Cuba: Island of Music

Filmmaker and scholar Gary Keys directs the digital-video documentary Cuba: Island of Music for Gothamjazz Productions. A longtime fan of jazz and Afro-Cuban music, Keys quickly accepts a university position in Havana teaching film and music.

This documentary is a direct result of his experience wandering around Cuba and looking for high-energy street musicians and dancers. He also includes random shots of everyday life, including baseball players, women rolling cigars, and children playing in the street.

Keys narrates the film himself from the front seat of his convertible while driving around New York City. Including music and commentary from Chico O'Farrill and Dr. Billy Taylor, Cuba: Island of Music premiered in 2003 at the Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York City.