Isaac Delgado looked to his right and made a gesture of reverence to Benny’s photo that appeared on the giant screen on the stage. He sang Cienfuegos, written by the King of Rhythm, and the National Theatre erupted in applause. It was a cherished encounter, emotions to the surface, and the salsa singer wished to be present at a concert that will evoke the figure of Moré.
Although this is the third time that Delgado acts on the island after his final departure from the country-the first was in January last concert by Carlos Varela in the same theater, and then was in March in a presentation by Silvio Rodriguez in the Havana neighborhood of Tamarindo, last night Isaac moved the audience with his words, always imbued with a deep love for Cuba.
At three points, the “Chévere de la salsa” took over the scene, always accompanied by the Estrellas del Areito orchestra, guided by maestro Emilio Vega, but that on that night were making their comeback, as the group insignia of the Egrem label recordings -organizer of the gala tribute to Benny.
A truly impressive moment came when Isaac sang Mata Siguaraya by Ezekiel Lino Frias, which was immortalized by Benny, and now Delgado delivered followed by the impeccable Cuban chords played by Dutch trumpeter Maite Hontelé.
With a precise vocal introduction Mayito Rivera and the charisma of Pedrito Calvo in the song Rumberos de ayer by Moré, Isaac joined the group of artists that night that honored the King of Rhythm, to end a day of tribute to one of essential voices in the history of Cuban music.
Along with Tania Pantoja, Laritza Bacallao, Luna Manzanares, Waldo Mendoza, the lutenist Barbarito Torres and improviser Leandro Camargo, former band member of the popular NG La Banda, Issac exuded the Cuban identity, the same we see in his records such as Dando la hora, El año que viene, La fórmula and Súpercubano.
From the Gala transcended this comprehensive look at More, an amazing interpreter without academic musical knowledge, who sang such diverse genres such as Guajira, bolero, son and mambo. And this was due to the artistic conception of Tony Pinelly, who ran with the script and run the show.
It was also a hit the orchestrations made by saxophonist Alfred Thompson and Emilio Vega for the Estrellas del Areito to sound like that giant Jazz Band Benny created in the 1950s.
However, I think they could have emphasized more strongly in some of the singers to respect each interpretive guideline Moré left us in these songs, which are eternal.
Assuming a maximum already announced in the song by Alberto Barreto (Te quedarás), Maximiliano Moré returned to the National Theatre last night with hat, cane and those baggy pants he always wore that marked an era. He scored certainly one of the aisles at the scene, “hung” his voice on the microphone and could well have said: “I’m staying.”
Isaac Delgado sings in Havana to Benny Moré
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