By: Raúl Enrique Medina Orama
Singer-songwriter Susana Baca was the center of all questions during the inaugural conference of the 3rd Meeting of Popular Voices, an event that takes place in Havana from October 14 through the 19.
On Tuesday, all the eyes at the Capri hotel were for Peruvian artist and researcher, familiar to Cuban audiences for her featuring with Calle 13 in known song Latin America. The work of Susana Baca, of course, is broader and there was recognized with the International Award Cubadisco 2013, specifically the CD De la misma sangre, where she shared credits with the Ecuadorian Dad Roncón.
In the event that heads the Cuban singer Algeria Fragoso is also involved tres player Pancho Amat with his Cabildo del Son; and Adonis Puentes, Cuban musician whose career has developed in important stages in Canada and the United States.
Under the program, today Pancho Amat and Cabildo del Son will offer a concert with international guests at the National Art School (4 pm). Thursday at House of the Americas record company Colibri will present new DVDs, and 7 pm the concert Homage to Maria Teresa Vera will begin, where Pancho Amat and Adonis Puentes will perform songs from self-titled album, accompanied by Algeria Fragoso. The National Theater of Cuba (TNC) will host on October 17 a Cuban Gala (9 pm), starring, among others, Elain Morales, Niurka Reyes, pianist Harold Merino, and Novel Voice and Polo Montañez groups.
During the conference, Algeria Fragoso thanked a number of cultural institutions for “the support and confidence” to make the meeting. Orlando Vistel, president of the Cuban Institute of Music, replied by praising her guide to an event that can, he claimed, contribute to “the song again be seen in Cuba as the highest expression of popular feeling.”
Meanwhile, Susana Baca said at the conference: “We were counting the days to come, and we’re here. For a musician is essential to go through the island. “We might add: to Cuba is essential that Susana Baca is here.
She served as Minister of Culture of Peru for a short period, in 2011. Along with her husband Ricardo Pereira she has researched and promoted almost disappeared rhythms of Afro-Peruvian cultural identity, through research, books and musical productions. The winner of two Latin Grammy Awards (2002 and 2011) will close the Meeting of Popular Voices on Saturday 18, with a concert at the Covarrubias hall of the Cuban national Theater.
