CUBA: legendary Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes closes International Jazz Festival in Havana with a tribute to the victims of Hurricane Katrina

Record ID: 1537744

  • Title: CUBA: legendary Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes closes International Jazz Festival in Havana with a tribute to the victims of Hurricane Katrina
  • Date: 8th December 2005
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF CUBAN MUSICIAN, CHUCHO VALDES, PLAYING A SONG DEDICATED TO THE VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA, "CANTO A DIOS" ("I SING TO GOD") (10 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 3rd January 2006 11:34
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cuba
  • Country: Cuba
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVABS0Q73YCL6JKZ2PIGZ0FTH857
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Legendary Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes closed Havana's International Jazz Festival on Sunday (December 4) with a song in honour of the victims of Hurricane Katrina
    in New Orleans.
    Valdes, who played at the Mella theatre in the Cuban capital, dedicated his song "Canto a Dios" ("I sing to God") to the people of New Orleans.
    "It's a tribute to the people of New Orleans, to all the people of New Orleans. It's a tribute to Marsalis, to all musicians, to Fats Domino, and it's a song of love and
    peace. It's called "Canto a Dios" (I sing to God). Simply, may there be no other Katrina, that's all I want to say," he told the audience.
    The famous Cuban musician was accompanied by his quartet, Cuba's National Symphony Orchestra and his sister.
    Valdes, who has won five Grammy awards over his musical career and founded jazz group Irakere, was one of several international artists who took part in the 22nd Jazz
    Festival. Brazilian musician Ivan Lins, who opened the festival on December 1, was also present at the final performance, reminding musicians to remember their priorities.
    "The problem in art is that if you put money before the quality of the art, of spontaneity, it doesn't work. But the American mentality is to make money first," commented
    Lins at the festival.
    Artists from eleven different countries convened in Havana for the festival.
    More than 1,300 people died and tens of thousands were left homeless after hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, known as the cradle of jazz, last August. Cuban President
    Fidel Castro offered to send over 1,000 doctors to help the victims, but Washington rejected the offer.
    The tensions between the two countries meant that the 22nd Jazz Festival was attended by only a couple of musicians from the US, with others coming from Argentina,
    Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Italy, South Africa and the Caiman Islands.
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