Renowned Chicago jazz trumpeter Orbert Davis and Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Producing Director Mark Ingram were coaching students in Cuba the day the U.S. announced it would normalize diplomatic relations with the communist country. The announcement instantly sent waves of hope through many young musicians in the island country. Davis and Ingram join us to talk about the historic moment and what they experienced on their latest visit to Cuba.
Davis and Ingram were visiting Cuba when the historic news of reopened U.S.-Cuba relations broke. The duo was working with music students at Havana’s University of the Arts.
Davis previously visited Cuba in October of 2012. He made the trip with choreographer Frank Chaves and other members of the Chaves' River North Dance Chicago and Davis' Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. Together, they produced the multi-movement dance piece Havana Blue.
View a River North Dance Chicago production of Havana Blue.
The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic celebrated its 10th season in September. Band leader Orbert Davis stopped by Chicago Tonight with Howard Levy on harmonica, John Moulder on guitar, and Stuart Miller on upright bass.
Watch the segment.
View a web extra performance.
Davis visited Chicago Tonight in February 2013 to discuss the Emmy-winning score from the documentary DuSable to Obama. The documentary tells the story of Chicago’s African American community through the voices of leading scholars, artists, politicians, and business leaders .
Watch the segment.
