US-Cuban Musical Relations before and after the Revolution

Chapter One provides the history and context for the rest of the book. The United States and Cuba had a vibrant musical relationship before the Cuban Revolution. When the United States instituted a trade embargo and travel ban on Cuba, musicians continued to seek opportunities for cultural exchange and pushed the boundaries of what travel policies permitted. The chapter outlines how the US-Cuban relationship has changed under various US Presidents, and how musical exchanges have been both stifled and briefly sanctioned under different administrations.

2016 and the Sounds of Normalization

The final chapter focuses on official and unofficial cultural diplomacy efforts that have been organized to celebrate the United States and Cuba restoring diplomatic relations. Spring 2016 included a visit to Cuba by Barack Obama and free concerts by Major Lazer and the Rolling Stones in Havana. The following month, the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities led a delegation to Havana with various federal agencies represented. Unofficial musical diplomacy initiatives continued as well, such as a trip with Musicians Across the Straits, a program that brought performers from St. Augustine, Florida to Havana for a residency at the Fábrica de Arte Cubano.

Dissonance and Diplomacy under Donald Trump

The Epilogue is dived into three categories: “US-Cuban Relations in the Trump Era,” “Play On: Musical Diplomacy Continues,” and the final “Conclusion.” In this last chapter, the author delves into the current state of US-Cuban relations. The future of US-Cuban musical exchanges is uncertain in the age of Trump. Yet, musical interaction continues to create ties between the United States and Cuba even as diplomatic and economic normalization appears to have stalled. Thus, the author states, this story is still incomplete.

A New Beginning

This chapter describes how President Obama enacted numerous policy changes that gradually moved towards improved relations with Cuba. The Cuban government and economy also underwent transformations instituted by President Raúl Castro during this period. Together these changes created opportunities for increased musical exchanges as demonstrated by numerous case studies including composer Juanes, Tania León, Jay-Z, and more.