Various Artists
Cuba le canta a Serrat (Discmedi-Blau, 2005)
An independent label from Spain has put together one of the most fascinating
Cuban albums in recent months. Using the songs of Joan Manuel Serrat, one of the
most respected singer-songwriters in Spain, as a theme, Discmedi-Blau recorded
most of the leading Cuban musicians. Many genres are represented by Cuba’s
finest: son, timba, guajira, nueva trova, etc.Maestro Frank Fernández talks about Serrat saying he’s one of the greatest
composers of the last decades and his songs can be perfectly translated into
Cuban musical language because Joan Manuel’s compositions have always had a
“Latin touch.”
The emotion and excitement of all the artists involved in this album can be felt
in the words of
Chucho
Valdés who, after finishing the recording of his
rendition of “Paraules d’amor,” said, touching softly his breast to emphasize
his words, “I played it from the heart“.
Omara
Portuondo too was deeply impressed with the song “Por dignidad,” which
Serrat himself adapted especially for her, and with her natural elegance she
explained “I sing it… and it makes me cry“.
Silvio Rodriguez spent some days thinking about which song he would pick, before
finally choosing “Menos tu vientre,” which suited the warm and subtle simplicity
of his characteristic style.
Even though
Ibrahim Ferrer knew nothing about Serrat, he was was a fan of F.C.
Barcelona (Barcelona Football [soccer] Club) and was wearing a Barcelona t-shirt
when he walked into the studio. In the meantime, Pío Leyva was playing jokes and
doing puns with the “collagen” named in the original song and the traditional
Cuban word “memba”.
Everybody wanted to do their best and so all the artists did their own
renditions surrounded by their regular collaborators, musicians, arrangers and
artistic directors. There are such spectacular performances as the one by
Pablo
Milanés, for example, who plays accompanied by the National Symphonic Orchestra
of Cuba.
Salvador Repilado, son of
Compay
Segundo, and current director of the Grupo
Compay Segundo, made immediately room on his busy agenda to record “Como un
gorrión.”
Aceituna Sin Hueso have included for a long time “Para la libertad” on their
regular repertoire and nearly couldn’t believe they were going to be part of
this tribute album.
La Charanga Habanera, Pancho Amat,
Bamboleo,
Orquesta Aragón, Pupy, Haila Mompié,
and David Alvarez are some of the other names featured in this impressive
tribute album.
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
