Havana (1990)

Songwriter Chris Isaak clearly loves the reverb-laden rockabilly and country of Sun Studios. In particular, he transfers the sweeping melancholy of Roy Orbison's classic Monument singles ("Crying," "Oh, Pretty Woman," "In Dreams") to the more stripped-down, rootsy sound of Sun, resulting in a stylized take on '50s and '60s rock & roll that made him into a star in the early '90s, propelled to a great degree by the hit single "Wicked Game." Isaak began performing after he graduated from college, forming the rockabilly band Silvertone. The group, which featured guitarist James Calvin Wilsey, bassist Rowland Salley, and drummer Kenney Dale Johnson, would become the singer/guitarist's permanent supporting band

An elegant and sophisticated pianist, his encyclopedic harmonic approach and wide range of his repertory made him one of the most distinctive jazz pianists to come out of Chicago, gaining the respect of local and visiting musicians for his notable mastery of the instrument.

Aging Cuban musicians whose talents had been virtually forgotten following Castro's takeover of Cuba, are brought out of retirement by Ry Cooder, who travelled to Havana in order to bring the musicians together, resulting in triumphant performances of extraordinary music, and resurrecting the musicians' careers.

HC Sea Tales - The Doomed Voyage of the St. Louis (1997)
VHSRip | 720x544 | .AVI/DivX @ 2339 Kbps | 47mn 59s | Audio: English AC3 256 kbps, 2 channels | Subs: None | 895 MiB
Genre: Documentary

In May of 1939, the ship St. Louis departed Hamburg, Germany for Cuba. Onboard were 930 Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazi regime. In one of the darkest chapters in World War II, they would eventually be returned to the continent they tried to leave, and many ultimately perished in the Holocaust. THE DOOMED VOYAGE OF THE ST. LOUIS is a chronicle of shame and desperation, bravery and quiet heroism. Footage shows the ship arriving in Havana, where officials refused to allow the passengers to disembark. As the St. Louis steamed in circles of Florida and its passengers pondered their uncertain fate, immigration officials from various nations were contacted, but none, including the U.S., allowed them in. Here, the shameful decision of the U.S. is examined in detail. Eventually, the St. Louis returned to Europe, where, despite the heroic efforts of the ship's captain, most of the passengers became victims of the Holocaust. Featuring moving interviews with survivors, period news accounts and commentary from leading scholars, this is a compelling chronicle of a senseless tragedy.

Throughout his storied career, iconic pianist/keyboardist Chick Corea has explored a wealth of music from across borders both geographical and stylistic. Time and again over the decades he’s returned to what he calls his “Spanish Heart” – the Spanish, Latin and flamenco traditions that have indelibly shaped his unmistakable sound. Now, with his new album Antidote, recorded with his brand-new Spanish Heart Band, Corea once again delves deeply into the Latin side of his musical heritage with a stunning collection of musicians from Spain, Cuba, Venezuela and the U.S.