This is a famous photo of mine
Taken during the October missile crisis outside the Hotel Riviera
The whole Malecon was full of anti-aircraft guns and cannons
We were expecting a US invasion
I took this one in 1959, in Washington
Fidel laid a wreath before Abraham Lincoln
It's called 'David and Goliath'
The little man and the giant
These are Che Guevara and Fidel playing golf
Who won?
Fidel
Che let him win
Ah, the Buena Vista Social Club!
Compay Segundo! Hello!
We should ask these people
Let's ask the old folks where the Buena Vista Social Club is
He'll know
- We're looking for the Social Club - The Buena Vista?
Oh, that's long gone
The Buena Vista was...let's see. You go up that way...
- It was No 48 - Yes, but it's no longer there
OK, tell us where It used to be
Look, you go up that way, and you'll find it
- You used to dance there? - Sure I did
I was born near there. It's a private house now
Go on the dual carriageway
It's that house, the one with a line painted on the door
It's been gone since 1944. We've lived here since then
I remember they used to throw parties at the Buena Vista
In its day, the best bands in Cuba played there
Know what I eat when I've had too much to drink? Chicken soup
You take a piece of chicken neck and you fry it
When it's no longer bloody, you toss in some chopped garlic
You can still see part of the bar
You eat that and you won't have a hangover
That's how I stay fit. Best thing there is
FromAlto Cedro, I'm going to Marcane
I get to Cueto, then go to Mayari
The love I have foryou, I cannot deny
My mouth is watering. I can't help myself
Juanita and Chan Chan, play togetheron the beach
How herbottom shakes. How Chan Chan is aroused
Clear the path ofdry cane leaves
Because I want to sit down
On that trunk over there. Orl might not make it
Asleep in my garden
Amid the gladioli and the roses
And the white lilies
My soul feels sad and heavy
From the flowers I wish to hide my bitterpain
I don't want the flowers to know...
the torments that life gives me
If they knew what I'm suffering...
...formy sorrows, they would cry as well
Silence, for they are asleep
The gladioli and the lilies
I don't want them to know my sorrows
Forif they see me crying, they'll die.
Omara Portuondo!
I, lbrahim Ferrer Planas...
...was born in a small town,
in Santiago de Cuba
San Luis
I am the son of Aurelia Ferrer
Registered as her natural son
I say this because...
...l'd like you all to know from me...
...who I am and what I am
At the age of twelve...
I lost my mother
I had already lost my father.
I was an orphan
I was my mother's only child
So I had to look after myself
I was at school, where I had friends
But I had to abandon my studies then
Life at that time wasn't what it is now
It was harder.
You had to fend for yourself
Do you need a hand?
Ruben and I were just taking it easy
Ruben loves to improvise, and so do l. Let things flow
So, I started singing. I said Compadre, pick up this tune
Two Gardenias foryou
With them I mean to say I love you, I adore you
Pay them allyourmind. They'll be your heart and mine
Ry Cooder heard it, too
When he arrived, I had just sung that number. To loosen up
And he recorded it
Two Gardenias foryou
With them I mean to say...
...l love you. I adore you
Pay them allyourmind. They'll be your heart and mine
Two gardenias foryou
With all the warmth ofa kiss
Kisses you'll neverfind in the arms ofanother
They'll live beside you, and talk to you as I do
And you'll believe they're saying "l love you"
But ifone evening, my love's gardenias should die
It's because they'll have discovered...
...thatyou've betrayed me for the love ofanother
My name is Omara Portuondo
I was born here in Havana in the area known as Cayo Hueso
My father was a famous baseball player
He was one of the first Cubans to play outside his country
They took Cuban baseball To the US
My parents used to relax after lunch and sing a few songs
They would sing duets
And that's how my love of Cuban music began
I started singing La Bayamesa when I was a little girl
My father would sing the lead voice, and I'd sing the back-up
The song I've recorded here, Viente Anos...
...has won a Grammy
I've known it since I was a child
What matterifl love you, ifyou don't love me any more?
A love which is in the past should no longerbe remembered
I was the love ofyourlife, once so very long ago
But now I'm part of the past, and I can't agree to that
Ifall the things we want were within ourgrasp...
...then you'd love me still as much...
...as twenty years ago
With sadness we watch ourlove fade away
A part ofoursouls so heartlessly torn apart
Here on the beach, how Maria enjoys herself
Here on the beach, Maria, howyou excite me
I was born in 1907
On the coast, by the sea. In Siboney
I lived there with my father
He was a train driver, in the magnesium mines
I lived in Siboney until the age of nine
That's when my grandmother died
Then I moved to Santiago de Cuba with my brothers
I wasn't allowed to leave Siboney until my grandmother died
She put it this way:
"Until I die, my grandson..." that's me "... cannot leave my side"
I used to light her cigars
I was only five
And she'd say "Light me a cigar"
And I did, from the age of five
I'd light it, and my grandmother would smoke it
So, you could say I've been smoking for 85 years
I'll have to work hard. Ry Cooder is here
On a tree trunk, a young girl...
...carved her name withjoy
And the tree, touched to the core...
...let a flowerfall for the girl
I am the tree, so sad and moved
You are the girl who hurt me so
I'll always treasure yourdear name
But tell me, what became ofmypoorflower?.
I learned that as a young boy
Music is so beautiful
My name is Eliades Ochoa Bustamante
I was born in Santiago de Cuba on June 22nd, 1946
My mother, Jacoba Bustamante, played the tres
And so die my father.
We were a musical family
I was born a country boy, of course
From the moment I woke up, I heard music
I had music in my blood
I heard music when I went to bed, and music when I woke up
In 1958, I was no bigger than a guitar
I started playing as a kid all around Santiago
In the red light district
I played and passed the hat: "Help Cuban musicians"
That's how I made money
I took all the money home to help my parents
Along the road by my house...
...a merry cart-driver went by
His songs came from the heart
Like ajolly country boy he sang
I'm going to the rail crossing, to unload my cart
And so end anotherday of this back-breaking task
I work without respite so that I can get married
And ifl can manage that I'll be a lucky country lad
My days of passing the hat are over
I'll never forget it, but it's in the past now
I'm a country lad and cart-driver, and in the country I live well
The country is the Garden ofEden, the loveliest in the world
Let's ride our horses to the mountains
Hello, how are you?
We've been waiting ages. You're late
I thought maybe the cops were after you
Make yourselves at home
Once, in Santiago de Cuba, my grandfather was...
...the president of a French society
It was called 'EI Cocuye'
Once, a delegation of Africans went to visit him there
One of the women became Friendly with my mother
And when she left, she gave my mother this staff
My mother was a firm believer in this Lazarus
I have one the same. And I believe in my Lazarus, too
We call him the Beggar
He's very powerful
He's the one who leads the way and helps the poor
The other Lazarus is the same
But that's one I take with me. The one who begs
I lay flowers for him
Sometimes I light a candle
I give him honey
See? 'lt's bees' honey
I give him perfume
Lots of perfume
Every time I go out, I spray him
And I spray myself
His little shot of rum
I like it, so I assume he must like it, too
My wife makes him a meringues sometimes. Know what that is?
We put them here
We offer them to him
So that's how he gets all these things
We Cubans can be thankful, I don't know, to the Man up there...
...that we are the way we are
If we cared about possessions, we would have disappeared long ago
But we Cubans are very fortunate
We're a small country
But we're very strong
We've learned how to resist...
...the good and the bad
Cienfuegos has its Guaguanco
Today I am very moved
I will sing to my land
To that famous region...
...known as the Pearl of the South
That's the last one
It's the one Juan de Marcos wanted
My name is Ruben Gonzalez Fontanells
I was born in Santa Clara, in 1919
At the age of nine, I started playing the piano
My family had bought a piano
It was a fine one, a John Stowers
It was also a pianola. It sounded lovely
When I saw that instrument, I went crazy
I really liked it
So I began practising all the time
When my mother saw I had talent and could become a great pianist...
...she arranged for me to study with a teacher in Cienfuegos
I studied with her until the eighth grade
She'd say to me "Ruben, you'll be a good pianist
"You have great skill with your hands"
I was ignored, so I lost touch
But I wasn't going to starve
I polished shoes, cleaned the streets, sold lottery tickets
I had a family to support
I'm not ashamed to say that
We moved from Santa Clara to Havana
But being in the capital made me feel insecure
I said to myself "There are lots of pianists in Havana"
So, I started studying other things
Playing other instruments
But it turned out that one of my neighbours...
...was a man calledcame to know as Arsenio
He had a great band
And he heard me play
But Arsenio was blind
Not from birth
He had an accident and lost his sight
Anyway, one day he said:
Ruben, would you like to join my band?
I said yes, of course
He'd had a pianist who'd left
He'd gone to Europe
I played in Arsenio's band for about four years
I had a few hits
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
SMI Converted by hyunee7@