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Cuban music documentaries

Home > Docs

A list of documentaries

  • Musica Cubana - A Story to be Told (2019)
  • A Tuba to Cuba (2018)
  • Buena Vista Social Club: Adios (2017)
  • Havana Club Rumba Sessions: La Clave (2015)
  • La salsa cubana (2011)
  • The Black Roots of Salsa (2010)
  • Evolution of cuban music (2004)
  • Paraíso (2003)
  • Cuba Feliz (2000)
  • Buena Vista Social Club (1999)
  • Congo Religion in Cuba (1999)
  • Son Sabrosón: Antesala de la Salsa (1999)
  • Yo Soy Del Son A La Salsa (1996)
  • La Rumba (1978)
  • Y telenos sabor (1967)
  • Nosotros La Música (1964)
  • Tam Tam origen de la rumba (1938)

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Music

  • Examples
    Examples

    This section is dedicated to the musical magic of Timba and Salsa, specifically designed for dancers who want to deepen their understanding and connection to the music. We will take you on a journey through the rhythms, melodies, and musical structures that make these genres so unique.

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Dance
Dance

  • Cuban rumba
    Cuban rumba

    Cuban rumba is an Afro-Cuban music and dance genre characterized by complex rhythms, call-and-response vocals, and expressive, often flirtatious movements, rooted in African and Spanish traditions.

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Docs
Cuban music documentaries

A list of documentaries

  • A Tuba to Cuba
    A Tuba to Cuba (2018)

    Although not strictly about Cuban music alone, this film explores the musical roots of New Orleans jazz by tracing them back to Cuba, with scenes filmed in Havana and Santiago de Cuba. It’s useful for seeing cross-cultural influence.

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  • Buena Vista Social Club: Adios
    Buena Vista Social Club: Adios (2017)

    A follow-up / epilogue to the original, this film follows five of the original musicians on a final tour and features personal recollections, reflections, and celebrations of their legacy.

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  • Havana Club Rumba Sessions: La Clave
    Havana Club Rumba Sessions: La Clave (2015)

    Directed by Wim Wenders, this is perhaps the most famous Cuban music documentary. It traces how Ry Cooder assembled a group of veteran Cuban musicians to revive old styles, and it features performances in Havana, Amsterdam, and New York

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  • La salsa cubana
    La salsa cubana (2011)

    Focused more on dance culture, this film walks into Havana’s salsa / casino scene, exploring dancers’ lives, the social element of salsa in Cuba, and builds to a rueda (group dance) competition.

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  • The Black Roots of Salsa
    The Black Roots of Salsa: The Emancipation of Cuban Rumba (2010)

    This documentary traces Afro-Cuban roots, cultural traditions, and the evolution of rumba. It’s a deep dive into the African heritage threaded through Cuban music.

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  • Evolution of cuban music
    Evolution of cuban music (2004)
    • Cubanissimo: A History of Cuban Music (2004) is a documentary that “witnesses the evolution of Cuban music styles through rare interviews with influential Cuban artists and captivating footage” Apple TV

    • It’s a good general survey, useful if you want a broad overview of how Cuban music developed across genres and decades.

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  • Paraíso
    Paraíso (2003)

    Blending road-movie and documentary style, it follows a Cuban band, Madera Limpia, from Guantánamo, with rehearsal footage, performances, and interviews—offering insight into more contemporary and hybrid musical styles.

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  • Cuba Feliz
    Cuba Feliz (2000)

    A more intimate portrait: the film follows “El Gallo,” a street musician traveling across Cuba, playing in homes, bars, and street corners. It’s quieter and more evocative of daily musical life in Cuba.

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  • Son Sabrosón: Antesala de la Salsa
    Son Sabrosón: Antesala de la Salsa (1999)

    part of the series Vengo de Cuba. It explores the origins and development of son cubano, including interviews

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  • Buena Vista Social Club
    Buena Vista Social Club (1999)

    Directed by Wim Wenders, this is perhaps the most famous Cuban music documentary. It traces how Ry Cooder assembled a group of veteran Cuban musicians to revive old styles, and it features performances in Havana, Amsterdam, and New York

    More >
  • Yo Soy Del Son A La Salsa
    Yo Soy Del Son A La Salsa (1996)

    Yo Soy del Son a la Salsa traces the historical evolution of Cuban popular music from son (a foundational genre) toward salsa as it’s recognized in broader Latin music culture.

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  • Y telenos sabor
    Y telenos sabor (1967)

    The film explores Cuban music’s origins, especially Afro-Cuban musical traditions, through conversations, performances, instrument demonstrations, and archival footage.

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  • Nosotros La Música
    Nosotros La Música (1964)

    Directed by Rogelio París, this is a classic older documentary offering a panorama of popular Cuban music of the post-WWII era, featuring many important artists and musical styles.

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  • Tam Tam origen de la rumba
    Tam Tam origen de la rumba (1938)

    Though a short musical film rather than full documentary, it dramatizes the evolution of rumba through dance and music.

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  • La Rumba
    La Rumba (1978)

    “La rumba” is a 45-minute ICAIC documentary (Cuba, 1978) directed by Oscar Valdés that traces the origins, styles, and social life of Cuban rumba. It mixes street performances, staged numbers, and brief interviews, and features top rumba voices/dancers of the era.

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  • Congo Religion in Cuba
    Nganga Kiyangala: Congo Religion in Cuba (1999)

    It’s a 33-minute Cuban documentary about the Kongo-derived Afro-Cuban religion commonly called Palo (Palo Monte/Palo Mayombe). Under the original title “Nganga Kiyangala: Congo Religion in Cuba,” it explores the role of the nganga (ritual cauldron/altar), ceremonies, music and dance, and contrasts Palo with other Cuban traditions like Lucumí (Santería) and Abakuá. The film is credited to researcher Tato Quiñones and director Luis A. Soto and was released in the early 1990s (Spanish, with subtitles)

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  • Musica Cubana - A Story to be Told
    Musica Cubana - A Story to be Told (2019)

    Cuba is a country plenteous of diverse styles of music, especially Havana is like a pan bubbling with musical and rhythmical creativity. The enormous musical diversity there is due to both tradition and topicality.

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Literature
Literature

  • Bailes Populares Cubanos
    Bailes Populares Cubanos

    Bailes Populares Cubanos Fernandez, Maria Antonia

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  • Beyond Salsa for Beginners
    Beyond Salsa for Beginners

    Beyond Salsa for Beginners:

    The Cuban Timba Revolution: An Introduction to Latin Music for Dancers and Listeners

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Places
Places

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