After three years without performing in Cuban scenarios, Haydee Milanes returns with Palabras (Words), her fifth CD. While this album does not depart from the intimate style to which we are accustomed, we note that the singer has finally found her way. This woman just needs a good song to captivate her audience. Now you’ll find out when you listen to her Words
This work, the most ambitious of all that she has done so far, is a tribute to the octogenarian Marta Valdés, one of the essential songwriters of the twentieth century in Cuba.
¨Words¨ covers various stages of her career from her beginnings in the early 1950s, when she composed her first songs in the style of feeling; to her latest creations. Throughout musical history of the island, great ones like Ignacio Villa ‘Bola de Nieve’, Elena Burke, Vicentico Valdés, Omara Portuondo and Pablo Milanes have interpreted her songs.
Marta surprises on this disc playing the guitar in guitar No te empeñes más and singing along Haydée Sin ir más lejos. Other songs that stand out for their exquisite arrangements are Canción fácil, Aida, Tengo and En la imaginación.
“She’s a musical reference for me. In 2010 I told her I wanted to do an album with her songs and she gave me all her scores. I started working on the project since 2012. It has been a period of great introspection because doing the album coincided with my pregnancy, “said exclusively to OnCuba the singer, producer and arranger of CD.
The album release will take place on October 2 at Havana’s Mella Theater as part of the Festival Leo Brouwer. This event will pay special tribute to Marta Valdés, for her 80th birthday. “We will present the fourteen songs on the phonogram, and other authored by Marta,” said the interviewee.
Currently the track that gives name to the CD is on the Cuban radio. In addition, it has a video clip made by Alejandro Gutierrez which is being broadcasted on national television. As she advanced us, in the coming months she will perform on the Island “with a small group format. I will settle for a repertoire with topics that my audience knows, and I’ll include those of this album. ”
Words is distinguished by the use of small formats, such as jazz trio; piano and vocals; guitars and vocals; harp and voice; quartet and voices-all set by Haydée.
The singer was accompanied this time by important Cuban musicians like drummer Enrique Pla and bassist Jorge Reyes-both former members of Irakere- and trumpeter Roberto Garcia, a former member of AfroCuba, the harper of Mirta Batista -member of the National Symphony Orchestra and Nam Sam Fong, a former member Habana Abierta.
The recording took place in the PM Records and Scorpion Studios, both based in Cuba, between November 2012 and January 2014.
