Agua del Pozo (Caracol Records, 2009)
Cuban singer-songwriter Alex Cuba (Alexis Puentes) has gained quite a good reputation in North America with his blend of Cuban nueva trova, American soul and pop. Although some American critics have compared him to Motown legends like Marvin Gaye, he is really like a younger, updated version of nueva trova pioneer Pablo Milanés. His latest recording is Agua del Pozo in which he continues exploring new territory within the foundation of Cuban trova.
Alex Cuba’s poetic lyrics talk about love, Afro-Cuban religion, and many other topics. Even though his songs are in Spanish, international audiences that don’t speak Spanish are attracted by his lyrics, even if only through translations. “It always blows me away to see that,” Cuba notes. “More and more it’s happening that I am going to places like Memphis, where I played two months ago, and I see people in the crowd singing the words. People are really dealing with the lyrical content of my music.”
The Cuban musician settled in Canada a few years ago and is greatly appreciated there. “When I went to Canada, I found this place very open, a new country, in many ways,” Cuba reflects. “Canadians will embrace any form of art, as long as it’s natural or honest. So I found a lot of space here to be myself.”
Agua del Pozo is a collection of fresh self-penned Cuban soul pieces by one of the rising stars of the Cuban diaspora.
Buy Alex Cuba’s recordings:
- In North America: Agua del Pozo, Humo De Tabaco
- In Europe: Agua del Pozo, Humo de Tabaco
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.
