Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-Ibrahim Ferrer


Artist:Ibrahim Ferrer

Song:Buenos Hermanos

Album:Buenos Hermanos




Music fans worldwide are forever grateful to Ry Cooder for bringing us the music of long forgotten Cuban musicians with the 1999 documentary The Buena Vista Social Club. The fabulous singer Ibrahim Ferrer became a superstar as a senior. He was born Feb. 20, 1927 in Santiago, Cuba. He began his singing career at age 14 in his cousin's group Los Jovonos Del Son. He sang with various groups but is best known for his time with Pacho Alonso's group Los Bocucos. In 1962 the group was in Moscow when the Cuban Missile Crisis happened. Of course they returned to a devastated country. Ferrer and his wife had 11 children. So though he continued to perform with Los Bocucos, he also worked day jobs until his retirement in 1991. In 1996, Ry Cooder had been talking to Cuban musician Juan de Marcos Gonzalez of the Afro Cuban All Stars and Gonzalez recommended Ferrer for the Buena Vista Social Club. The film made Ferrer an international star. He made three CDs for World Circuit Records including this 2003 CD Buenos Hermanos. People always ask me if this music is jazz. It's very hard to describe but it has elements of jazz along with elements of folk and Cuban dance band music from the 30s. You'll love it if you listen to it. Ibrahim Ferrer had just finished a European tour when he died on Aug. 6, 2005 at age 78. Here's Ibrahim Ferrer performing Buenos Hermanos.

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