Afro Cuban Pianist and Composer

José Manuel "Lico" Jiménez Berroa

Documentary Soundtrack
Lico Jiménez

The Ebony Liszt

A documentary about the Father of Cuban Art Song, child prodigy Afro Cuban pianist and composer José Manuel "Lico" Jiménez Berroa (1851-1917), told through the eyes of his great grandchildren who meet for the first time on the cobblestones of Trinidad de Cuba, the conservatories of Leipzig and Hamburg, a chateau in Tours and a concert hall in Miami to revive his music.

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Lico Jiménez · 57a1
Cuba, 1800's

Social Context

The 19th century was a period of political and racial turmoil. About 800,000 enslaved African people had been trafficked to the Spanish colony of Cuba to provide free labor for the booming transatlantic sugar and tobacco trade. Racism was a major factor in several wars that were fought before the enslavement of people was finally abolished in 1886.

It was during this period that the Jiménez family lived in an area of Trinidad, Cuba as 'free' Blacks due to the fact that Lico's grandparents, already renowned classical musicians, fled Saint-Domingue in 1794 as 'free' Blacks during the Haitian Rebellion.

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We interview Lico's twenty three descendants in sixteen cities and five countries about the transgenerational transmission of artistry and resilience.
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"The art songs of Lico Jiménez are German Lied, sung in Spanish with nineteenth century Cuban diction." Isidro Betancourt Benítez, MA

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Directors Statement:
"As an Afro-cuban musician, I became instantly curious about Lico Jiménez's story. During my research I met Lico Jiménez's descendants who allowed me to access their family memories, passed down from generation to generation. They have shown me how to keep the artistic flame."
- Isidro Betancourt Benítez, MA

The Team

Lico Jiménez Music Competition 2027
Competition City
The Lico Jiménez documentary is fiscally sponsored by Creative Visions, From the Heart Productions and Luminario Ballet, a 501-c-3 nonprofit dance company registered in the State of California. Your donation is tax deductible. Luminario Ballet