People always said Arsenio
liked to pick fights

He'd get really angry when
people argued back

He'd stand there, listening

Then leap in the direction
of the voice

But of course, he was blind

So they'd all run away

And whoever it was would say
"Quiet, don't let him catch me"

And poor Arsenio would
stumble about

And get really angry

Because people were
nasty to him

He was a big fat guy,
taller than anyone

He used to make me laugh

I swear, I won't smoke again

Well, just a little bit

And I won't drink either.
No more of that

I used to drink a lot

I've a good bodyguard here.
She won't let me

This is Arsenio Rodriguez
It's his best photo

May 24, 1946

His band toured a lot in Mexico,
and in Venezuela

Most of them are dead now

This one is still alive.
He's nearly 100

His name is Pascualito.
He plays the timbal

He died in Spain

The one thing I don't want
is to die. Not yet, anyway

That Man up there,
and my wife here...

...are making sure I'm still around
to enjoy myself

You know, some people
don't have much time left

As long as I have blood
in my veins...

...l'll go on loving women

Women, flowers and romance are
the most beautiful things in life

One night of romance...
that has no price

I haven't forgotten it,
and I'm 90 years old

I have five children

You met Salvador and Basilio.
Salvador is the youngest

I have five children. But now
I'm working on the sixth

I want to have one more

See you some other day

One day, out of the blue...

...there was a knock on my door

It was Juan de Marcos

I was shining my shoes at the time
He said "What are you doing?"

I said "l'm just shining my shoes"

He said "l've been looking for you.
Come with me"

I told him I didn't want
to sing any more

But he said "No, man, I need you"
So I ask him when

Tomorrow? I said.
And he said "No, right now"

Well, let me have a shower
No, no, right now he said

All I had time for was
to wash my face...

...and wipe the shoe polish
off my hands

So we came here, to the Egrem

And here, in the Egrem studios,
I found Eliades Ochoa

He was with Compay Segundo.
And Ruben was playing the piano

When Ruben saw me,
he started playing...

That's a number I'd made
popular in Cuba

It's called Candela, by
Faustino Oramas 'EI Guayabero'

There goes a dancing rat,
having a whale ofa time

While a mouse drums out a tune
to brighten up the day

A cat comes along, too.
So elegant and content

Good evening, friend
he says to the drummer

Anyway, I started singing

And Ry, who was in the booth,
must have been listening

He heard me...

...and decided to record it

So I said OK. And we recorded it

And that is how it all started

Fire! Fire!
I'm burning up!

Faustino Oramas and friends,
put this fire out forme!

Just dial seven zeros
and the firemen will be right here

My name is Orlando Lopez 'Cachaito'

I want to tell you how
I became a musician

I started playing I was nine

When I was 1 1 , I joined
my aunt's orchestra

Starting with my great-grandfather,
we all play the bass in the family

I was going to study the violin

But my grandfather said I had to
play the bass. You know how it is

I was a bit of afraid of the bass

But in the end I got used to it

My style of playing is...

Well, I need to concentrate.
I love this instrument

I've studied classical music,
every genre

I don't know, to me music
is like a game

I've played with many orchestras
in my time

And this is how I met Ruben

I'd played with so many pianists,
And he was the only one missing

Now it turns out we're a great duo

My great strength is that
I have a good ear

I can also sight-read very fast

So before he plays a note,
I already have it in mind

My name is Amadito Valdes.
I am percussionist

I use my father's name as he was
my source of inspiration

I followed in his footsteps

In the field of percussion,
the timbal is very limited

Whoever plays it must be
very aware of that...

...and use his imagination

Because this is an instrument
which is rather limited...

...in its physical design,
you could say

It's a humble instrument

But one that lends
a lovely color...

...to popular dance music

My name is Manuel Mirabal Vazquez
better know as 'EI Guajiro'

I started playing at
the age 18

So I've been playing the trumpet
for 47 years

It was great playing with
all the compa?ros

If it hadn't been for the Buena Vista,
they would have been forgotten

No one would remember lbrahim,
Ruben, Compay Segundo

To see Compay, at the age of 90,
playing the tres so well

And Ruben playing the piano

I think this is the key to
the success of these recordings

My name is Barbaro Alberto
Torres Delgado

In musical jargon, everyone
knows me as 'Barbarito Torres'

I've played Cuban country music
since I was ten

I play the laud, which is
Arabic in origin

The Moors took it to Spain
where it was modified

There they made a laud
with a longer neck

The medieval troubadours
introduced it to Cuba...

...where is modified again

This resulted in the Cuban laud
which is the one I play

Tula's bedroom
has gone up in flames

She fell asleep
without blowing out the candle

Call the firemen

Bring lots of hoses

Tell them Tula's bedroom
has gone up in flames

Barbarito is on the loose!

He's crazy

Arrest him

My name is Pio Leyva

'EI Montunero de Cuba'

My name is Manuel Licea,
'Puntillita'

Domino! Can't you see
I'm a phenomenon?

You can't beat me, Puntillita

At dominoes, I'm number one

You might be the best singer.
But at dominoes, I'm the best

- Shall we join them?
- Wait till they call us

Hey, come to the studio!

Now I'm thrashing this guy at
dominoes, I must go to the studio

- OK, you're winning three-two
- We'll continue later

Let's see how the recording
is going

- See? You can't play with me
- Man, give me a chance

I'm happy to have had
the opportunity...

...to co-ordinate and take part in
this project

It's brought together all the
great names of Cuban music...

...who'd been practically
forgotten here

People like Ruben Gonzalez...

...one of the three greatest
son piano players of all times

Ibrahim Ferrer, one of the greatest
Cuban singers ever...

...who had sadly been forgotten
for more than ten years

And people like Puntillita,
Pio Leyva...

...Compay Segundo, Eladies Ochoa

This album will have
an enormous impact...

...on Cuban music

Recording, please

There's a party at the ranch
ofcompadre Don Ram?

The roastpig is ready.
The locals are on their way

They're bringing the house down
for Don Ram?'s birthday

The Comay dancers are coming.
All the roads are jammed

The bongo, triple and guiro
have all begun to play

Yourkisses rained down
in a tempest oflove...

With uncontrollable desires
tojoin ourlives in love

Yet in spite ofit all

Yourdeparture was my downfall

The end ofall my dreams

And they will not be revived
unless that day returns

That day...

...ofourlast meeting...

...in love

Wheneverl askyou
how, when and where...

...you always answer
"Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps"

Look, what a beautiful building

It's extraordinary

- And these avenues are so beautiful
- Just imagine!

You're calling Cuba?

So much activity

Look at the gun that guy has

All the greats are there

That's Charlie Chaplin

- Laurel and Hardy. Remember them?
- The fat guy and the thin guy

And this is one of the
great trumpet players

Which one is he?

Who was the greatest
trumpet player?

The one who used to
play under the stars

And played the highest note ever
at that time

This one was blind, remember?

- He was a pianist. And her?
- She must have been famous

It says it here

They're all here

- Who's the one in the middle?
- The one with the saxophone?

See if I can remember his face

This is the life!

This is so beautiful

You can see the whole of New York
from up here, like from the plane

There's a plane taking off now

They won't fly over
this building

Where is the Statue of Liberty?

I thought the Statue of Liberty
had a crown

You can't see it from here.
You should look through the viewer

You can't see the crown
from here

Yes, you need to get closer

- At least we know where it is
- That's right

Let's move into the sun

You want sun? Let's go

Ruben, had you ever been here?

- Yes, many years ago
- Who were you with?

Oh no, not up here.
I went to the Statue

- But who did you go with?
- With some tourists

Was that in the 1920s?

I don't know. I was about 30,
and now I'm 80

I want you to know
this is the first time...

...that I find myself in New York,
in the US

I've always longed...

... to see this city

I'm not an American,
And I can't speak English

But I'll learn a few words soon

So I can hold my own
in this place

I wish I could bring my wife
and children to see this

So they could see how
beautiful it is

This is so lovely, so lovely

Look, Radio City

At least I'm getting to see it

I'm. so happy to be here.
I never could have imagined

So beautiful. I'm. really happy

About two years ago

I decided to retire

I didn't want to sing any more
I was very disillusioned

Life can be very hard

I was tired of singing and
not earning anything

I tell you, my staff is
like my mother

It's been with me for 58 years

And that's how long
my mother's been dead

This Revolution is eternal

We believe in dreams

SAMI edited by ·SMK· 2003