The history of our African ancestry is similar to our Caribbean cousins in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Cuba. Although, it’s obvious that there is African blood that runs through the veins of the natives of these islands our common denominator is the influence of music.
Artistic Director of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra, Orbert Davis is an accomplished trumpeter and world-renowned musician. Davis and musicians of Chicago Jazz Philharmonic conducted a week long residency at ISA in December 2014, culminating in the debut of the new work at the Havana International Jazz Festival. During the CJP residency the US and Cuba announced normalization of diplomatic relations, thrusting Davis into the spotlight of local and national news.
Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Artistic Director, Orbert Davis pictured with Cuban student delegates.
Orbert explains, “My goal in the whole trip was to connect with Cuban musicians, to play with them – to feel in a sense what they felt when they played. We received a grant from the Mac Arthur Foundation to return to the university. But this time to work with an orchestra, the CJPO is a 62-piece orchestra and we wanted to replicate that with 60 students. It was breathtaking on so many levels, musically, socially but also politically.”
This week, 40 Cuban nationals visit Chicago to perform for the US premiere of Davis’ newest jazz symphony on Friday, November 13, 2015, at the Auditorium Theatre.
The students who have traveled from Cuba will participate in various events around the city of Chicago designed to foster communications and the exchange of ideas with local Chicagoans.
The delegation consists of student musicians and administrators from Universidad de las Artes (ISA) in Havana, Cuba’s national conservatory of music.
Davis feels this is a start to building great communication between the countries through the next generation of thinkers through music. “It’s not about just bringing students here – it’s about the relationship. The seeds that was planted in Havana can now grow into a deeper relationship and deeper challenge. We want the students to return to Cuba and continue our relationships becoming the future leaders – the voice of reason,” he said.
The cultural exchange facilitated by the easing of relations is part of Davis’ greater plan to establish a long-term relationship between the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic and ISA, allowing musicians of both countries to dialogue and learn from one another.
When we look at the contributions of Cuban music and Jazz throughout the world, they’re al- most kindred spirits. The music took off like wildfire because they are so closely related. One of the things we discovered was the musicians that was classically trained, they learned and approached Jazz so quickly because it’s in their blood,” Davis said. “They can understand the concept of emotion, spontaneity and the feeling of risk and circumstance – going beyond their written note.”
The special performance between the young Cuban musicians and the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic is something much larger than the music. “I’m excited as a composer that I get to investigate this relationship and present it onstage. Who knows where it’s going to go in the future – I think it’s going to be phenomenal,” he smiles. “It’s going to be in the hands of Cubans as well as in the hands of Americans.”
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