“I’ve always wanted to be in Santiago de Cuba, singing the Santiago music,” said José Alberto Justiniano and “broke” with a unique interpretation of the themes of Los Compadres, the duo composed of brothers Reinaldo and Lorenzo Hierrezuelo, and of the latter with Compay Segundo.
Justiniano, a last name he clarifies only used for checks and accounts, is a connoisseur of sound made in this region of the island and is an eternal debtor of great sons of the eastern city. He only managed to say: “With pleasure” to that invitation by Septeto Santiaguero to No quiero llanto – Tributo a Los Compadres(Canarios Music, 2014),, his second collaboration with these Cuban musicians, the first was the interpretation of a song in Vamos pa’ la fiesta (Catalan Picap), which in 2013 received a nomination to the Latin Grammy.
But … No quiero llanto, as he predicted, will win a Latin Grammy. “If they do not give it to us, I’ll go buy one and I will bring to Cuba,” El Canario said, well known on stages around the world for its unique way of whistling son.
With 18 singles, the album features guests like Oscar D’León, Ismael Miranda, Andy Montanez Eliades Ochoa, Aymée Nuviola, Eduardo “Tiburon” Morales, Edwin Bonilla, the group Essence of Puerto Rico; Conga Los Hoyos, Magic Sax Quartet, the Santiago Choir, Symphony Orchestra of the East and the Estrellas de la Charanga, among others.
And that is why the Dominican came to Santiago de Cuba to sing. First he surprised the audience of the city with his performance on a platform located in the vicinity of the Casa de la Trova; and then he “appeared” at the opening gala of the MatamoroSon Festival in the Heredia Theater.
Both presentations fulfilled the dream of Jose Alberto, of coming to Santiago land, of the genuine son, and revere Compay Segundo, Benny Moré and Miguelito Cuni, among many other Cuban musicians who constitute a landmark in his career.
Modest in his responses to OnCuba, El Canario recognized that in the Greater Antilles there are great improvisers, a branch that grows with great success. “They are teachers, I’m a student,” he said.
While many might think that the connection with our artists of José Alberto started now, it is just the opposite. The artist recorded a phonogram to pay tribute to Machito, whom he considers “one of the greatest that Cuba has given “. To that we have to add his work with Celia Cruz for many years, the presentations with Cuban orchestras in various parts of the world; and Cuban musicians residing in the United States. He also recently recorded with Elito Reve y el Charangón and a volume containing important successes of the group in the 90s and where El Canario played La celosa, by the Santiago composer Rodulfo Vaillant.
Always a fan of son montuno and the way to do in this part of the island, José Alberto had words of praise for the Septeto Santiaguero, musical band that he estimated, it sounds like a “orquestón” and recognized the emotion, mood and sparkle they bring to each of their creations.
The very popular on the island for his interpretation of Que paren el reloj, the Dominican singer follows a schedule of concerts this weekend that includes stops in Puerto Rico, Miami and New York, where next week will also take part in Viva la salsa, concert dedicated to remembering Cheo Feliciano, and where they will be Willy Colón, Gilberto Santa Rosa, La India, Oscar D’Leon, Tito Nieves and Javier Rosendi.
He is then expected by his followers in Dominican Republic, Colombia and Europe. El Canario does not stop, because as he told us, singing is his mission on Earth.
