¡Qué Cubanía! (Paperback)

This book explores Cuban culture, history and daily life as contexts for the interpretation and experience of Cuban music. In musical elements we find multiple layers of communication related to the local setting. In Cuban popular discourse the concept of an essential Cubanness is strongly emphasized, and the shared experiences of political and economic realities in Cuba the last decades are central to such an identity. The idea of a strong African presence in Cuban national identity dominates parts of the discourse, and an investigation into the practices and structures of Afro Cuban religions, offers further insight into this Cuban Africanness. Finally this study explores the jazz scene in Havana with its aspects of both national and transnational identities communicated through musical performance in different local settings. This monograph is based on qualitative research through long-term fieldwork in Havana from 1999 - 2002. The analysis offers a comprehensive introduction to practical aspects of Cuban music and society as well as theoretical analysis, and should be of interest to musicians and scholars as well as anyone interested in Cuban music and Cuba in general.