The Musical Inspiration for Havana Blue

By Orbert Davis, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic

Photo by Kent Richmond

Creating Havana Blue was a process unlike any other in my life as a musician and composer. Starting with the exploratory trip to Cuba, it was a process of discovery and inspiration, on both a personal and professional level.

 I set out on the trip to Cuba with several goals.  I wanted to explore my African roots through the Cuban culture, where the African heritage is prominent. In my mind, I wanted to “become Cuban” through immersion in the culture and music. I was curious to see where my collaborations with authentic Cuban music would take me as an artist. It was an odyssey of musical self-discovery.

Also, I have always had an interest in tracing the development of African music in the United States and other countries.  I once traveled to Brazil, for example, to see how the African influence shaped that musical tradition, and I was interested in doing the same thing in Cuba.

Photo by Kent Richmond

What I found in Cuba was a wealth of musical expression, and a real passion for learning and sharing.  There’s such a strong connection between American jazz and Cuba that dates from the 1940’s and exists to this day. The local musicians were so excited to play with an American musician. They were especially excited when they heard I was from Chicago.

The musicianship there is of the highest order. I bought CD’s everywhere I could. I was so amazed at the creativity and the talent of the local artists. And what’s more amazing is that there are no jazz schools there, so that the artists have to pick it up on their own.

Wherever I went, I took my horm with me, and the musicians would always welcome me to play with them. My goal was to absorb what was happening in the moment and improvise based on the environment I was in and what was happening around me. I learned something new with every encounter I had, whether it was the house band in the hotel, or a street musician, or the classically-trained performers in the clubs.

I also found out something about my ancestral roots.  One of the percussionists, who could trace his own ancestors back to their village in Africa, told me that I was of Nigerian descent. He knew this from the way I looked, but more importantly by how comfortable I was with polyrhythms. It had nothing to do with my training as a professional musician, he said. It was something innate that can’t be taught.

I created the score for Havana Blue as a series of musical portraits of the people and the places I encountered. I did not want to recreate the music but rather my interpretations of the Cuba I found.  I tried to capture the sense of a people proud of their traditions, intent on honoring the old but eager to embrace the new and move forward. I am excited to bring this project home and share it with the people of Chicago.   

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HAVANA BLUE: River North Dance Chicago with Orbert Davis' Chicago Jazz Philharmonic

Presented by BMO Harris and Co-commissioned by the Auditorium Theatre

Venue: Auditorium Theatre
Dates: Saturday, April 13, 2013
Times: 8:00 pm
Price: $76-$32

In a momentous collaboration, the Artistic Directors of River North Dance Chicago and Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, Frank Chaves and Orbert Davis, explore their shared Cuban experiences for a vibrant World Premiere of original live music and dance, bringing the culture’s rich history to life in a contemporary way. Co-commissioned by the Auditorium Theatre.

Box Office: 50 E. Congress Pkwy. | Phone: 800.982.ARTS (2787) | Groups of 10+ 312.341.2357

MUSIC + MOVEMENT FESTIVAL Announced!

The Auditorium Theatre’s MUSIC + MOVEMENT FESTIVAL welcomes the best of Chicago musicians and dance companies for a celebration spanning February through June of 2013. In a series of collaborations, 11 dance companies will pair off with musicians to create brand new works. 

The MUSIC + MOVEMENT FESTIVAL will feature: 

Feb - April: 10 new collaborations in the Auditorium's Katten/Landau Studio - 425 S. Wabash, 4th Floor | Chicago 
April 13: HAVANA BLUE, a World Premiere collaboration between River North Dance Chicago and Orbert Davis’ Chicago Jazz Philharmonic’s Chamber Ensemble 
May 15: MUSIC + MOVEMENT SHOWCASE featuring Giordano Dance Chicago and Luna Negra Dance Theater, plus the top 5 studio collaborations 

The MUSIC + MOVEMENT FESTIVAL will continue with community performances through June in select locations around Chicago.


Chicago Tribune
Music + Movement Festival to bow at city's stages 
February 05, 2013|Howard Reich

A new festival celebrating music and dance will launch Feb. 28 under the auspices of the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University and run into June in venues downtown and across the city. 

The Music + Movement Festival will present 11 Chicago dance companies performing newly commissioned work with live music, some of it created for the occasion.

Two key events – by River North Dance Chicago with Orbert Davis' Chicago Jazz Philharmonic (April 13) and a Music + Movement Showcase with Giordano Dance Chicago and Luna Negra Dance Theater (May 15) – will unfold on the stage of the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy. The other performances will take place at the Auditorium’s Katten/Landau Studio (425 S. Wabash Ave., 4th floor) and in Chicago community centers to be named.

“This really came about because of a desire on the Auditorium’s part to work with a lot of great artists in Chicago that we normally wouldn’t be able to work with because of the costs,” said Auditorium Theatre executive director Brett Batterson.

“We thought: There are all these terrific musicians, all these terrific dance companies – could we raise enough money to put them together and see what happens?”

The Auditorium found support from the Chicago Community Trust, the Boeing Company and the Joyce Foundation for a festival budgeted at approximately $150,000, said Batterson. The River North/Chicago Jazz Philharmonic event, already announced as part of the Auditorium’s 2012-2013 season, is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.

Read the entire article HERE

Chicago Sun Times
Auditorium Commissions 11 world premieres for festival

By Hedy Weiss and Thomas Conner Staff Reporters February 5, 2013

The Auditorium Theatre has announced a major new initiative, “The Music + Dance Festival,” a project designed to pair 11 of Chicago’s finest dance troupes with some of Chicago’s best live music makers. The festival, which will unspool over a five-month period (beginning this month and running through June), is being underwritten with $145,000 in grants from the Chicago Community Trust, The Boeing Company and The Joyce Foundation.

The festival will begin with 10 performances taking place in the Auditorium’s Katten/Landau Studio, 425 S. Wabash (4th floor), and will continue on the Auditorium Theatre stage, 50 E. Congress, with the highly anticipated April 13 collaboration between River North Dance Chicago and Orbert Davis’ Chicago Jazz Philharmonic in “Havana Blue,” and exploration of Afro-Cuban music and dance.

The Auditorium also will host a May 15 showcase featuring five selected performances from the festival as well as Giordano Dance Chicago and Luna Negra Dance Theater.

“This festival came out of a conversation [River North artistic director] Frank Chaves and I had when we were both part of the Miles Davis Festival at the Auditorium,” Orbert Davis, co-founder and conductor of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, said Tuesday. “We talked about what we could do, something bigger, that blended music and movement. Then he mentioned that his family was from Cuba.”

Davis and Chaves spent nine days in Cuba in September. Davis, a trumpeter, was transformed: “I became truly inspired. My goal was to become Cuban, which meant taking my horn to every restaurant. Guys in the street, I was playing with them. Guys in a band would see I had an instrument and say, ‘Come on over and play!’”

The result is the new “Havana Blue,” one segment of which features both musicians and dancers improvising.

Read the entire article HERE

Photo Friday: River North Dance Chicago Fireside Chat and Reception

For your viewing pleasure, here's a slideshow of photos from the Fireside Chat with Dance Critic Lucia Mauro and River North Dance Chicago Artistic Director Frank Chaves as well as some photos of the post-show reception.

Congratulations to all the dancers and staff of River North on presenting a wonderful performance on our stage for the first time!

The Audience is Always In The Thoughts of River North Dance Chicago Dancers [video]

PBS recently aired a rebroadcast of the documentary "Every Dancer Has a Story" featuring River North Dance Chicago, a company performing on our stage for the first time this Saturday, April 16 at 8 p.m. In the promo clips for the documentary, it's interesting to hear that the perspectives of both the dancers in the company, and their artistic director, Frank Chaves, both talk about presenting a piece for the benefit of the audience and how passionate about what they do (it's not a money making endeavor).

Take a few minutes to see the dancers in action below and to get an insider's take on River North Dance Chicago!

Student Rush: $15 Tickets for Sketches of Blue and River North Dance Chicago

I've been so excited for this week for months! We're finishing up our Miles Davis Festival this week and college students have the opportunity to celebrate this legendary trumpeter with us for only $15.

Sketches of Blue: An Orbert Davis Tribute to Miles
Thursday, April 14 at 7:30 pm

You won't want to miss one of Chicago's most treasured trumpeters, Orbert Davis, pay homage to Miles Davis. Act 1, entitled Kind of Blue features the Orbert Davis Sextet with Ari Brown and Ernest Dawkins. You'll hear a world premiere in Act 2 as the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble performs Sketches of Spain (Revisited) which is adapted and composed by Orbert Davis himself.

River North Dance Chicago
Saturday, April 16 at 8:00 pm

I experienced this dynamic dance company for the first time in college, and I hope you will too. Become a part of history with us this weekend as River North Dance Chicago performs the world-premiere, Simply Miles, Simply Us. Artistic Director (and former saxophone player) Frank Chaves choreographs the piece and takes inspiration from the music of the legendary trumpeter, Miles Davis.

You can get $15 Student Rush tickets one hour before show time at the Auditorium Box Office (located at 50 E. Congress Pkwy). Remember to bring your valid college ID; there's also a limit of two tickets per ID. Student Rush tickets and locations are subject to availability and cannot be reserved in advance.



Sign up for e-mail Student Rush Alerts and be among the first to know when Student Rush becomes available.

* Student Rush tickets are sold at the discretion of the presenter. Policies differ from show to show.

River North Dance Chicago Warms Up the Weekend

Photo by William Frederking

Congratulations to our friends at River North Dance Chicago for wrapping up a successful Valentine's weekend engagement at the Harris Theatre for Music and Dance. With good reviews from Sid Smith for SeeChicagoDance.com and Zachary Whittenburg for TimeOut Chicago, we wait with bated breath for RNDC's performance during the Miles Davis Festival which will feature a world premiere Simply Miles, co-commissioned by the Auditorium Theatre.

The never-before-seen piece, choreographed by Artistic Director Frank Chaves, takes inspiration from Miles Davis' career, utilizing the vast and varied repertoire to highlight the breadth of Davis' development as a jazz artist.

Tickets are on sale now for River North Dance Chicago on Saturday, April 16 at 8pm. Purchase online via Ticketmaster, by calling 800.982.ARTS (2787) or at our box office (50 E. Congress Pkwy.). Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more by calling 312.431.2357.