MoAD & CubaCaribe present

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De un Pájaro las dos Alas. (Two Wings of the Same Bird) 

A two-hour multi-media presentation by historian John Santos on the parallel colonial histories that unite the music of Cuba and Puerto Rico.

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.  

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About John Santos

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.

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Learn more about CubaCaribe's 20th Annual Festival of Dance & Music, April 8-19, 2026 HERE

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CubaCaribe's mission is to preserve, promote and present the vibrant cultural and artistic traditions of the Caribbean and its Diaspora. Founded on the principle that dance, music, and visual art have the power to unite people of diverse perspectives, CubaCaribe fosters greater understanding and appreciation of Caribbean arts and culture.

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