No one knows about love, says a romantic, caring and intimate Raul Paz, who seduces his audience with his latest album, Ven Ven, which he will interpret this Saturday at the Karl Marx Theater.
Though the European press insists that this album brings mixed sounds and tries to place it in a medium position in the straight lie of the Cuban music, I would rather place it within the contemporary and diverse Cuban music of today.
Paz belongs to a strong movement in the current musical scenario and is most of the times encompassed in alternative music, though I have to disagree in part because that trend is marked by the clear influences of an artistic aesthetics that runs in the blood of Cubans and takes as paradigms figures like Benny Moré, Miguel Matamoros and recently deceased Juan Formell.
Therefore, Raul’s new album –which OnCuba had the opportunity to listen to—retakes daily issues that have been dealt with by older composers, but are definitely enriched with a harmonious vision that undoubtedly nourishes from foreign genres like pop, reggae, funk and soul, and son as well Cuban customs.
The track, by the same title of the album combines swing and jazz in general, with incredible trumpet solos. Nonetheless, in Nadie sabe I found the formula Paz successfully used in Revolucion. At the same time, No voy a llorar goes by the rhythm of son, while Tus besos comprises our deepest musical roots. I have to make clear this is all from the artist perspective.
The CD reveals a variety of sounds in the rest of the tracks: Chiquita, Hacefalta, Teextraño, No me digas que no, Tanto, Te enamores and Ella. In order to achieve enjoyable coherence, Paz brought in pianists Andy Rubal and Jorge Aragón, as well as maestro Joaquín Betancourt. French Florent Livet was in charge of mixing the music; he is a knowledgeable professional that has worked in projects by Phoenix, Bloc Party, Elephanz and Coeur de Pirate.
Passion, dreams and truths seal this modern poetry with which Raul tackles the most sublime feeling in these 11 songs. His speech, direct and with simple and smart metaphors, is conceived to make anyone instantly fall for it.
There is good news for Cuban music lovers: Paz and Egrem Records are currently discussing thepossibility of licensing the album, though it will be sold at the Karl Marx Theater this Saturday, along with a poster of the singer.
“Not all my albums have been licensed in Cuba, only Amigos with Bis Music, which distributed about 1000 copies in the island. But we are working on that”, Raul stated.
For now, Paz is looking forward to his performance in Cuba. This time he will be joined by Andy Rubal (piano), David Suárez (Percussion) and a group of incredible players that include Alfred Thompson (sax), among others.
While listening to Ven Ven, it is impossible to say not to it. It’s the same feeling we get when Raul Paz assures that “each artist must do music according to the historic situation he is living”. This album is definitely marked by the time it was made.
