A Million Dollars of Talent in the Room

On one of many forays into the nightlife of Havana on a recent trip, I was invited to attend the first concert of a young Cuban musician named Cesar Garcia Quintana, otherwise known by his alter ego, Black Imperator. My friend and I were off for a night of music at the Vitrola Social Club in Vedado.

We were walking in the right direction. We knew because a half a block away, we could hear that voice. It’s a voice so grand and powerful that it wakes up the sleepy surrounding neighborhood. Complaints followed later that night.

As we arrived at the Vitrola, Cesar is performing up there in his flowing gold and shiny boubou, his long dreads sweeping over his back in time to the music. He’s giving his first solo concert in Havana, surrounded by his band, Mauro, Puig, and Padilla.

One would say Cesar has already arrived at success. A few months ago, he was invited by the Global Music Exchange to perform at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, DC. Following that, an invitation arrived from rapper Big Freedia to sing in New Orleans.

Cesar is back in Havana, night after night performing the club circuit. He’s a million dollar talent.

But he’s not the only talent in the room.

Also in the room is Brenda Navarrete, global performer and representative at UNESCO’s Global Forum Against Racism and Discrimination (2024). Brenda is Cesar’s friend and “sister,” singer, percussionist, composer, and writer. She has already arrived. She hovers about the stage with her phone, capturing Cesar on video. 

And there’s even more talent in the room. Emy Abreu, Wendy Oram Galvez, Vannia Borges, Kevin Dedeu and Machito. It’s Cesar’s night, but he invites these singers up to the stage and they belt out the tunes.

Since that first night at the Vitrola, Cesar has followed up with another concert with (Wendy) Oram Galves at the Vitrola again, and two performances at Jazz Plaza 2025. He shared the stage with Telmary, and a second night with the band, Black Alley at Havana’s international jazz festival.

This is the thing: there’s a million dollars of talent in the room. This is the new Cuban music. Where are the managers and producers signing them up?