Milan is not Havana, and it has never claimed to be. Yet over the years, the city has built an authentic relationship with Cuban music, one made up of festivals, stages, and dance nights.
It is precisely within this tradition that The Jazz Room finds its place: a journey to the heart of Cuba, a live concert that brings bolero, son, and salsa to Milan in an intimate and immersive experience.
22 January 2027 18:30 + more dates
Auditorium San Fedele
A legacy that travels from Cuba to Milan
The strong musical connection between the two places dates back over thirty years, to 1991, when “Latinoamericando” was launched in Milan—with its first edition held at Castello Sforzesco—and helped introduce the Milanese public to son, timba, and Afro-Cuban traditions.
Over the years, the festival has hosted prominent Cuban musicians, while its successor, the Milano Latin Festival, has continued to feature artists such as Los Van Van, Havana D’Primera, and Gente de Zona.
Milanese jazz has also made room for contemporary Cuba, with Cuban musicians welcomed into the city’s clubs: a presence that lives on primarily through live music, rather than in monuments.
From bolero to salsa with The Jazz Room: a journey to the heart of Cuba
It is within this tradition that The Jazz Room finds its place: a journey to the heart of Cuba, a live concert lasting about an hour that explores three genres of Cuban music: bolero, son, and salsa. It begins with the romantic, slow pace of the bolero, moves on to the folk-inspired rhythm of the son, and culminates in the rhythms and brass sounds of salsa.
The setlist features some of the most beloved songs of the Cuban tradition, including “Chan Chan,” associated with the Buena Vista Social Club; “Cómo Fue,” linked to Benny Moré; “Son de la Loma” by the Trío Matamoros; “La Vida es un Carnaval” sung by Celia Cruz; and “Guantanamera” in Compay Segundo’s version.
Alongside the most beloved songs, the musicians treat the audience to improvised solos: this is why every evening has a unique feel.
The San Fedele Auditorium, between the Duomo and La Scala
“The Jazz Room: A Journey to the Heart of Cuba” takes place at the Auditorium San Fedele, located at Via Ulrico Hoepli 3/b, in the heart of Milan’s historic center, just a short walk from the Duomo and La Scala. Designed in 1964 by architects Bacchetti and Sanesi, the Auditorium is characterized by exposed concrete and an asymmetrical shape that defines its architectural identity.
With its acoustics renovated in 2010 by Sandro Macchi and Mario Broggi, it now seats about 450 people and houses the only permanently installed Acusmonium system in Italy—a sound reinforcement system featuring some fifty speakers.
The nearest subway stations are Duomo (M1, M3) and San Babila (M1).
