Matrices of recordings by Benny Moré, Celeste Mendoza, Elena Burke and countless figures of Cuban music are kept jealously in the archives of the Egrem, the label that for half a century has treasured these and other models, which then have turned into fabulous phonograms.
“More than seventy thousand,” Mario Escalona, director of the music publisher said to disclose the details of the promotional campaign for the company to celebrate these 50 years, which will marked next March 31.
The global strategy designed by the label to present the artists of its extensive catalog is interesting. The initiative encompasses both artists who are part of their archives, as the musicians who lead an active life in the scene. To achieve this Egrem is headed in the positioning in Internet of new and already established artists, as Escalona said.
“More than a company, Egrem is a cultural value that encloses all the work we do to disseminate such works,” the manager said.
Concerts, tribute galas made by prominent dance groups, album releases, sponsorship of events related to the music, and the reissue of the record prize granted to their most outstanding musical productions, appearing in the intense celebration which will extend to the summer months.
Among the albums that will expand the repertoire of this year stands Egrem 50th Anniversary DVD collection containing five CDs with the memory of this half century of the label. Also they will release a three CD compilation featuring its best-selling discs and albums and DVD’s made of figures as Eliades Ochoa, Arsenio Rodríguez, Merceditas Valdes, Chucho Valdes and the Santiaguero Septet, among others.
The La Colmenita ‘s concert last Sunday at the Karl Marx theater, will give way to Egrem tributes rendered by prestigious companies such as Danza Contemporánea de Cuba , the National Ballet of Cuba , the National Symphony Orchestra, the Lyric Theatre and the Liszt Alfonso National Ballet.
The public can also enjoy concerts by Buena Fe, Karamba , Waldo Mendoza, Elain Morales, Raul Paz and Virulo, organized in a timeline that starts just this month and end in August.
The organization of festivals related to the various musical genres is another objective of the label, hence we will see its mark on the Piña Colada of Ciego de Ávila, the Guillermo Barreto in memoriam Drum festival and Jazz Plaza, both in the capital , Musicology Prize – organized by Casa de las Américas , and La Rampa Art Fair , also in Havana.
A new website, the declaration of Radio Progreso station as spokesperson for the festivities, and the presentation of new institutional catalog by Egrem, become imminent actions of the label to celebrate its birthday in the month of March.
Photo: Cuban Artists belonging to the Egrem catalog / Roberto Ruiz
