Global Cuba Festival 2009 to feature Albita, Alex Cuba, and Yosvany Terry

It's been 50 years since Castro took power, and still the stretches of ocean surrounding Cuba can't stop the flow of its people's creative juices. The second annual Global Cuba Fest pays homage to the continuity of this unique Caribbean culture by uniting artists who long ago spread to the far reaches of the planet. Emblematic of their exodus, these vanguardistas break all sorts of geographic and cultural boundaries without losing their island identities.  Fundarte and Miami Light Project kick the series off Friday with the closest thing to traditional that one can get this side of the Strait of Florida: two-time Grammy winning musician Albita. Considered a classic among her contemporaries, she mixes it all together with dance and soul. On Saturday, Canada transplant Alex Cuba pushes soul even further with a melancholy yet serendipitous concoction of trova, funk, and rock that is retro in the mod-est sense of the term. On Sunday contemporary purists will pleased to hear that Cuban jazz jams on in all its splendor. Backed by a smattering of piano and drums Yosvany Terry squeezes all sorts of emotive notes out of his sax.

Global Cuba Fest 2009. With Albita, Alex Cuba, and Yosvany Terry. Friday, February 6 through Sunday, February 8. North Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. Shows start at 8 p.m. each night. Admission is $20 each show, or $50 for the entire festival. Fundarte.us and miamilightproject.com

-- Julienne Gage