What This Project Is About

In Havana, the greatest performances are not found in concert halls, but the streets, the parks and along the Malecon seawall. My team is going to Havana this summer to write, arrange, and record an album with local street performers, fulfilling a promise I made 10 years ago to record their music, their stories, their dreams – and share them with the world.

Why We Are Creating This Album

In 2002 I was wandering along the streets of Havana in the midst of an uninspiring study abroad program between UC Berkeley and Cuban professors when I befriended and received my first real dose of Cuban life from two street musicians named Orleidys and Cristian. For the remainder of my nights in Cuba I followed them and their friends along the Malecon as they played Beatles songs for a dollar, shared their life stories and introduced me to their perspective on the world. Though many were trained musicians and professors of music, their music was raw passion: filled with stories of lost love, ill children and desire for greatness.

The Malecon, a 3-ft high seawall avenue that runs along the shores of Havana, serves as the inspiration and backdrop for the album and accompanying documentary. Because of the economic situation in Cuba where monthly salaries average around $20, few can afford to go to clubs and restaurants. Instead, thousands of people come together along this 4-mile stretch to socialize, drink Cuba Libres, sell goods & services (tamales, home-made wine, flowers, renditions of the latest Marc Anthony song) and fight to make ends meet.

I want to professionally record and capture the spontaneity, emotions and guitar infused songs of The Malecon and share it with the world. My team will create an accompanying film documenting the characters, the creative process and the inspiration behind the album.

Who We Are

Ra 'Segun' Amen 

• Performed at The White House for Pres. Bill Clinton.
• Performed as the opening act for The Roots, Goapale, Janelle Monae, Day 26 and Alvin Draper. 
• Produced most recent album 'Let Me Go' with current group 6:50 Rock (Rock, Reggae, Blues, Latin, Soul & Flamenco Fusion).
• Former Peace Corps Morocco volunteer and Stanford alum.

-

Adimu Madyun
• Produced and directed controversial award winning film 'Operation Small Axe,' which documents the murder of Oscar Grant. (Official Selection - Pan African Film Festival, Rise Up Award - Patois International Film Festival and Official Selection - RDAC Bronx Film Festival)
• Shared the stage with artists such as  Dead Prez, Zion I, Saul Williams, The Abyssinians, Slim Kid Tre of Pharcyde, Gyptian, Pressure, Norris Man and Thandiswa Mazwai. 
• Signed a music publishing deal with Sony South Africa in 2003.
• Adimu is also a former Peace Corps Lesotho Volunteer.

-

Fundraising Goals

• Hiring a producer for ten songs: $2,000
• Recording studio time: $1,000
• Musicians for hire: $1,000
• Per diem for 5 featured cuban artist: $10/day x 45 days x 5 artists = $2,250 
• Film production expenses (equipment, film crew, video editor): $3,750
• Total Funding Needed: $10,000*

*Any additional funding will go towards improving the production quality of the documentary.