Singles with Victor Morales, Released July 14, 2023
Habanera, or contradanza as originally known in Cuba, is a style of Cuban popular dance music of the 19th century, with far-reaching influence on Latin American music, including Argentine tango. The style travelled back to influence European music and dance, inspiring Europeanized works such as Georges Bizet's 1875 opera, Carmen, with its famous habanera aria.
This is our first release. So excited! The music pays tribute to Habanera as a musical genre, social dance, as well as to Havana, where the music arose, and the people of Cuba, where this style arose. We hope you enjoy! Much more music to come ... we can't wait to share!
This is the first collaboration between Victor and me. When I first composed the music, I knew it had a Latin dance beat, but I did not know it was a Habanera. Victor explained to me a little what a Habanera is and took this piece to a brand new level by giving it a sweeping Cinematic feel, and making many nuanced changes to make it a true classic Habanera.
