John Santos Lecture

De un Pájaro las Dos Alas (Two Wings of the Same Bird): The Parallel Colonial Histories that Unite the Music of Cuba and Puerto Rico

Tuesday, November 10, 2026 | 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Watkins Lecture Hall
Earl V. Moore Building
1100 Baits Dr
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Free - no tickets required

A multimedia presentation by historian John Santos.

The distinct musical traditions of Cuba and Puerto Rico are joined at the hip for good reason. Their shared colonial experience of genocide, slavery and US intervention created a similar foundation for musical resistance and self-expression that resulted in iconic, internationally renowned musical forms such as Salsa and Latin Jazz as well as lesser-known forms.

GUEST SPEAKER BIO

Seven-time Grammy-nominated percussionist, US Artists Fontanals Fellow, and 2013-2014 SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director, JOHN SANTOS, is one of the foremost exponents of Afro-Latin music in the world today. Born in San Francisco, California, November 1, 1955, he was raised in the Puerto Rican and Cape Verdean traditions of his family, surrounded by music. The fertile musical environment of the San Francisco Bay Area shaped his career in a unique way. His studies of Afro-Latin music have included several trips to New York, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Brazil and Colombia. He is known for his innovative use of traditional forms and instruments in combination with contemporary music, and has earned much respect and recognition as a prolific performer, composer, teacher, writer, radio programmer, and record/event producer whose career has spanned five decades. He illuminates and illustrates the historical and evolving intersection of Jazz and traditional Afro-Latin music.

Presented by the Center for World Performances Studies with support from the Residential College and the School of Music, Theatre & Dance Percussion Program.

If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the Center for World Performance Studies at [email protected] at least one week in advance of this event. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the University to arrange.

Free Lecture Talk Scholarship North Campus