Excellent material competed in the category of Archive music in the Cubadisco 2014 Awards.
The moment most longed for in every year’s edition of Cubadisco is undoubtedly the nominations and the awards. Every yearfollowerspropose a long list of titles that should take part in the competition in each of its categories, some of them eve take for granted the winning albums.
If taken into account the long history of the Cuban discography (almost from the early 20th century Cuban artists used to record their albums abroad or in portable recording studios that arrived in Havana from the United States), one of the most popular categories among specialists and nostalgic music lovers is that of Archive Music.
The jury of the Cubadisco 2014 Award nominated in this category four pieces, all of them from EGREM label. The common trait among them was their origin: records from the former Areito Record Studios.
The pieces in contest were: La reina de la música afrocubana. Merceditas Valdés “La pequeña Aché”; Poemas, cuentos y estampas. Luis Carbonell. Vol I and II; 5 Leyendas.Vol II. Colección Original de Cuba; and Concierto de Frank Emilio. Colección Cuba en vivo.
– A small queen with the voice of a giant
La reina… is an excellent selection of tracks by this great Cuban singer produced by Jorge Rodríguez, Cubadisco Producer’s Award, based on songs representative of Merceditas’ work.
It includes lullabies such as Ogguere, Lacho and Drume negrita; as well as afro-Cuban and spiritual prayers that sum up the broad musical range that characterized the work by La pequeña Aché, as wise Don Fernando Ortizreferred to her. This album comprises song with an inestimable patrimonial value in the voice of the most important interpreter of the Cuban folkloric music from an African line.
– The best homage to Luis Carbonell
A few hours from death, the figure of Luis Carbonell reaches a new dimension and the news of the release of a record with part of the outstanding work by the Watercolorist of the Cuban Poetry makes everyone happy.
At the age of 90, his work, particularly his discography, a large catalogue of recordings, was thoroughly revised by a team form EGREM led by Jorge Rodriguez, which resulted in the album Poemas, cuentos y estampas.
It was organized in 4 CDs, in two volumes. It takes a tour through the peculiar style of the artist as reciter and narrator, a style of his own and filled with music. This selection preserves Carbonell’s imprint in the Cuban culture. He was, he is and he will be one of the main exponents (for some people the biggest exponent) of vernacular poetry, reciter creole stories and popular storyteller.
– Five legends (of the Buena Vista Social Club)
A lot has been written about that all-star of the Cuban music – the Buena Vista Social Club –and its international success. Each of them is so talented that they have individually deserved recording an album in solitaire or to dust off some of their old recordings.
That is the case of 5 legends, which has been recently re-launched with interpretations by great icons of the Cuban culture: Omara Portuondo, Rubén González, Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer and Eliades Ochoa.
Thanks to the magic research carried out by Jorge Rodriguez, now there is a new compilation of outstanding pieces by each of these artists. The Vol. I (2005) was, for several years one of the all-star products by EGREM, considering its record sales.
The new proposal keeps the original course outlined in the previous edition as to the selection of pieces by the founders of the Buena Vista Social Club, which have now become obligatory reference in the Cuban musical history.
Now it is possible to have “more of the best” with five deluxe compilations comprised in one of these 5 Cuban legends.
-Frank Emilio, piano and a concert
The last one of the materials nominated in the category of Archive Music was Concierto de Frank Emilio, Colección Cuba en vivo. This work comprised in a double album the performance by this remarkable pianist along with his band Los Amigos, on March 21, 1978 at the Museum of Fine Arts.
On that occasion, frank Emilio was accompany by deluxe guest artists such as Guillermo Barreto, Tata Güines, Orlando CachaítoLópez, Gustavo Tamayo (also members of Los Amigos); pianists Zenaida Romeu and Nelson Camacho and singers Merceditas Valdés, Ela Calvo and Reinaldo Henríquez.
Thanks to the preservation by EGREM I was able to write about the incredible work by Los Amigos for the new generations and show that it is possible to achieve great things from bringing together important figures of the Cuban music.
Image: Roberto Ruiz
