New York has a long history with Cuban music, dating back to the musicians who helped bring Afro-Cuban rhythms into the city’s jazz scene. In the 1940s, bandleaders Machito and Mario Bauzá were blending Cuban percussion with big-band jazz in Harlem, helping shape a sound that would go on to influence generations of musicians.
Decades later, that relationship reached another milestone when Buena Vista Social Club took to the stage at Carnegie Hall in 1998 for a now-iconic performance later captured by filmmaker Wim Wenders, with Chan Chan among the songs played that evening. The performance helped introduce a new generation of international listeners to Cuba’s rich musical heritage.
Now, The Jazz Room: Journey to the Heart of Cuba invites audiences to explore the music behind that legacy, with a live band performing Cuban classics spanning bolero, son and salsa at Sony Hall.
22 November 2026 18:30
Sony Hall
22 November 2026 18:30
Sony Hall
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The music itself tells a story of cultural exchange that stretches far beyond Cuba. Son, born in eastern Cuba, brought together Spanish guitar traditions and African rhythms, while bolero became known for its expressive melodies and romantic storytelling.
But it was in New York that many of these sounds found new audiences and began to evolve in unexpected ways. During the 1940s and 50s, Cuban orchestras helped spark a mambo craze across Manhattan, with the legendary Palladium Ballroom drawing huge crowds to dance to the sounds of Machito, Tito Puente and other Latin bandleaders.
That relationship continued into the salsa era, when Cuban-born singer Celia Cruz became one of the defining voices of New York’s Latin music scene. After settling in the United States in 1961, she collaborated with Tito Puente and later joined the Fania All-Stars, helping bring salsa to audiences around the world.
Her legacy remains part of the city’s cultural fabric, with her final resting place at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. The Jazz Room: Journey to the Heart of Cuba revisits this rich musical heritage, bringing the sounds of son, bolero and salsa to Sony Hall in a celebration of the rhythms that have connected Cuba and New York for generations.
So, what is The Jazz Room: Journey to the Heart of Cuba?
It’s an hour of live Cuban music, boleros, son and salsa, played by a band that sticks to the classics but isn’t afraid to improvise. Heartfelt ballads come first, then horns and rhythm take over as the tempo climbs.
The setlist reads like a crash course in Cuban music: “Chan Chan,” the Buena Vista Social Club favorite; “Cómo Fue,” linked to Benny Moré; “Son de la Loma” from Trío Matamoros; Celia Cruz’s “La Vida es un Carnaval”; and “Guantanamera” in Compay Segundo’s version. And that’s before the band gets to the rest of the program.
Sony Hall: a 1938 nightclub under the Paramount Hotel
Sony Hall sits in the basement of the Paramount Hotel at 235 West 46th Street, right in the Theater District. The space first opened on December 24, 1938 as Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe – the nightclub where Gene Kelly got his start – and returned as Sony Hall in 2018, presented by Blue Note, with much of its art deco look intact.
The closest subway stops are 49th St (N/R/W), 47th–50th Sts (B/D/F/M), 50th St (C/E) and 42nd St (A/C/E), and Meyers Garage at 146 West 44th Street offers validated parking. The venue is wheelchair accessible; tables are first come, first served, so contact Sony Hall before the show if you need accessible seating.
Everything you need to know about The Jazz Room: Journey to the Heart of Cuba
📍 Sony Hall, 235 W 46th St, NY 10036
📅 Sunday 22 November
🕐 Two shows on the night, 6pm, 9:30pm
👕 There’s no official dress code
🪑 Seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis in each zone
🎟️ Tickets from $20.40 (currently 20% discount)
The Jazz Room: Journey to the Heart of Cuba
22 November 2026 18:30
Sony Hall