Jazz Plaza 2026: Havana Pulses with Music Despite It All

When blackouts last up to 12 hours, when daily life becomes survival, when the world seems to forget you — jazz keeps playing in Havana.

From January 25 to February 1, 2026, the International Jazz Plaza Festival celebrated its 41st edition, proving that Cuban music is more resilient than any crisis.

Over 1,500 Artists, 20 Countries

This edition broke records: 286 international artists from Spain, the United States, Mexico, France, Austria, Russia, Brazil, Italy, China, and more than a dozen other countries joined hundreds of Cuban musicians.

For the first time in the festival’s history, Jazz Plaza expanded simultaneously to four cities: Havana, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, and newcomer Holguín.

“Every year the festival takes place under very complex conditions, but I think they have never been as complex as they are now.” — Víctor Rodríguez, organizing committee president

From Montreux to Havana

One of the most anticipated concerts brought together Cuban winners of the Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland):

• Harold López-Nussa — piano
• Rolando Luna — piano
• Jorge Luis Pacheco — piano
• Yilian Cañizares — violin and voice
• Héctor Quintana — guitar

A demonstration that Cuban talent continues conquering the world’s most demanding stages.

Nachito Herrera and the National Symphony

Pianist Ignacio “Nachito” Herrera, now based in the United States, rehearsed for weeks with the Havana National Symphony Orchestra under Igor Corcuera’s direction to deliver a memorable performance.

Other notable artists included American pianists Aaron Goldberg, Edward Simon, and Christian Sands, alongside Cuban diaspora figures like Dayramir González.

The Theme: “La Rumba me llama”

Composer Roberto Fonseca, the festival’s artistic director, created this edition’s musical theme. Visual identity was handled by master artist Alfredo Sosabravo, National Plastic Arts Prize winner in 1997.

Jazz Against the Blackouts

Musicians rehearsed at Abdala Studios in Miramar, one of Cuba’s best-equipped facilities. But even there, they faced daily power outages. Sponsor Tulip Power installed generators to keep rehearsals running.

During the week before the festival, some Havana neighborhoods suffered blackouts lasting up to 12 hours. One musician confessed between rehearsals: “I haven’t been able to pump water for five days. All I eat is spaghetti and pizza. I can’t take it anymore.”

Yet when they stepped on stage, everything disappeared. Only the music remained.

41 Years of History

Jazz Plaza was born in 1980 and became international in 1983. Giants who have graced its stages include:

• Dizzy Gillespie — the trumpeter who revolutionized bebop
• Max Roach — drumming legend
• Roy Hargrove — bridge between generations
• Michel Legrand — the French composer
• Chucho Valdés — Cuban jazz’s prodigal son
• Arturo O’Farrill — heir to Chico O’Farrill

Cuba: A Country of Music

Ernán López-Nussa, a foundational figure in Cuban jazz, remembers when listening to jazz or rock was considered “enemy music” by authorities. Today, jazz is a cultural symbol of Cuba.

“Cuba is a country of music,” López-Nussa says. And Jazz Plaza proves it every January.

Looking Ahead

Despite travel restrictions, economic crisis, and political threats, Jazz Plaza persists. It’s more than a festival: it’s a statement that Cuban culture will not be silenced.

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When everything fails, jazz remains. And in Cuba, jazz never fails.

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Sources: El País | Diario Libre | OnCuba News

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