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The Cuban
Voyage of
Ninety Miles
By Ken Micallef // Photos by Jimmy and Dena Katz
Springtime in Cuba feels like the dog days
of the worst Louisiana summer. In Havana,
decaying architecture drips with humidity.
Flora rarely seen in the United States blossom
with energy created by extreme sunshine. The
locals survive through a combination of honor and
ingenuity, perhaps awaiting Fidel Castro’s demise
or the frequently rumored, always expected U.S.
invasion—though today that invasion is more likely
to come in the form of dollars (or Chinese yuan) than
boots on the ground. Into this world of political fog,
musical tradition and searing heat came three jazz
musicians and a novel concept.