2016-05-05



Musicabana, in collaboration with the Cuban Institute of Music, announces the final lineup for the Musicabana international music festival taking place in Havana May 5-8, 2016. The four-day event is the first international music festival produced by Cuban and American partners in more than 30 years. A press conference with the festival founders, representatives from the Cuban Institute of Music, and select artists will be held Wednesday, May 4th at La Tropical at 2:00PM EST.

As with any venture into unchartered territory, there are bound to be changes in direction. Due to the increasing complexity of producing large-scale events in Havana, there have been a few updates to the lineup, venues and programming. Musicabana’s final lineup includes a stellar list of international headliners, including Cedric Gervais, Ibeyi, DJ Rashida, and a surprise performance by a major U.S. act.

In March, Musicabana made history when international superstars Major Lazer performed to an estimated 500,000 fans at Tribuna José Martí in front of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, delivering one of the most important concerts in recent history and becoming the first major American artists to play the country since diplomatic ties were restored between the U.S. and Cuba. The Major Lazer show in Havana was the artist’s largest-ever event and served as the kickoff concert for Musicabana.

On Thursday, May 5th, Friday, May 6th and Sunday, May 8th, Musicabana artists will take the stage at Salón Rosado de la Tropical, a multi-level, converted brewery with a capacity of 7000 that is central to the local Havana music scene. This incredible indoor-outdoor venue is off the tourist circuit, but known to Cubans as one of the best all-night live music spots on the island. Never before has La Tropical presented a combination of local superstars from Havana D’Primera to Interactivo alongside a lineup of internationally recognized bands from Ibeyi to DJ sets from Cedric Gervais to DJ Rashida.

“I’m very honored to be playing for the Cuban people and I can’t wait to see the energy they bring. I’ve never been to Cuba and it’s amazing to be one of the first artists to visit there and perform to a country with such a rich musical history”. –Cedric Gervais

On Saturday, May 7th, Musicabana will present “Turntables in Havana,” which will feature a collaboration of Cuban and US-based DJs at Havana’s groundbreaking exhibition and performance space, La Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC). La Fábrica de Arte Cubano is a conduit to an edgier and emerging Cuba that resembles a mix of CBGBs, Art Basel, a community center, coffee shop and the hippest bar south of Miami. Concertgoers can relax, eat, drink, and dance the night away.

The DJ collective behind the infamous Turntables on The Hudson parties, which started in New York and has moved around the world to cities such as Cairo, Barcelona and Playa del Carmen, are bringing their beats to Cuba in collaboration with local Cuban DJs. DJs hitting the decks include Nickodemus withNappy G on percussion, Jeremy Sole, DJ DRM, Uproot Andy, Cumba Mela, DJ Jigue and DJ Joyvan.

“Cuba’s music scene is bursting with the same raw talent and energy of decades past,” said Fabien Pisani, founder and festival director of Musicabana. “We will make history and build an unprecedented bridge from Cuba to the world through the power of music.”

Three generations of Cuban musical stardom have joined forces to bring Musicabana to life. The four-day, first-of-its-kind festival was inspired by Cuban musical legends Pablo Milanés, Chucho Valdés and Juan Formell (to whom the festival is dedicated). Musicabana is being produced by Cuban-born, Havana and New York-based Fabien Pisani, in collaboration with Cuba’s National Institute of Music (ICM), the official local agency in charge of the development and promotion of the Cuban music heritage.

Musicabana is made possible by the Fundashon Bon Intenshon, the charity foundation of Gregory Elias of Curacao. Ibeyi, the French-Cuban duo that has taken the music world by storm over the past year and recently endorsed by Beyoncé, will be the ambassadors of the festival. Their presence signals Musicabana’s commitment to connecting Cuba’s musical past with its promising future.

Pisani, who grew up in Cuba, says the idea is to promote Havana’s rightful place among the world’s major music capitals and bring Cuba back to the center of the Caribbean, one of the most diverse and culturally rich regions in the world.

OFFICIAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

THURSDAY, MAY 5
Location: Fábrica de Arte Cubano | VIP Headquarters

Calle 26, La Habana, Cuba

2:00PM – 9:00PM              Pre-show – VIP & Press Lounge
Press, VIP, Artist credential pickup

LOCATION: Salón Rosado de la Tropical
Esquina 46, Avenida 41, La Habana, Cuba

7:00PM – 8:00PM              DJ CHARLES SPUTNIK (US)
8:00PM – 9:00PM              ADONIS & OSAIN DEL MONTE  (Cuba) Agrupación
9:30PM – 10:30PM            IBEYI (Francia)
11:00PM – 12:00AM          Surprise Appearance
12:00AM – 2:00AM            DJ CEDRIC GERVAIS (Francia / US)

FRIDAY, MAY 6
Salón Rosado de la Tropical
Esquina 46, Avenida 41, La Habana, Cuba

4:00PM – 6:00PM               Press, VIP, Artist Credential pickup at La Tropical

6:00PM – 7:00PM              DJ ART BLEEK (US)
7:00PM – 8:00PM              DJ LEJARDI (Cuba)
8:30PM – 9:30PM              LA BETE NOIRE (France / US)
11:30PM – 12:30AM          JUANA BACALLAO (Cuba)
1:00AM – 2:30AM              INTERACTIVO (Cuba)

SATURDAY, MAY 7

Fábrica de Arte Cubano   “TURNTABLES IN HAVANA”
Calle 26, La Habana, Cuba

2:00PM – 9:00PM             Pre-show – VIP Lounge
Press, VIP, Artist credential pickup
7:00PM – 8:00PM             NAPPY G (US)
8:00PM – 9:00PM             DJ DRM (US)
9:00PM – 10:00PM           CUMBA MELA (US)
10:00PM – 11:00PM         DJ JIGUE (Cuba)
11:00PM – 12:00AM         DJ JOYVAN (Cuba)
12:00AM – 2:00AM           DJ NICKODEMUS (US) UPROOT ANDY (CA) + NAPPY G (US) PERCUSSION

SUNDAY, MAY 8
Fábrica de Arte Cubano  – VIP Headquarters

Calle 26, La Habana, Cuba
2:00PM – 9:00PM               Pre-show – VIP Lounge
Press, VIP, Artist credential pickup

Salón Rosado de la Tropical, Esquina 46, Avenida 41, La Habana, Cuba
6:00PM  – 7:00PM             CUMBA MELA (US)
7:00PM – 8:00PM              UPROOT ANDY (CA)
8:00PM – 9:00PM              JEREMY SOLE (US)
9:00PM – 10:00PM            NICKODEMUS (US)
10:00PM – 11:30PM         HAVANA D’PRIMERA (Cuba)
12:00AM – 1:30AM           DJ RASHIDA (US)

ABOUT THE MUSICABANA FESTIVAL

Produced by Musicabana in collaboration with Cuba National Institute of Music (ICM), Musicabana is the first international music festival produced by Cuban and American partners in more than 30 years. Taking place in Havana, May 5 – 8, 2016, Musicabana will offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience with an extraordinary multi-genre bill boasting over 25 artists, bands and global DJs. The festival will also mark the largest gathering of Cuban artists in a generation, featuring performances by music legends and some of today’s hottest acts. Musicabana will light up the stages at two major venues around Havana: Fábrica de Arte Cubano and Salon Rosado of la Tropical, hosting 500 concertgoers per day respectively. Musicabana will be a deeply reduced price ticket at the door for the Cuban public, with VIP tickets available at a new rate for international visitors at flavorus.com/musicabana.

ABOUT THE MUSICABANA FOUNDATION

The Musicabana Foundation is a nonprofit organization that follows the dream of its director, Fabien Pisani, to create a lasting and significant cultural bridge between Cuba, the U.S. and the rest of the world. Musicabana leads the development of year-round cultural events jointly produced by partners in Cuba and the United States, and promotes educational exchange and youth music education.

Musicabana’s Board of Advisors includes Chucho Valdes, Michael Lang, Ashley Capps, Ned Sublette, Chris Wangro, and Robert Kraft.  For the latest information regarding The Musicabana Foundation and festival, visit www.musicabana.com or contact us at info@musicabana.com.

Stay connected with Musicabana on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @Musicabana.

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