Music as Confession
I have mentioned the Buena Vista Social Club before. I have a video and the original album. Recently I bought a pair of discs that were issued in 2008 of the quite famous live performance given by this group at Carnegie Hall. I notice they are also now available on vinyl.
Live recordings must seem pretty risky to record companies, but this venture was unusual from a number of perspectives. The first is, that most of these musicians were already old. The chance of repeating the event was slim. They were from Cuba where it would even be a question as to whether they could leave the country again. The circumstances of the musicians were very unusual. They had thrived in the heyday of Havana as an exotic getaway for Americans in an era before DJ's and amplified instruments. Most had had a long period without playing music publicly. What effect this had one might speculate about. Maybe it was a bit like an extended retreat -- a time to continue to internalize one's attachment to the music.
Years ago I attended a concert of the then quite young British violinist Nigel Kennedy who emerged in the classical music world at a time when punk rock was of some importance in the popular music scene. His appearance lent itself more to punk rock than to white tie and tails. He soloed in one of the most famous sets of concertos for violin, the Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi. Far from the academic playing that was becoming de rigeur at the time in the classical music world, Kennedy's playing was emotive, sweeping, powerful, . . . and extremely competent. Wow! When I left that night I felt like I had been a participant in a bit of musical history at least in the cultural life of my own city.
This live recording of the Buena Vista Social Club has that same electricity! In our modern world we often discount this apparently intangible quality, but I don't think it is any different than when someone we care about has a deep and meaningful conversation with us. It is revelatory. The poet, the painter, the actor and the musician communicate greater depth when they are authentic. Acting, in particular, is often thought of as a ruse. How can someone call up authenticity and show such divergent emotions when they move from one role to another? Perhaps there are actors who are sociopaths, but I would hope that this would not be the norm. As human persons we do make judgements about the authenticity and truthfulness of others. It is true also that our intelligence exceeds our articulation of that intelligence. We can destroy ourselves with illusions, so we are rightfully on guard. On the other hand, when confronted with another's beautiful confession of soul we really do need to be moved. When someone shows us their gratitude for receiving love and their desire and generosity in returning it we need to rejoice, share in it and learn from it.
As I was listening to this album that is what I experienced, a deeply human and intelligent sharing of love. In the liner notes the producer of the album, Ry Cooder, asserts that the like of this group will not be found in the future.
There is more than enough human soul present in humanity to confess love through music. For it to be public and for it to be appreciated we need to be looking for it, acknowledge it when we find it and be open enough ourselves to receive it and express it in our lives.
Thank you Octavio Calderon, Ibrahim Ferrer, Roberto Garcia, Hugo Garzon, Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, Ruben Gonzalez, Pio Leyva, Manuel Licea, Orlando Lopez, Manuel Mirabal, Eliades Ochoa, Omara Portuondo, Jesus Ramos, Salvador Repilado, Compay Segundo, Benito Suarez Magana, Barbarito Torres, Alberto Valdes and Amadito Valdes. Ry and Joachim Cooder and Angel Domech also played that night. Ry Cooder did the spade work to bring these wonderful souls to light.
Confession is a good thing!
Live recordings must seem pretty risky to record companies, but this venture was unusual from a number of perspectives. The first is, that most of these musicians were already old. The chance of repeating the event was slim. They were from Cuba where it would even be a question as to whether they could leave the country again. The circumstances of the musicians were very unusual. They had thrived in the heyday of Havana as an exotic getaway for Americans in an era before DJ's and amplified instruments. Most had had a long period without playing music publicly. What effect this had one might speculate about. Maybe it was a bit like an extended retreat -- a time to continue to internalize one's attachment to the music.
Years ago I attended a concert of the then quite young British violinist Nigel Kennedy who emerged in the classical music world at a time when punk rock was of some importance in the popular music scene. His appearance lent itself more to punk rock than to white tie and tails. He soloed in one of the most famous sets of concertos for violin, the Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi. Far from the academic playing that was becoming de rigeur at the time in the classical music world, Kennedy's playing was emotive, sweeping, powerful, . . . and extremely competent. Wow! When I left that night I felt like I had been a participant in a bit of musical history at least in the cultural life of my own city.
This live recording of the Buena Vista Social Club has that same electricity! In our modern world we often discount this apparently intangible quality, but I don't think it is any different than when someone we care about has a deep and meaningful conversation with us. It is revelatory. The poet, the painter, the actor and the musician communicate greater depth when they are authentic. Acting, in particular, is often thought of as a ruse. How can someone call up authenticity and show such divergent emotions when they move from one role to another? Perhaps there are actors who are sociopaths, but I would hope that this would not be the norm. As human persons we do make judgements about the authenticity and truthfulness of others. It is true also that our intelligence exceeds our articulation of that intelligence. We can destroy ourselves with illusions, so we are rightfully on guard. On the other hand, when confronted with another's beautiful confession of soul we really do need to be moved. When someone shows us their gratitude for receiving love and their desire and generosity in returning it we need to rejoice, share in it and learn from it.As I was listening to this album that is what I experienced, a deeply human and intelligent sharing of love. In the liner notes the producer of the album, Ry Cooder, asserts that the like of this group will not be found in the future.
There is more than enough human soul present in humanity to confess love through music. For it to be public and for it to be appreciated we need to be looking for it, acknowledge it when we find it and be open enough ourselves to receive it and express it in our lives.
Thank you Octavio Calderon, Ibrahim Ferrer, Roberto Garcia, Hugo Garzon, Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, Ruben Gonzalez, Pio Leyva, Manuel Licea, Orlando Lopez, Manuel Mirabal, Eliades Ochoa, Omara Portuondo, Jesus Ramos, Salvador Repilado, Compay Segundo, Benito Suarez Magana, Barbarito Torres, Alberto Valdes and Amadito Valdes. Ry and Joachim Cooder and Angel Domech also played that night. Ry Cooder did the spade work to bring these wonderful souls to light.
Confession is a good thing!
