The Cuban Muralist Salvador Gonzalez has transformed an alley in Havana by painting murals that reach up six stories and sweep over doorways and windows for two full blocks. This Santero with a paintbrush has turned the cul de sac into a Temple to the popular culture known as Santeria. On Sundays the Alley pulses to the beat of drums drawing crowds as dancers spin and twirl to the rhythm of Rumba. Surrounded on all sides by giant murals and hanging sculptures the audience is hypnotically drawn unto the origins of the colorful and mysterious world of Afrocuban culture.

 

Pulsating salsa music, sexy Mambo dancing, the backroom of a bar on the lower east side of NYC and the exotic instruments of Latin music are the backdrop for this entertaining portrait of a soulful Puerto Rican songstress called Awilda and her husband Tito a Conguero /Vocalist who is the co- leader of a Salsa band called Grupo Latin Vibe. On Friday night’s in Manhattan the sounds of the bongos congas timbales bass keyboard and Vibraphone draw avid fans and Salseros into the backroom of a lower east bar where couples circle the dance floor moving sensually to the sizzling sounds of the band. The music arouses the dancers as much as the dancers inspire the musicians and the party begins!

Notes on the making of “MAMBO CITY”

 

Festival de Rumba

The Rumba and the Spanish hand clap and the African drum have emerged in different forms in certain regions of Cuba. “Le Festival de Rumba” presents outstanding groups from all over the island who were brought to Havana to perform over a three night period at The America Theatre in Havana. The event is considered to be grandest gathering of Cuban Rumberos singers drummers and musicians in decades.

Part One is now available on DVD.
Parts 2-4 coming soon

 

Directed by Bette Wanderman

An unexpected occurrence on a rainy afternoon in Havana sets the  the stage for a perfect  metaphor.
4.30 minutes  short film