(Prena Latina -Cumbancha) Havana, Cuba – Students from different music schools paid tribute to Cuban percussionists Tata Güines (Aristides Soto), Jose Luis Quintana (Changuito), Enrique Pla, Justo Pelladito, Enrique Lazaga and composer Harold Gramatges.
The activity was celebrated this week at the Felix Varela Professional Training School in Havana, marking the end of the school year and the delivering of awards for a percussion contest dedicated to the memory of deceased musician Fausto Garcia. Professor Miriam Villa Correa highlighted the history of these outstanding artists who brought prestige to their country by winning Grammy awards and above all for teaching students of this school.
Villa referred to the role of the art schools in Cuba and recalled that current Cuban stars such as Heidi Igualada, orchestra director Yanela Brook, singer Alexis Morejon from Moncada, and Javier Olmos from the Aragon Orchestra, were students of the Felix Varela School. Tata Güines, Enrique Lazaga, Enrique Pla and Changuito won Grammies; in the case of Harold Gramatges, he was given the first Tomas Ruiz de Victoria Award established by the Musical Writers Association (SGAE) which equals a musical Nobel Prize. Fausto Garcia was a musician who worked with Adolfo Guzman, Armando Romeu and the Tropicana Orchestras.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
