The organizers behind the Norah Jones concert in communist Cuba, which profited the Castro dictatorship with stays in Cuban-military owned hotels, have confirmed the musical event has been canceled. The promoters said it was Jones who made the decision, but no reason for it was given. The announcement of the concert generated a barrage of criticism levied against the American musician for participating in an event that aids and funds a brutally oppressive dictatorship that imprisons artists and likely had something to do with her decision. That and probably a lack of interest. Either way, it is bad news for the Castro dictatorship and good news for the Cuban people.
Via Diario de Cuba (my translation):
American organizers confirm ‘Norah Jones decided to cancel her concerts in Cuba’
Dreamcatcher Events, an entertainment company based in the USA and organizer of Norah Jones’ concerts in Havana, confirmed to DIARIO DE CUBA that the performer canceled her scheduled appearances, which were supposed to take place in February 2024.
“Norah decided to cancel,” responded Danny Heaps, general manager and founder of the company, to this publication.
Without providing details about the reasons for the cancellation, Heaps offered apologies for any confusion that the suspension might have caused to those who had planned to attend the performances.
The decision confirms suspicions that arose in the last few hours due to the disappearance of the booking website and advertising references related to the event on Dreamcatcher Events’ official page, as well as the removal of Jones’ social media profile, which previously featured posts promoting the shows on the island.
Tickets for the event were announced as part of a tourist package aimed at Americans, allowing them to attend two private concerts by the artist. The package included accommodation at the Grand Aston Hotel in Havana, owned by Gaviota, a company under the Grupo de la Administración Empresarial (GAESA), controlled by the Cuban military and sanctioned by the United States.
“Excited to go to Cuba for the first time as part of a cultural and educational exchange! I look forward to learning more about the country’s rich musical heritage and sharing my music through two shows at the historic Teatro Martí on February 17 and 18,” the singer had announced on Facebook in early November, in a post that is no longer available.
Jones’ posts sparked mixed reactions among Cubans. Numerous people warned her about the repressive situation experienced by Cubans and the involvement of military-related businesses seeking profit from her visit. However, others, including opinion agents of the regime, defended the idea of the performer bringing her music to the island.
This, despite the fact that the prices for attendees of the event ranged from $3,499 to $8,599, included within the tour package.
Yes, lack of sufficient customer interest may have been involved, but we should give Norah Jones the benefit of the doubt barring information to the contrary. It may be she really was ignorant about the situation in Cuba, particularly concerning dissident artists and musicians like Maykel Osorbo, and possibly the Rolling Stone story on the latter (which was surprisingly good) opened her eyes.
If, in fact, she cancelled out of principle, she is a considerably better person than a large number of music world figures who have “done” Havana as if it were no different from doing New York or LA. Good for her.