Grey-haired, but still with that manhood that melted women and made men admire him, Tom Jones is in Havana. When I told my mother, who fell in love with the Tiger of Wales since she was a teenager, she almost fainted.
The legendary singer who overcame tuberculosis to devote to music his warm voice came to the party of the Cuban cigars, and abetted by his close friend David Tang arrived in the National Ballet School, where he met with students and teachers, and made them the great gift of singing a capella his immortal “Dalilah” …
Sir Thomas John Woodward, his real name, also enjoyed the Grand Pas from Paquita, played by a group of young dancers, and the children danced for him excerpts from “The Little Prince”, choreographed by teacher Laura Domingo.
Smiling, funny and gentle, this Knight of the Crown had his picture taken even with the cleaning ladies, and although some did not know him, they sensed that he was huge. However, very few knew of its presence in the Habanos Festival, an event that annually attracts many celebrities that come and go incognito.
Although his career has gone through ups and downs, Tom Jones became famous in Cuba since its inception half a century ago. Songs such as “What’s new, pussycat?”, “It` s not unusual “, the aforementioned” Dalilah “the svery sensual ” You can leave your hat on “and the explosive” Sex-Bomb “have made him a favorite of several generations.
His stage name was inspired by the literary character written by Henry Fielding, and he integrated that British batch that musically invaded the United States, along with Jeff Beck, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, the Beatles or the Rolling Stones. At that jump, through stations like the WQAM radio, also snuck in a Cuba that welcomed him secretly and publicly, enraptured by his indisputable “feeling” .
That generation was left with the desire of listening to him live, he and many others, at least when they were young and cool. It is part of a historic debt, although late, paid in part by Air Supply and Kool and The Gang with their concerts filled with middle age people. What if one day Jones comes to give us a concert like those? I would not rule out it too soon … After all, if Tom Jones fought the Martians following orders in Tim Burton ‘s “Mars attack” , to sing in Havana would not be unreasonable …
Cover Photo : AFP / archives
Author
Charly Morales Valido
