Elena Diaz’s Global Songbook: Cuba—Songs from Havana’s Golden Age

Event details Date: Friday, July 31, 2026 Time: 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM Location: Cactus Cafe Type: Arts / Performance About this event Continuing her Global Songbook concert series, Elena Diaz presents: Songs from Havana’s Golden Age—an evening celebrating the sones, boleros, guarachas, mambos, and early Latin jazz that defined a musical era. Featuring a live rhythm section and four-piece horn section, the program explores the music of Beny Moré, Celia Cruz, Tito Rodríguez, Tito Puente, Machito, and Omara Portuondo, tracing the evolution of Cuban popular song from intimate boleros and folkloric roots to the vibrant big-band sounds of Havana and New York. Elena Diaz is an Austin-based vocalist, multilingual performer, curator, and creator of the Global Songbook concert series. Drawing from her Cuban-Mexican heritage, years spent living in France, and a repertoire spanning Brazilian jazz, Afro-Cuban music, French chanson, and Classical repertoire, her performances explore the musical traditions that have shaped her artistic voice. Diaz has performed throughout the United States and Europe, including residencies on the French Riviera, and currently appears regularly at venues including the Elephant Room and Monks Jazz Club. This project is supported in part by an Elevate Grant from Austin Arts, Culture, Music Buy Tickets! Official event details: https://calendar.utexas.edu/event/elena-diazs-global-songbook-cubasongs-from-havanas-golden-age