Update: There's an odd article about the new album in Newsday.com. Catch this
Two songs, the title track and "Esperando," capture the displaced nationalism of Miami Cubans as few others do. "Esperando," driven by hard rumba rhythms, is a call for a celebration of Cuba's impending "freedom," a passion stoked late last month when Perez Hilton's Web site posted a rumor of Castro's impending death and it made the front page of The Wall Street Journal. Estefan's call for unity between island and Miami Cubans is hopeful, but its reality remains to be seen.
Gee, was that all part of the plan to invite Che-loving, synapse-fried Santana to play? Nah, but it's fun to think it. Now to the truly odd part.
On the title track, Estefan pays tribute to Yoruban deity Eleguá, asking him to deliver liberation, although his role as the guardian of the crossroads may not dispose him to take sides. "Me Odio," features a singing style apparently influenced by the rap group Orishas, and "Morenita" and "Caridad" praise Cuba's patron saint Caridad de la Cobre. Could it be that this Estefan-style revelation of Cuba's African spirituality might be more important than the politics of left and right?
Our reviewer here seems awfully familiar with Eleguá, which is a first. And is it a prediction?
And the end? Odd. Read it.
Is Gloria trying to counter the recent controversy by reestablishing her bona fides? She apparently gave an interview to Readers Digest that is quoted in The Detroit Free Press.
When the family immigrated to the United States, she tells RD, her father mysteriously disappeared in the night. "He was part of the Cuban exile forces being trained by the U.S. government for the Bay of Pigs invasion. When the infamous attempt to reclaim Cuba failed, in April 1961, my dad was again taken as a political prisoner by Castro's forces."
I don't have the Readers Digest, but here is a link to the DFP.
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3 comments:
I find the Estefan's music-politic playing patriot sentiment questionable, and very comercial. She contradicts herself in her pro-Hillary, Anti-Bush, Super-Patriot, etc positions, it seems these accomodate the audience in turn. For years they have been playing music, now they're playing politics, where is the real, the authentic sentiment...and where's the money and the fame. I say: follow the money.
I'm sad to say I think it's all about the money and fame. She used to mix in politics, but then she was on the side of the angels. Now, she just wants to be cool. Can we say, Hillary and Venceremos Brigade in the same sentence? Yes, we can.
Wonder what is in Gloria's head lately, I don't recognize her at all, to be honest I was never a fan of her music, but I bought her cd's just to help out a fellow Cuban, never again!
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