Jose Torres & Havana Dreams [CANCELED]

Jorge Valcarcel says: – I gave Cuba what she gave me. I brought a whole new modernized view on percussion to Cuba. When I was a teaching advisor to the ministry, I was able to introduce Afro-Cuban instruments into the curriculum so that we could learn about them in schools, not just in the streets. It was not only my merit, of course, but I brought a lot of sheet music, recordings and releases to Cuba because the blockade of the country was very severe.

In turn, we owe Jorge Valcarcel the arrival of Jose Torres, who is his former student. Jose came to Poland in 1981. He married a Polish woman, Izabela, studied in Wrocław, achieved his first successes as a musician. Dissatisfied with this turn of events, the Cuban authorities tried to separate the spouses and tricked Torres back to his homeland. At that time, however, his firstborn son appeared, so Jose also used a trick. His temporary trip to Poland continues to this day. For over 25 years, he has been ranked first in the poll for the most popular musician of the year in the percussion instruments category.

The members of the Havana Dreams ensemble specialize in performing traditional Cuban music; their sound is full of emotions, liveliness and nostalgia – they paint the atmosphere of the streets of Havana, which wake up and fall asleep in such an unusual mood every day.