Cuba
Gilles Peterson documentary explores the pounding rumba beat of Cuba’s dancefloors
Rumba Sessions - La Clave — Musical explorer Gilles Peterson’s search for the perfect beat takes him to Cuba, where rooftop parties and impromptu jam sessions shake to the unmistakeable rhythms of Afro-Cuban rumba.
Written by: Alex King
Meet the cyclists and mechanics rebuilding Cuban bike culture against the odds
Pedalling into a new era — In our first story from The Commuter Journal – a cycling paper made by Huck and Levi’s® Commuter™ – we explore the booming bike revolution in Cuba, a country in the throes of change.
Written by: Graham Sowa
How respecting the light helped Mario Algaze understand Latin America
A life without flash — Mario Algaze has shot everything from Mick Jagger to civil unrest in Argentina during the 1970s. And he's never once used flash.
Written by: Alex Taylor
Cuba’s shining light Daymé Arocena is ready to take centre stage
Mystery, mythology and music — Guided by her Santería saints Yemaya and Ochún, nothing can stop Cuba’s bright young talent Daymé Arocena.
Written by: Alex King
Gilles Peterson goes to the heart of Cuba’s thumping rumba scene
Roots of club culture — Afro-Cuban rumba’s pumping rhythms have influenced house, hip hop, jazz and beyond. Musical explorer Gilles Peterson followed the rumba beat all the way to Havana for new new album and documentary that explores the genre’s huge impact.
Written by: Natalie Howard
From Paris to Havana, Ibeyi take beats from the past to create prayers for the future
Yoruba soul — Fiery twin sisters Ibeyi tap into their Cuban roots to create powerful contemporary spirituals.
Written by: Osia Katsidou
Cuba’s surfers sneak around the blockade to hit the waves
Surf Revolution — As relations thaw between Cuba and the US, and talk of lifting the blockade is in the air, Huck is thinking about how the blockade has affected young people and how their lives will change if it's lifted. In this archive piece from summer 2009, we headed to Cuba to uncover the island's underground surf scene. Cuban surfers are among the most dedicated in the world, risking imprisonment to find materials and relying on donations from foreigners to get boards and leashes. Never mind the blockade.
Written by: Sarah Bentley
Cuba’s rising creative stars
Havana Cultura — DJ and producer Rukaiya Russell shares her favourite young Cuban musicians, photographers and dancers from a creative new generation.
Written by: Alex King