The conguero starts the first piece, first with congas alone then adding his strong, clear voice. The other musicians join in and the audience sways to the rhythm. Jane treats us to a long flute solo, then David Virelles plays an interesting piano solo ending with a glissando like a whirl of whipped cream on pie.

Next, some Cuban rap ”Joyful Noise” gets everyone into the groove. Nidia Moya from Santa Clara, Cuba, Madagascar Slim and Donné Robert join in on the following piece featuring a guitar solo from Slim.

”Ron con Ron” features a new batch of musicians. Luis Cordero takes over on the congas, David Virelles makes room for Luis Guerra on the piano bench, Luicito arrives with his sax, and Alexis Baro with his trumpet. It’s a fun piece, a let it all out you can’t help but dance along piece, but it’s also complex music. Alexis Baro is a man of serious talent.

Ross Porter introduces Molly Johnson, another Canadian musician and philanthropist with a strong sense of community. One of her own special causes has been helping people living with AIDS/HIV.

Then it's time for the fund raising auction. There are 27 items, everything from DVD and CD sets to a painting by Howard Ross, framed photos and massages. As Ralph Benmergui points out, how much you want the items yourself is not really the point(you can give them away next year as Hannukah gifts he suggests). Lots of joking ensues — was that a bid or a heckle? Jane Bunnett presents her drawing of Ramon, a Cuban music student in need of supplies and mimics playing the violin. Humour, but with a serious purpose underneath.

All items are sold and it's back to the music. Something a little different, Portuguese fado—songs of pain and suffering—sensitively sung and played by a duo named Quinze.

Jane Bunnett and her band come back on stage, this time with Hilario Duran on piano. The duet that Hilario Duran and Jane perform in this second set is one of the highlights of the evening for me. Lyrical, lush piano introduces the piece and briefly takes on a bluesy sound before developing into a montuno enriched with jazz harmonies. Jane comes in on soprano sax with a melodic motif. She then moves into uncharted territory with an improvisational daring all her own. She releases a complex multitude of notes and sounds, even screeches, and the rhythm drives relentlessly on. Hilario is smiling and inspiring her to greater heights. The synthesis of their playing is complete. I flash back to Steve Lacy and Danilo Perez at Harbourfront in 1998. But this is wilder, more exhilirating. We are led back to the head. Rich harmonies flow from the piano, someone shouts “yes!” and we return through a tinge of blue to an almost classical end. Jazz at its best—a journey.

A tough act to follow. Yet, the evening climaxes with a crowd of musicians playing a timba-mambo. A dancing Nidia Moya is joined by another dancer and some of the musicians join in the movement.

We are thanked for coming, for our generosity, but I think to myself, it’s really the musicians, the organisers and all of the contributors who should be thanked for their efforts, their initiative and their generosity. The audience may have benefited others but we also had a great time. To put things in perspective, the $20 concert-only entrance fee is about twice the monthly salary of many Cubans, or a little over twice the price of a set of guitar strings. With a total take of $12,000, the evening was a success.