Cuba Sends to the World Great Musical Talent, says Descemer Bueno

One of the most important and popular musicians today is undoubtedly Descemer Bueno. Although his beginnings in music were not in fact as songwriter, it’s precisely his career as songwriter which has taken him to stardom. "I am very proud of being born in Cuba. I believe that the world needs the Cuban talent so music still lives on", said Descemer in exclusively for Cubasí. One of the most important and popular musicians today is undoubtedly Descemer Bueno. Although his beginnings in music were not in fact as songwriter, it’s precisely his career as songwriter which has taken him to stardom. He’s got a wide musical career; he was part of the group Estado de Animo later joining Yerba Buena. Composer of the Year at the Cubadisco Festival 2013 for his album Bueno. His work as a composer verges on the excellence, a good example of this is the Goya Award to the best Original Soundtrack in the film Havana Blues, a film by the Spanish director Benito Zambrano. He has collaborated with international artists, but his projects with singer Enrique Iglesias are the most recognized worldwide. Iglesias produced the song Bailando which he sings next to duet Gente de Zona. Many of Descemer’s song are really catchy and show a before and after in his career. He speaks about his career in an interview for Cubasí. - Descemer, you have a wide career as musician, however you are worldwide recognized for your talent as songwriter and composer. Which are your main sources of inspiration? - I am inspired by all the key facts, before I was really inspired by songwriters like Silvio, Pablo, and Santiago. Musically I have always loved Jazz and instrumental music. After I graduated as guitarist I began a career as bass player and I played for a lot of people like Santiago, Julio Fowler and troubadours like Vanito Brown and Kerwin Du Bois. - Of all their compositions, which one has meant more to you and which one launched you to the fame? - Fame is really fickle when you are a composer; we hardly ever see fame, although there are well-known composers within the world of composers. There are also people who are interested in the life of those who make music, but they are very few. In my particular case, I am very lucky because I have songs in my repertoire that people enjoy greatly. Many of my songs are in the voice of other artists like Luz Casal, and Ana Torroja from Spain. They are among the most outstanding voices of Spain. There’s also Enrique Iglesias a more international singer whose career is large in the English-speaking market, Thalía from Mexico, Marco Antonio Solís with the song El perdedor, and Cuando me enamoro with Juan Luis Guerra, but back then many people outside Cuba didn't know who was Descemer Bueno, I was only known in the ethnic migration and I truly believe the song Bailando is the one which has won me a place in the planet, so to speak, because people are looking at faces internationally unknown like Gente de Zona and me, this has been like a cross over for us. - Talk to me about the new disk you are preparing, what artists participate in it? - We are aiming at getting at the international market and to that purpose I am planning repeat the formula. It is not just the help of a nice voice singing next to you, but rather the person you approach to ask for a favor. They contribute with their followers, I have very good friends who have already made formal requests to join me in the disk like Ana Torrojas who is also a star, there’s also Reyli Barba, Julieta Venegas, and Enrique Iglesias. They are artists who work very well in Mexico. Mexico is an objective for me; it’s a country where music and songs are loved. I had a good experience there with Enrique opening shows at the Auditorium and I think it’s a perfect country to receive me. - You have collaborated with famous artists like Enrique Iglesias. - I have been very lucky with Enrique, in the album launched for Latin America I have a duet with him of the song Loco. After that came Bailando which I made popular here, starting with Havana and later spread throughout the whole island, it has reach number one in 23 countries and it may be the song of the summer. It’s probably one of the most important songs in Enrique's career and mine, no doubt about it. - Bailando is one of the most popular songs. What do you think that is? - I wrote this song thinking of Enrique and I took it to him when it was still premature. We both finished it and we wrote in a way that was comfortable for him to sing it. Afterwards Randy and Alexander gave it a finishing touch, I didn't think the song could be improve any further and yet, they put in the most interesting parts, though little, it was great. The success can be given to many things, for example, the strength of Cuba as promoter of not just sport and medicine, but also music capable of convincing the world, a very natural fusion of what we know as flamenco culture, urban music and good lyrics. I am very proud of being born in Cuba which has always shown to the world a lot of musical talent. There are truly artists that have heart to participate with us on what would be the Cuban music's phenomenon from the underground music until the most contemporary and custom music. - You have had the opportunity to travel and know new horizons, however, you have not given up your roots. - I feel very well in Barcelona, it is one of the cities I like the most in the world; New York, Guadalajara, Mexico DF. I have not visited as many countries as I wanted to; I know little of Latin America. What I find interesting of a nation is how I can interact with the most creative elements of that nation; it is very hard to break so many chains and so many closed doors that it is very difficult to open them all. In Cuba there are many artists who have been very important during their time and they approach me wondering the keys for a comeback, the only thing that is necessary is to keep working hard and I believe I have done. Working is one of the things that bring me near the roots of my country, I have a family of musicians who supports me and a wonderful team that I would love to have in other places. / With information from www.cubasi.cu

Hotel Pernik, in the memory of visitors

The Pernik hotel of Holguin, remains in the memory of visitors who have arrived to this eastern city of Cuba. The facility was built on the Jorge Dimitrov avenue as result of the relationship between Cuba and Bulgaria. Already there and at first glance, the lobby shows a view rich in art, in shades to define, not with words but with graphics, as it looks like an art gallery exhibit inviting visitors to interpret the world of art. Also the artistic design of rooms looks like a ritual, where nine of them were turned into art galleries linked to different personalities of Cuban culture. Opened on December 31, 1980, the Pernik was the first facility to be awarded the Biarin '90 plate, with the architecture prize in the First Biennial of Architecture and Engineering in the contest of works and accomplishments. It has several spaces inside carrying recognized names of Bulgaria, as the Pliska bar, the pool-bar Danube and the Sofia and Varna restaurants, which show the excellence of this hotel that stands out within the ISLAZUL hotel chain. / With information from www.ahora.cu / photos by Elder Leyva

Four Terrorists Settled in Miami Detained in Cuba

Forces from the Cuban Interior Ministry detained four Cuban-born citizens settling in Miami, when planned to execute terrorist actions. A note from the Interior Ministry says the detention took place on April 26, and the detainees are named Jose Ortega Amador, Obdulio Rodriguez Gonzalez, Raibel Pacheco Santos and Felix Monzon Alvarez. According to reports, the detainees recognized they pretended to attack military facilities with the objective of promoting violence. For such purposes, three of them had travelled many times to the island since 2013 to study and model the execution. They also said those plans have been led by terrorists Santiago Alvarez Fernandez Magriña, Osvaldo Mitat, and Manuel Alzugaray, who also live in Miami and maintain a close relation with infamous terrorist Luis Posada Carriles. The Cuban Interior Ministry stated that the country is carrying out the necessary arrangements with U.S. authorities to investigate the facts and timely avoid that the performance of terrorist elements and organizations settled in that northern nation endanger the life of people and security of both nations. / Taken from Prensa Latina

Deepest sorrow over the passing of Juan Formell

With deep sorrow, cultural authorities of Cuba's announced the death of Juan Formell, founder and director of the popular band Los Van Van, who for his career received the National Music Prize and the Latino Granmy for Musical Excellence. The death of renowned arranger, composer, singer and record producer leaves a void in popular dance music, to which he contributed with the creation of “songo” and the rhythm of " buey cansao”, remembered by generations of Cubans. Formell was born in Havana on August 2, 1942 and received his early education from his father Francisco Formell. But later he continued his music studies by self-taught. His artistic career was marked by his entry into the Revé Orchestra, led by Elio Reve, who in his own words, taught Formell much of what he would later apply in the group he formed and named Los Van Van. During his more than five decades of professional life, Formell recorded more than 20 albums and received several laurels, including the Grammy Award for his CD "Llegó... Van Van" (Van Van is here). In 1999 and 2010 he received an honorary doctorate from the Higher Institute of Arts in recognition of his contributions to Cuban culture.

Poza Fria of Caletones Beach, Gibara

The Poza Fria of Caletones is one of the flooded-caves of Laguna Blanca-Caletones Caves System that most attract attention of vacationers. It's a natural pool located among summer houses, just a few meters from the road entering Caletones beach. Caletones is an isolated beach in the coastal town of Gibara with Beatiful landscapes which were devastated after the passage of Hurricane Ike through the territory. Most vacationers coming here are from then same province of Holguin and Gibara. The poza fria is characterized by a large dolina with easy access to two galleries, one facing east and the other one to the south. The one directing to the east is of difficult morphology due to the number of landslides, which makes exploration quite dangerous, as there is a strong current that leads to that direction. The dolina running to the south is parallel to a large crack in the many existing in the area, a landslide near a restriction stops exploration. The total distance in this cavity reaches 85 m. / Photo by Juan Pablo Carreras

Banes becomes tourist destination for cruise ships

Banes has become a place of interest for cruises. Every Wednesday one of these huge ships arrives at Antilla Bay. According to guidebooks, Banes is a destination for its archaeological values. It has been of great interest to visitors to explore the historic city center and the Catholic church of this city. However this tourist option leads to other new interests, as it happen with tourists from the Caribbean such as Jamaicans who want to meet ancestors living in the neighborhood of Mariana Grajales and have been guided there to establish contact with friends and families there. "This model of tourism brings people from Denmark, Norway, Canada and Italy. They come with some specific cultural and humanitarian interests, for example, knowing of the Jamaican community residing over Banes”, said Luis Quinones, a guide at the Bani Indocubano Museum of Banes. According to Quiñones with the arrival of cruises, the city of Banes, better known as the Archaeological Capital of Cuba, will also become a place of great tourist interest. “Now we have to improve our work and make the city more attractive to visitors”.

Injured, but with a Lot of Optimism

It is always nice to talk with Holguin's star decathlete Leonel Suárez Fajardo. So hearing about his stay in this city, JIT magazine decided to meet him.   Double Olympic bronze medallist took the optimistic dialogue with eloquence and wisdom that enhance his admirable simplicity.   November 2013 and January 2014 brought joy and motivations to you. Why?   “On November 16, 2013 my daughter was born and the in early days of 2014 the authorities in the province gave me a comfortable home, two highly rewarding things.”   I can assure you that even if the property has been delivered to me due to my outstanding sporting career, I committed myself to increased efforts as sportsman.   I will not disappoint all those who trusted and still trust me. That's the biggest commitment after this recognition, which helps a lot to give myself fully to training, despite being injured now.   How did you get the injury?    After jumping in London 2012 Olympics, I got a little pain in the right knee, which worsened in the 2013 World Championships.   Doctors diagnosed an insersionitis in the kneecap, which causes acute discomfort that prevents me from training hard.   What is the medical treatment?    Specialists at the Frank País orthopaedic hospital in Havana will determine whether I need stem cell treatment or arthroscopy surgery, which promotes the regeneration of damaged tissue.    But I'm ready for the decision made, because the discomfort is unbearable and for me the most important thing is to achieve full recovery as quickly as possible.   So you're resting?    None of that. I train to strengthen the upper body, as I cannot jump or run fast, hence I cannot ensure that I'm training properly, so I can't compete for now.   Not even this year?    Everything is depending on how the injury is assessed in terms of severity and course of treatment response. However I would like to be in good shape for the Central American and Caribbean Games of Veracruz, Mexico, in November.   I'm optimistic, but the future is uncertain for now. It's hard to give an answer.   Wishes?    Back on the podium in world events, which is the same as saying to stay in the top three in the world, I'll never give up on that. / Photo: Rodriguez.Otmaro with information from JIT / Jose Antonio Chapman