Agencia de Viajes San Cristóbal (Oficios #110, e/ Lamparilla y Amargura, tel. 07/861-9171, www.viajessancristobal.cu [1]) hosts Noche en las Plazas (Night in the Plazas) one Saturday a month at 9 p.m. in the Plaza de la Catedral or Plaza de San Francisco, with folkloric espectáculos (CUC22 with dinner). Reservations can be made at hotel tour desks.
The last Saturday of each month, the Peña de Heydi Igualada features the eponymous trova singer in the Palacio de Segundo Caballo (O’Reilly #14, tel. 07/862-8091), at 3 p.m. on Plaza de Armas.
The Asociación Cultural Yoruba de Cuba (Prado #615, e/ Dragones y Monte, tel. 07/863-5953) hosts the Peña Oyú Obbá, with traditional Afro-Cuban music and dance, Thursday 6–8 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m.–8 p.m. (CUC5).
The place to be on Sunday is “Salvador’s Alley” for Rumba del “Salvador’s Alley” (Callejón de Hamel, e/ Aramburo y Hospital, tel. 07/878-1661, eliasasef [at] yahoo [dot] es), where Salvador González Escalona hosts a rumba with Afro-Cuban music and dance (Sun. noon–3 p.m.) and traditional music (9 p.m. last Friday of each month).
The Casa de la Trova (San Lázaro #661, e/ Padre Varela y Gervasio, tel. 07/879-3373l, Mon.–Fri. 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., CUC5) has live music—everything from filin to son and nueva trova. Friday evening is best.
Adherents of filin music flock to La Peña de Joya (San Lázaro #667, Apto. 9, e/ Padre Varela y Gervasio), two doors down, Friday 10 p.m.–1 a.m.
My favorite hangout in Havana [2] is Café Concierto Gato Tuerto (Calle O #14, e/ 17 y 19, tel. 07/833-2224, CUC5 cover), a cramped and moody 1950s-style nightclub that hosts música filin, trova, and bolero nightly until 3 a.m. It gets packed, mostly with middle-aged Cubans (and a smattering of expats with their trophy Cuban girlfriends) jammed cheek-to-jowl against the postage stamp–size stage tucked into a corner. It’s the kind of place Sinatra and his Rat Pack might have hung out. The show normally doesn’t begin until 11 p.m. Don’t miss the Voces Negras, a quintet that sings everything from Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra to salsa.
Nearby, the Sala 1830 (in the Hotel Nacional, Calle O y 21, tel. 07/873-3564) hosts Grupo Compay Segundo each Saturday at 9:45 p.m. (CUC25 cover, CUC50 with dinner).
Club Imágenes (Calzada #602, esq. C, tel. 07/833-3606, daily 11 p.m.–3 a.m., CUC5 cover), a stylish piano bar, hosts boleros and other traditional music for the late-night (and more mature) crowd. It also has karaoke and comedy (Fri.–Sun. 3:30–8 p.m., CUC2).
El Hurón Azul (UNEAC, Calle 17 #351, esq. H, tel. 07/832-4551, daily 5 p.m.–2 a.m.) hosts a peña with Afro-Cuban music and dance on Wednesday at 5 p.m. (CUC5), trovas on Thursday at 5 p.m. (CUC1), plus boleros on Saturday at 9 p.m. (CUC1). This is ground zero for bohemian intellectual life in Havana [2], and many of Cuba’s top writers and artists hang out here.
The acclaimed Conjunto Folklórico Nacional (National Folklore Dance Group, Calle 4 #103, e/ Calzada y 5ta, tel. 07/830-3060, CUC5) performs Sábado de rumba alfresco each Saturday at 3 p.m. This is Afro-Cuban music and dance at its best.
Casa de las Américas (3ra Calle, esq. Av. de los Presidentes, tel. 07/832-2706, www.casa.cult.cu [3]) hosts an eclectic range of concerts (Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.).
On the third Sunday of each month, head to the Centro Iberoamericano de la Décima (Calle A, e/ 25 y 27, tel. 07/837-5383, decimal [at] cubarte [dot] cult [dot] cu) for El Jardín de la Gorda (5 p.m.), when Sara Gonzaléz—the gorda (fat lady)—belts out nueva trova. And at 6 p.m. on the last Saturday of every month, Frank Delgado performs nueva trova live at the Cine Riviera (Calle 23, e/ F y G, tel. 07/830-9564).
For boleros, head to Rincón de Boleros (7ma Av., esq. 26, tel. 07/204-2353, daily 10:30 p.m.–3 a.m., CUC10), in the Dos Gardenias complex.
Links:
[1] http://www.viajessancristobal.cu
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/cuba/havana
[3] http://www.casa.cult.cu