Socioswing

29/12/2023

Music is beyond rational understanding...
"Nietzsche had argued that music is beyond rational understanding: it is too close to the basic mysteries and contradictions of existence; it touches and conveys realities for which words or logic are inadequate; it is, in Nietzsche's words, "a realm of wisdom . . . from which logicians are excluded" and it thus reminds us of the limitations of our power to understand the world. " quote from "African Rhythm and African Sensibility" by John Chernoff

View the Socioswing values showcase
https://www.socioswing.com/values-themes/showcase

13/11/2023

Casa Socioswing Video
The video features our completed Art-Deco home in Havana and the process of restoring the space and highlighting the details, decor, and furnishings we have also restored.

In the time of Covid, home prices in Havana lowered and after searching for a year I found this untouched 3rd story art-deco apartment. What sold me was the curves, the roofed terrance, the hardwood doors and windows, and the large living and dining rooms. My wife Mileidys has set up her clothing store for boys in the garage and our plan is to use the front living spaces to host gatherings and workshops for Cubans and travelers based on our Socioswing notion of social action through rhythm

My family will be in the SF Bay Area in January and would like to find a house-sitting position or share a home with friends for days or weeks. Do get in touch if you or someone you know may be interested.

Showcasing our Art-Deco home restoration in Havana, Cuba.

15/09/2023

Manteca 2.0 - Produced by Andres Levin & Alain Pérez

A phantasmagoria of Cuban musical history and contemporary cultural fusions featuring over the top artists with local inhabitants of barrio Cayo Hueso.

Beyond that, the video highlights key vernacular manifestations of the neighborhood including: street art, construction trades, sacred trees, rooftop dance breakouts, senior tai chi practice, male beauty care, street vendors, uniformed school kids, bicitaxis, boxing youth, watch repairmen, hobby pigeon raising, park soccer, motorcycle police, timba dancing, front stoop hanging out, to***co smoking, Abakuá dancing, percussion and tumbadora drums, and street festivities.

A real tour-de-force for producer Andres Levin.
https://www.tribecaribe.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f52IukKzxA

Manteca 2.0 is a new single by Andres Levin featuring Los Van Van, Alain Pérez, Pedrito Martínez, Yissy García, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Rashawn Ross and Ron Blake...

13/11/2022

The free to watch Tremendo Vacilon feature video...
https://boogalu.com/video/catalog/trememdo-vacilon

is an eclectic panorama of music and dance in Cuba, celebrating the diversity, artistry, and passion of people enjoying and performing their music and dance traditions. Shot in Havana and Santiago, the film consists of 18 intimate performance events, some formal and others spontaneous, that display the range of Cuban genres including: Son - Changüí - Orisha music and dance - Rumba - Caberet - Jazz Cubano - Casino - Carnaval Comparsa - and many more.

Subscribe to view/download our full catalog of 16 feature video titles >
https://boogalu.com/video/catalog-complete

31/10/2022

Youth in Cuba keeping vital culture alive with their poise and beauty. Paso A Paso, Youth Dance Company, Havana, Cuba

Dance Company Paso A Paso performing at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana, Cuba, Oct. 22, 2022 . Directora Yuly Rodriguez Verdecia.

11/05/2022

Big Socioswing coming up !
Havana World Music Festival - May 26,27,28 2022
http://havanaworldmusic.com/en/home/

Artists 2022 Bim Bum Balaton Carlos Varela Da Le (Havana) Havana Meets Kingston Isla Escarlata KANBU Kill The Party Los Monos Lácteos Manuel Bas MATEO Misifuz Nube Roja Raulito Prieto Real Project Rommel Tóke TóPoP Waahli Wesli Wesli X Alfonso Haydée Milanés Havana Meets KingstonTóke in Havana...

23/04/2022

CUBA IN A BOTTLE
With outstanding images and narrative, this film puts forth the most amazing and complete portrayal of Cuba's contributions to the World that I have ever seen.

The history, culture, and people of Cuba featuring rum as a symbol of the Cuban spirit and grit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1gWkBw_TxE

TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF CUBAN RUM IS TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF CUBA ITSELF.Anyone with even a fleeting relationship with Cuba knows that rum has infl...

16/04/2022

CUBA TRAVEL IS ON - DO IT WITH SOCIOSWING

With all the big shake ups and distress going on with all of us for the past two years - I offer some travel relief.

For a number of years I have been hosting friends and clients in Havana, but with the pandemic and a lot of confusion about travel here, many folks are hesitant.

It's actually a very good time to travel.
- Covid cases in Cuba now are very low (masks are still in use).
- Airlines like Jetblue and American are flying to Havana regularly.
- Tourism is down throughout Cuba but that is a plus for travelers who do come.
- Many of the best restaurants, music, and cultural venues are open.
- Cuba is one of the safest, friendly, and welcoming countries on the planet.
- Your dollar now can go a long way in Cuba.
- Worldwide health disruptions, social strife, and climate change are affecting all of us. Cuba and it's people are masters at dealing with crisis long term creatively by doing more with less.

For folks wanting to travel on your own I am available to provide advice, travel tips, and consult on the phone (no charge). A good start is my travel essentials page:
https://www.hostedhavana.com/activities

For folks wanting to be fully hosted including an itinerary of activities and lodging, see these links:
https://www.hostedhavana.com/activities
https://www.hostedhavana.com/lodging

The interplay of Cuba's social order (socio) and cultural traditions (swing) gives Cuba a unique appeal and position in the World - what I call it's "socioswing".
My socioswing program in development:
https://www.hostedhavana.com/socioswing-travel

The Cuban Art Factory (FAC) in Havana is "socioswing" embodied.
http://www.fac.cu

All the best wherever your travels take you.
Philip

13/04/2022

Cuban Art Factory FAC - The hottest cultural venue in Cuba produced by local artists. Total Socioswing going on here.

02/01/2022

Travel to Cuba now possible with Covid under control.
Because of the remarkable efforts of Cuba's bio-tech industry in producing effective Covid vaccines and its prolific community medical clinic infrastructure - Cuba is now in second place globally in vaccination rates among countries with at least 1 million people.

"Much of Cuba has resumed normal life, with schools reopening and foreign tourists allowed back in."

https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/medical-advances/586801-cuba-has-vaccinated-more-than-90-percent-of-its

"It is a truly remarkable accomplishment, given the size of Cuba, and also the U.S. embargo, that restricts their ability to import.”

04/11/2021

A powerful rumba from Havana artists directed to the World politicians.

"You Have To Hurry Up - Nature Is Crying/Dying".
Song by Chaguito y Sus Timberos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrmBJ8o6ucE

This song was composed by Santiago Garzón (Chaguito), Havana, as part of Let it Grow, an Oi Musica project inviting musical responses to Glasgow’s hosting o...

23/10/2021

The stylish 2-3 year old boys in Havana are getting their treads at my wife's store "El Bazar de Tito" in Vedado. Cuban families are having rough time but "struggling in style" is how they always role !

El Bazar de Tito
https://www.facebook.com/elbazardtito

07/03/2021

Studio & Field Produced in La Habana, March 2021
Afro-Cuban Folkloric Music-Dance - Oyá y Abakuá
The New Generation of Clave y Guaguancó Presents a Percussion Challenge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hqXS-JIxFw

The new generation of Clave y Guaguancó presents a percussion challenge with the music-dance of Oya and Abakuá . The challenge is to make your own video sol...

11/10/2020

Tremendo socio-swing with this performance of Irakere's song "Rucurucu" featuring Cuban youth musicians and two of the greats of the older generation of Irakere - José Luis Cortés and Oscar Valdés.

17/09/2020

NOT TO MISS > VIRTUAL MUSIC SEMINAR TO NEW ORLEANS
OCTOBER 2-4, 9-11, 16-17, 2020

Produced by Ned Sublette / Postmambo

Request to register and pay: [email protected]

See the video trailer
https://youtu.be/EYjeU_5AYzY

INTIMATE, INTERACTIVE VISITS

WITH LIVE SOCIALLY DISTANCED MUSIC BY

(confirmed so far / in alphabetical order)

SHAMARR ALLEN
JAMES ANDREWS
JOHN BOUTTÉ
DAVID GREELY
COREY LEDET
DELFEAYO MARSALIS
LEYLA McCALLA
SOUL CREOLE TRIO
STANTON MOORE TRIO
HERLIN RILEY
SPECIAL GUEST FROM DETROIT
JOHN SINCLAIR w/ MARK BINGHAM
and
JASON BERRY
RICHARD CAMPANELLA
LOLIS ERIC ELIE
INA J. FANDRICH
MICHELLE N. GIBSON, THE ARTIST
LILY KEBER
BLACK FEATHER CHIEF COREY RAYFORD
NED SUBLETTE
MIA X
MORE NAMES TO BE ANNOUNCED

WRITERS, SCHOLARS, CHEFS, CHOREOGRAPHERS, AND MORE

ZOOM Q + A CALLS WITH ALL PRESENTERS / YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS

Produced by Ned Sublette for Postmambo +
Ariana Hall for CubaNOLA Arts Collective

REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW,

CLOSES SEPTEMBER 30

THERE IS NO WEBSITE. WRITE FOR PRICES AND OTHER INFORMATION: [email protected]

NOLA Reconnect A virtual visit to New Orleans October 2-4, 9-11, 16-17, 2020 / rain dates Oct 23-24 A Postmambo Music Seminar Music, culture, dance, culinary...

30/08/2020

The Youth Orchestra of Bahia, Brazil does a swinging samba classic. Big fun. https://www.facebook.com/programaneojiba/videos/304574054153499/UzpfSTUzOTU1NzY3NToxMDE1NzIzODgyMDkzNzY3Ng/

17/07/2020

Historic music event from Cuba.
A special virtual tribute recognizing the distinct contributions to the world during the Covid-19 pandemic. The concert will salute Cuba’s heroic and outsized contributions to health care around the world as doctors have volunteered this year to serve in more than 26 countries.

https://www.twitch.tv/HotHouseGlobal

IT's THIS SAT & SUN! JULY 18, 19! CONCERT for CUBA ft an array of CUBAN ARTISTS including LOS VAN VAN, ALEXANDER ABREU, OSAÍN del MONTE, SÍNTESIS, 7to SANTIAGUERO, ADALBERTO ÁLVAREZ, PEDRITO MARTÍNEZ, DAYRAMIR GONZÁLEZ... to name a few, joined by international artists such as SUSANA BACA, RICARDO LEMVO, JANE BUNNETT ... Both days 5-7 PM (PDT), FREE on Twitch.tv/HotHouseGlobal channel; Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hothousechicago; HotHouse web site www.hothouse.net/HotHouseGlobal. For more info: https://www.facebook.com/events/3186836428212223

14/06/2020

How Cuba is succeeding in the fight against COVID

With a government-run medical system, the island has contained the virus to a tiny fraction of the cases in the US.

https://48hills.org/2020/05/how-cuba-is-succeeding-in-the-fight-against-covid

With a government-run medical system, the island has contained the virus to a tiny fraction of the cases in the US.

19/04/2020

Robert Farris Thompson "I would go on to believe that mambo was dancing us all toward genuine being, toward becoming ourselves through awareness of others."

https://gagosian.com/quarterly/2020/03/21/essay-overture-ridding-passing-moments-their-fat/

Art historian Robert Farris Thompson has maintained a passion for Afro-Cuban dance and music since experiencing, in 1944, a conga line in his hometown of El Paso. Here, he tracks the spiritual, linguistic, and musical roots of mambo.

14/04/2020

View Boogalu's entire catalog of 16 video titles - over 15 hours.
Study and enjoy our acclaimed series of Cuban music & dance educational videos > https://www.boogalu.com/video/catalog

13/04/2020

For all Cuban music & dance aficionados worldwide.
Now free to view online > Boogalu's entire catalog of 16 video titles - over 15 hours.

Study and enjoy our acclaimed series of Cuban music & dance educational videos > https://www.boogalu.com/video/catalog

"Boogalu films put forth definitive Cuban culture which would otherwise remain obscure and to present the material with a rarely seen degree of depth... Films that can be used over and over as a source of information, instruction, entertainment, and inspiration. " -Myron Ort, Boogalu Productions Associate Producer

Cultural Series
Rumbon Tropical - a rumba party performance
U Laka Laka La - Carnaval La Habana 2003
Rumbambeo - Afro-Cuban rumba & folklore
Descarga Pi-Mozambi-Son - jam session
Trememdo Vacilon - potpourri music-dance

Popular & Folkloric Dance Series
Rueda De Buen Aché - rueda de casino
Casinando - salsa-casino styling & instruction
Casino Cubano - salsa-casino instruction
Mueve La Cintura - salsa-casino styling
Salsa Suelta - salsa-casino danced in lines
Danza-Boxeo - salsa-casino inspired by boxing
Un Trio Inseparable - popular dances instruction
Pasos Provocativos - popular dance movement
Baile Wemilere - Orisha dance instruction
Rueda Fresca - rueda from Santiago
Danza Charanguero - popular dances demo

03/04/2020

Cuba's Cancer Hope - PBS NOVA Production
When the U.S. trade embargo left Cuba isolated from medical resources, Cuban scientists were forced to get creative. Now they’ve developed lung cancer vaccines that show so much promise, some Americans are defying the embargo and traveling to Cuba for treatment. In an unprecedented move, Cuban researchers are working with U.S. partners to make the medicines more widely available.

https://www.pbs.org/video/cubas-cancer-hope-gdirkg

13/01/2020

Quite impressive lineup for the 35th Havana Jazz Plaza Festival going on Jan 14-19.
http://festivaljazzplaza.org/agenda

01/01/2020

Cuba Leads The World In The Sustainable Development Index

SD Index = Life expectancy, education and income - divideded it by the ecological overshoot.

The SDI starts with each nation’s human development score (life expectancy, education and income) and divides it by their ecological overshoot: the extent to which consumption-based CO2 emissions and material footprint exceed per-capita shares of planetary boundaries. Countries that achieve relatively high human development while remaining within or near planetary boundaries rise to the top.

https://www.sustainabledevelopmentindex.org/

28/11/2019

Designing a Different Kind of Car Wash in Cuba.
Small business owners who are implementing environmentally and socially sustainable practices.
https://vimeo.com/272254650

[Spanish with subtitles in English]