Information & reservations
+44 (0)20 7501 6741
[email protected]
www.songlinesmusictravel.com
Cuba: Rumba and Revolution!
A musical journey from East to West
15th – 29th March 2017
Songlines Music Travel, in association with Master
Travel, invites music lovers and travellers alike on a
trip of a lifetime to explore one of the great cultural
and musical destinations of the world. With the
recent developments in US-Cuba relations, it is a
rapidly changing country, so now is the best time to
go and see its vibrant and unique culture.
the first time we will attend the Pepe Sanchez
Trova Festival in Santiago, an important but
relatively little known event devoted to one of the
great founding genres of Cuban music. In Bayamo
we will participate in the filming of a new AngloCuban film centred around the world of one of the
biggest carnival dance bands of the country.
Accompanied by our Songlines Travel Leader the
Other highlights include:
journalist and broadcaster Phil Sweeney, author
● A rapid and bracing immersion into the musical
of the Rough Guide to Cuban Music and a regular
world of the capital Havana via visits, meetings
Songlines contributor, you will gain unique access
and gigs
to music and musicians throughout the country, as
well as the chance to share intimate knowledge of the ● Getting beneath the surface of Santiago and
places you will visit.
Trinidad, often experienced only superficially by
tourists
Each Songlines Cuba trip is unique, taking in the
● The music scenes of Camaguey, Bayamo and
most unmissable events of the moment. This time
Matanzas, vital provincial cities normally overlooked
we are including two very special ingredients. For
Songlines Music Travel tours are operated by Master Travel Ltd. Please see our booking conditions on the website.
For more details about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate
Our ATOL number is 3800.
What to expect
Cuba is fascinating and full of life, encompassing everything
a traveller could wish for – rich landscapes, iconic music,
dramatic history and warm, welcoming people.
For a nation of only 11 million people, and half the land size of
the UK, Cuba has a tremendous musical pedigree, among the
most distinctive and best recognised in the world. In the first
half of the twentieth century Cuban sounds dominated Latin
America. In the 50 years since the Revolution, not only have
styles evolved but so too the whole social and economic basis
of music making. Internationally, the products of Cuba’s old
Buena Vista-style soneros, its modern salsa and timba bands,
jazz stars, rappers and fusion artists fill music stores across the
world.
During the trip we will get to know this unusual and often
misunderstood nation including the resilience and innovative
nature of musicians and music lovers, which essentially means
all Cubans. We will start our musical journey in Havana
before travelling to Santiago de Cuba for the Pepe Sanchez
Trova Festival and journeying back west through Camaguey,
Bayamo, Trinidad and Matanzas. We will gain insights into the
geography, history and general culture of Cuba along the way.
Colourful Havana
The capital city is the perfect place to start this trip; a hub
of music, historical sites and beautiful architecture, the city
is alive with rhythm and energy. We will spend two full days
here, thoroughly getting to know the city, including a walking
tour of the old town, driving around in classic 1950s American
cars, strolling along the Malécon and visiting the Rum
Museum and the Museo de la Revolución. We will also delve
into the music of the capital, learning about the recording
scene, visiting the best music venues and partying in local bars
and restaurants.
Santiago and the International Pepe Sanchez Festival
Next, we will fly to Santiago, at the far-eastern end of the
island. Santiago is considered to be Cuba’s cultural capital; it
has played an instrumental part in shaping the country’s music,
literature, architecture and politics. Just about every Cuban
music genre originated from these streets, from salsa to son.
We will explore the city and get to know its most famous
sights such as the house of Diego Velazquez: the oldest house
in Cuba and home to its first governor, the Moncada museum:
located in the military barracks made famous during the
revolution, and Morro Castle: a luxury cruise ship that came
to a tragic end in the 1930s. We will find out how son first
became urbanised, learn about how Buena Vista Social Club
(BVSC)’s Compay Segundo and Ibrahim Ferrer started their
musical careers here and listen to the outstanding modern
representatives of the city’s sounds, such as the Pepe Sanchez
kingpins, the Septeto Santiaguero.
The Pepe Sanchez Trova Festival, little known from outside
Cuba, has taken place annually in the city’s streets and parks
since 1962, as a homage to the legendary Santiago singer
and composer Jose (Pepe) Sanchez, considered the father of
Cuban trova. Beginning on Trovador (Troubador) Day, March
19th, Sanchez’ birth date, the festival nowadays attracts all
generations and a variety of genres, from the last of the great
old trovadors to new, emerging musicians and bands.
Bayamo
From Santiago, we drive west along country roads to Bayamo.
Capital of the Granma Province and one of the seven founding
cities of the colonising Spanish, Bayamo has a vital place in
the struggle for independence and Cuban national pride. A
beautiful historic architectural ensemble, noted for its horsedrawn carriages, it is also a dynamic regional centre, home to
a music scene covering the whole of Eastern Cuba, from which
showbands tour to huge stadia audiences.
as planned, join in with filming scenes for a brand new
film co-produced by the top UK music entrepreneur Mo
Fini of Tumi Music. Full details of the fascinating plot and
background will be exclusively available on an avant-premier
basis to our group.
It is one of these, the dynamic Feverson, that we will meet
to share a hog roast, plenty of rum, and, if things work out
Continuing our progress across the island, we will drive past
rural communities that dot the landscape until we reach
Camaguey, Trinidad and Matanzas
Interesting facts about Cuba and its music
● The Buena Vista Social Club was a members club
that held dances and musical activities and became a
popular place for musicians to meet and play in the
1940s
● In the 1990s, nearly 50 years after the club closed, Juan
de Marcos González and Ry Cooper made a recording
with other veteran musicians who were regulars at the
club, called Buena Vista Social Club, which went on to
become an international success.
● The most famous Cuban singer was Beny Moré , a
Cuban equivalent of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley
● Ernest Hemingway wrote 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' and
'the Old Man and the Sea' while he lived in Cuba
● Christmas did not become an official holiday in Cuba
until 1997
● Most major cities have a Casa de la Trova, which is a
state run music salon dedicated to folk music
● Cuba has the highest doctor to patient ratio in the
world. There are so many doctors in Cuba, that they
are often sent abroad to countries with a great need of
medical professionals
● Cuban music has its main ancestry in West Africa and
Spain, with numerous secondary influences contributed
by everywhere from America to Argentina
● In 2000, Fidel Castro unveiled a John Lennon Statue in
John Lennon Park and declared the musician a “true
revolutionary”
Information & reservations
+44 (0)20 7501 6741
[email protected]
www.songlinesmusictravel.com
Camaguey. Cuba’s third largest city, Camaguey, is made up of
labyrinth-like streets, hidden plazas and baroque churches.
Here, we will gain insights into Cuba’s Haitian culture and its
serenade traditions.
Moving further westwards, we will soon reach Trinidad.
A UNESCO world heritage site, Trinidad is a meticulously
preserved colonial town which offers a window into the past.
Its architecture includes sprawling colonial palaces and plazas,
beautiful churches and remnants of sugar mills and barracks.
It also boasts a vibrant music scene. As well as exploring the
town, we will learn about the African religious component
of Cuban music from one of the oldest santera communities
of the island and take in the scene on the famous steps, the
buzzing epicentre of Trinidad by night. We will even fit in a
session on the white sand beach of nearby Playa Ancon.
Our penultimate destination will be Matanzas, stopping
in Cienfuegos en-route, an elegant French colonial town
and birthplace of Beny Moré, Cuba’s greatest musical hero.
Matanzas itself is a town that is not often visited by tourists,
but it has great importance in Cuba’s musical history and is
known for its poets, culture and Afro-Cuban folklore. We will
spend a full day immersing ourselves in the two musical genres
that were born in Matanzas: the percussion and dance form
The whole trip was excellent! The
opportunities provided by the tour
leader to meet local bands and
have private performances were
outstanding, memorable and very
special. So was the group of fellow
travellers. The two weeks passed by
so fast and I enjoyed every minute.
Many thanks to all involved.
Jane Foulsham on the Songlines trip to Cuba
of rumba, and Danzon, the lifting salon dance that gave rise to
chachachá.
We will end our trip back in Havana, where we will have
one last chance to catch some more music before we say our
farewells the next morning.
All Songlines Music Travellers will receive an information sheet about the local music plus recommended recordings and DVDs.
Front cover: Cuban woman.
Back cover clockwise from left: Street in Camaguey; Playa
Ancon, Trinidad; Carnival parade in the streets of Havana.
Photographs, clockwise from top left: Vintage classic American
car in Havana; Cuban horse and carriage; Cuban musicians;
Trinidad.
(Photographs © Adobe Stock and iStock)
Information & reservations
+44 (0)20 7501 6741
[email protected]
www.songlinesmusictravel.com
Cuba: Rumba and Revolution!
A musical journey from East to West
Havana
Mantanzas
Cienfuegos
Caribbean
Trinidad
15th – 29th March 2017
Key:
Breakfast
15th March: Havana
Upon arrival into Havana, you will be met at the airport
and transferred to your hotel, where you can relax after
your flight.
In the evening, we will meet our Songlines Music
Travel Leader who will introduce you to our itinerary
and musical plans. Afterwards, we will head out to
experience our first taste of Cuban rhythms.
16th & Friday 17th March: Havana
We will spend the next 2 days thoroughly exploring
Havana, including a walking tour of the old town,
delving into the music of the capital, learning about
the recording scene, visiting the best music venues and
partying in local bars and restaurants.
18th March: Havana – Santiago de Cuba
In the morning, we will transfer to the airport for a
morning flight to Santiago de Cuba. After checking into
the hotel, we will embark on a city tour of Santiago.
We will also explore some of the music of the region,
including visits to local musicians.
19th & 20th March: Santiago de Cuba
We will experience the first two days of the
International Pepe Sanchez Trova Festival, held on the
anniversary of Pepe Sanchez’ birthday. We will be able to
take in the atmosphere of the festival and watch live acts
from all over Cuba.
21st March: Santiago de Cuba – Bayamo
Today we will travel by road to Bayamo, stopping at El
Cobre Sanctuary en-route. Upon arrival in Bayamo, we
will take a sight-seeing tour which will include the birth
house of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (the ‘Father of
Cuba’), Anthem’s Square and Bayamo cathedral.
22nd March: Bayamo
A day devoted to Eastern Cuban traditional and dance
music, including partying and hopefully filming with
Feverson, the carnival kings of the East.
Camaguey
CUBA
Bayamo
Santiago de Cuba
23rd March: Bayamo – Camaguey
Drive to Camaguey, Cuba’s third largest city, where we
will have a tour of the main sights and where we will
stay overnight.
24th March: Camaguey – Trinidad
Drive to Trinidad, stopping to explore the town of Sancti
Spiritus on the way. We will wander through the streets
for an initial exploration before heading out in the
evening to experience the music and atmosphere at the
Casa de la Musica and to try some salsa.
25th March: Trinidad
We will spend the day getting to know Trinidad,
through a walking tour of the old town and a visit to the
Romantic Museum. We will be able to explore the music
and meet some local musicians. In the afternoon we will
head to nearby Playa Ancon to relax on the beautiful
white sandy beach.
26th March: Trinidad – Matanzas
Continue west along narrow country roads, to
Matanzas, stopping in the colonial town of Cienfuegos
en-route. Spend the evening enjoying a Tropicana show.
27th March: Matanzas
After a quick tour of the town, we will spend the day
exploring the music that came from this important region.
28th March: Matanzas – Havana
We will head back to Havana for our last full day in
Cuba. Here we will be able to catch a few more sights, do
some shopping, or simply sip a mojito overlooking the
Malécon. In the evening, we will hit the town for the last
time to catch some more music in this vibrant city.
29th March: Havana
Our tour will end after breakfast, and we will be
transferred to the airport for our return home.
Please note that this is a provisional itinerary only. The final itinerary will
be confirmed in your pre-departure pack which will be sent to you 2 weeks
before departure.
Information & reservations
+44 (0)20 7501 6741
[email protected]
www.songlinesmusictravel.com
Tour price excluding flights to/from Havana: £2,995 per person
Secure your place with a £295 deposit with the remainder payable in instalments
Single travellers: A single supplement
of £495 is payable if you wish to
guarantee a single room. This does not
apply if you opt to share a twin room
with a fellow participant.
The cost includes:
● Accommodation: 13 nights in hotel
accommodation on a twin share basis,
with breakfast included. A single room is
available on payment of a supplement
● Transfers between the airport and hotel
● Domestic flight between Havana and
Santiago de Cuba
● Ground transportation within Cuba
● The services of a Songlines Music
Travel Leader and a local guide
● All visits and musical activities listed in
the itinerary
● Pre-departure information
The cost excludes:
● International flights to/from Havana
● Visas and travel insurance. Please ensure
you purchase adequate insurance cover
before you leave home.
● Meals with the exception of breakfast
● Alcoholic drinks, dinners, snacks or any
purchases of a personal nature
● Tips to the hotel staff, drivers and guides,
not specified by the tour leader
● Anything not specified in the inclusions
and itinerary above
International flights to/from Havana
We would be delighted to arrange your flights to and from Havana if you wish. Please contact the Master Travel office on +44 (0)20 7501 6741 or
[email protected] for current prices and availability.
Please note that all itineraries in Cuba are subject to change according to local conditions. Due to the nature of the tour, places are limited.