Nachito Herrerra. We also saw a private performance of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, an Afro-Cuban rumba ensemble whose music is distributed in the US and who were nominated for a Grammy in 2001.
I learned something interesting about the Cuban protests last July. My understanding from the mainstream press was that the protests were over oppressive measures by the government and problems caused by Covid. However, I read in the alternative press that the protesters wanted better health care, which is provided by the government—essentially, a demand for more socialized medicine. I heard something different from the Cubans I met.
Our tour guide, Jesus, was a party member trained to serve in the diplomatic corps but decided to work in the small private sector instead. He explained that, on paper, Cuba has democratic institutions, with grassroots participation on neighborhood issues like trash collection. However, the Communist Party, with about 1 million members in a country of 11 million, makes all the major decisions. The protests were to pressure the party to allow elected representatives to have real power. Jesus was upset that one of the main protest organizers had just been sentenced to a twenty-year prison term, though he believed the government might offer amnesty in the future as part of an international deal.
The owner of the home where we stayed had also left the diplomatic corps. He hoped the government would reform wisely, fearing a sudden upheaval. He pointed to Hungary as a negative example of post-Soviet collapse. Both Jesus and our host complained about agricultural policy, with price caps making farm products too cheap for farmers to survive. This centrally planned decision worsened the steep drop in tourist revenue caused by Covid.
However, we visited a small private farm owned by a Nicaraguan woman and her Peruvian husband. They turned marginal land into a productive farm over seven years and operated a farm-to-table restaurant. Despite challenges like water restrictions and crop choices, the government had recently eased some restrictions, allowing them to thrive. The couple's determination made me wonder if Cubans have a sense of learned helplessness from decades of central economic planning. In this rapidly changing environment, foreign entrepreneurs seemed more proactive and adaptive than their local counterparts.
The main tourist areas were nearly devoid of visitors, and a gas shortage kept traffic light, though the thick smoke from old cars was hard to ignore. Despite these challenges, Cuba seems to be persevering. There’s nothing like being there to provide a human face to this place so close to the US, yet so cut off.
Overall, it was a great experience. Wi-Fi was scarce, and being unplugged allowed me to fully immerse in the unique culture. My son now wants to learn more Spanish and even dreams of studying trumpet in Cuba. Cross Cultural Journeys organized a fantastic tour. With only two other participants, we had a personalized experience. Highlights included traveling in a 1948 Dodge stretch limousine, staying in a clean and comfortable private home, and enjoying phenomenal fresh seafood, including lobster, fish, and octopus.
On our last day, we visited a medical clinic for our Covid tests. I had a sunburn and sore swimming muscles from a beach day, which combined with my nervousness, made me feel like I had Covid for sure. As soon as my negative test came back, my symptoms disappeared.
After three years of planning and uncertainty, this trip exceeded all expectations.
