The 16th MatamoroSon Festival was inaugurated in Santiago de Cuba with the strains of “Esa familia a mí no me conviene”, one of the hits of Santiaguero Septet. The biennial event to be held from October 15 to 19 this year was hosted by the majestic Heredia Theatre, in Santiago de Cuba city.
This edition of the event is dedicated to the 120th and 95th births of Miguel Matamoros and Benny Moré, two paradigms of Cuban Son. Similarly, the meeting will honor the musical work of Juan Formell and Los Van Van and the 500th Anniversary of the founding of the town of Santiago de Cuba.
“I’m very happy to be in Santiago and to see here that Son remains the most sublime to entertain the soul,” Maestro Adalberto Alvarez, President of the Festival and one of the leading proponents of this musical genre and Casino dance, said.
“Changüí Santiago”, “Ellas Son”, “Soneros Camacho” were among the groups that enlivened the evening; but undoubtedly the climax of the night came when Jose Alberto “El Canario” joined his voice to that of Eduardo “Tiburon” Morales, who accompanied by the Santiaguero septet played ¨Pruebe este Tono¨, track included on the latest phonogram of the group : “No quiero llanto,” tribute-album to Los Compadres duo.
“Wherever you talk about Salsa in the world, we must recognize that it is product of Cuban music ,” El Canario noted. He also appreciated the opportunity to realize the dream of singing in Santiago de Cuba, cradle of the Son, and then sang the songs ¨Amor Silvestre¨ and ¨Hay un Run Rún¨, hits included on the new album of the Septet, which also involved Oscar D’Leon, Andy Montañez, Ismael Miranda, La Conga de los Hoyos, among others.
This is the first time that José Alberto El Canario, Dominican-born musician and one of the greatest exponents of Salsa internationally, officially sings for Santiago public. However, the singer had visited the city in late March this year, where he filmed two video clips and finished recording an album along with the Santiaguero Septet in EGREM-Siboney studios.
As culmination of the gala, Adalberto Alvarez, the Knight of Son, closed the show with his orchestra, putting the crowd on its feet at the rhythm of ¨Y qué tu quieres que te den¨ and inviting them to enjoy this new edition of the festival in the following days.
