Lico Jiménez, the Ebony Liszt

Music by José Manuel Lico Jimenez
Soprano Vocal by Johana Simón.

By Lico Plenilunio
By Lico El Simoun
By Lico Crepúsculo

A documentary film about 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.

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Our documentary is financed by tax deductible donations from friends, helping us elevate awareness of this inspirational composer whose music we've rescued, republished and recorded. Our trusted 501(c)(3) Fiscal Sponsors are: FROM THE HEART PRODUCTIONS and CREATIVE VISIONS

Directed by:
Isidro Betancourt Benítez, MA

Executive Producer:
Julie Carmen

Producers:
Isidro Betancourt Benítez
Julie Carmen
Jaime Fernández Cuña
Mario Rodríguez Cuevas

Purchase Music at: Dosacordes.es

Purchase the Book at: Welttrends.de

Click here for News: palabranahj.org
Contact Us: JoseManuelLicoJimenezBerroa@gmail.com

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.

Production Notes: Our documentary is narrated by the descendants of Lico Jiménez as they travel to his homeland. We see them inaugurate the Plaza Jiménez Berroa Zambrana where Lico's modest home once stood. We are there when Certificates of Excellence in Music or Dance are presented at Teatro Terry in Cienfuegos, which Lico inaugurated in 1890 with the premiere of his Marcha Triumphal in C Major. During extensive power outages in Cienfuegos, we film the anniversary of Lico's 173 birthday with a dinner for his descendants, 24 dancers, musicians and 36 tourists.

To this date, we have filmed in 5 countries, 16 cities and interviewed 23 descendants. We travel to the homes of his living relatives and witness the transgenerational transmission of artistry and resilience. We listen to Lico’s great great grandson play Lico’s songs on classical bass in the Palacio of the "Sugar King" where Lico was first discovered.

(in photos below: Lico's daughters, Andrea and Manuela and son, Adolfo in Hamburg, Germany)

José Manuel “Lico” Jiménez Berroa learned piano from his father and from his mother’s sister, Catalina Berroa, the first female composer of Cuba. He was discovered at age 12 while performing in Trinidad’s Palacio de Cantero and was hired by German cellist Carl Werner to be his piano accompanist at Palacio Brunet and to tour Cuba.

Lico's father, José Julian Jiménez, the first Black musician in the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, Germany, concertized in Cuba to pay for his two young sons to leave Cuba before the Ten Year War and study at his alma mater. Lico and Nicasio traveled by ship in an arduous 63 day crossing, arriving in Germany in 1867. Lico went on to win the First Place at the Paris Conservatory, ahead of classmate Claude Debussy. Along with his father José Julian (violin) and his brother Nicasio (cello), the Trio performed throughout Europe. They were house musicians at the Chenonceaux Castle in Tours, France, called by the press Das Negertrio.

"We’ve identified nine generations of musicians in our family lineage, is that nature or nurture or both?"

When Lico returned to Cienfuegos, Cuba (1879-1890), eager to open a School of Music Composition and to introduce German Lied music to Cubans, colonial mentality and racial prejudice forced him to return permanently to Germany, where he was already renowned. But Lico arrived in the midst of the infamous cholera epidemic that decimated Hamburg during which time Lico created the first free public classical concerts in Hamburg's Gänsemarkt.

Despite being considered by specialists as the first great composer of the Cuban Lied genre, it's taken 150 years to reintroduce his profound Art Songs, Piano Solos and Symphonic Study to audiences in Cuba, the United States and Europe.

Lico left behind a son, named Angel Zambrana, who grew up in Trinidad de Cuba and fathered five children, José, Eugenio, Nolga, Miguel and Camilo Zambrana. In Hamburg, Lico married a German woman, Emma Filter and fathered three children, Adolfo, Manuela and Andrea (photo below).

Directors Statement:
"What began as a research project to fulfill my musicology degree has become an extraordinary journey. My first contact with this fascinating personality occurred during a conversation with Cuban pianist and researcher, Alberto Joya. As an Afro-cuban musician myself, I became instantly curious about Lico Jiménez’s story. During the information-gathering phase of my research I had the great fortune to have met Lico Jiménez’s descendants who allowed me to access their family memories, passed down from generation to generation. They all have shown me how they keep the artistic flame, and we can find many recognized artists among them."- Isidro Betancourt Benítez, MA

We are happy to present the expertly curated musical scores of José Manuel “Lico” Jiménez, edited by Isidro Betancourt Benítez, MA, now available for PURCHASE from Dosacordes.es

To compliment the musical scores, we are thrilled to share the hard copy and digitized book “Entre Cuba y Alemania, Vida y obra de la familia de músicos Jiménez” written by Dr. Olavo Alén and Dr. Gudrun Weber. Available in Spanish and German from Welttrends.de

"This book is a comprehensive and scholarly exploration of the fascinating story of master composer and pianist Lico Jimenez and his musical family. It is an important contribution to the history of music and the ongoing struggle against racism and colonialism." - George Friedman Jiménez, MD, DrPH