Stephen Stills - 1979-03-03 - Havana, Cuba (FM)

Stephen Stills 
& the California Blues Band
1979-03-03
Karl Marx Theater
Havana, Cuba
FM Broadcast
320 kbps
Artwork Included

01. Introduction
02. For What It's Worth
03. Jet Set (Sigh)
04. Turn Back the Pages
05. Love the One You're With
06. Cuba Al Fin (fades out)

Stephen  Stills - 1979-03-03 - Havana, Cuba (FM)

In 1979, after two decades, the U.S. ban on travel to and from Cuba was lifted, creating new diplomatic and cultural exchange opportunities. Sensing the time was right, CBS Records, in conjunction with the U.S. State Department, staged an international coup by organizing an unprecedented three-night series of concerts in the Cuban capital of Havana. Dubbed "Havana Jam," this historic cultural exchange took place on March 2, 3 and 4, 1979 at the 4800-seat Karl Marx Theater and marked the first time American musicians had performed in Cuba since the Castro regime gained power two decades prior.  The King Biscuit Flower Hour accompanied a plane full of Columbia Records artists as they participated in this first comprehensive music festival held in Cuba, which featured an all-star cast of musicians from a wide range of musical genres. In addition to Cuban artists, performers included Weather Report (with Jaco Pastorius); Stephen Stills (who had been experimenting with Latin music his entire career); Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge; John McLaughlin (famed Mahavishnu Orchestra guitarist) performing a one-off trio gig with Tony Williams and Jaco Pastorius; the CBS Records Jazz Allstars, which featured a wealth of jazz greats including the Heath Brothers, Stan Getz, and Dexter Gordon, in addition to the final night headliner Billy Joel. Unfortunately Joel's set at Havana Jam was neither recorded nor videotaped. This FM broadcast captures Stephen  Stills at Havana Jam on March 3, 1979, 41 years ago today. The travel ban was reimposed 2 years later, and rock musicians would not play Cuba again until the Rolling Stones' historic show on March 25, 2016.