Thursday, August 13, 2009

Odds and ends

  • Mauricio Claver-Carone of the Capitol Hill Cubans blog and I will be on a PBS Blog Talk Radio discussion of the embargo at 11:00 this morning, hosted by veteran broadcaster Aaron Brown.

And more on Juanes:

  • Author Zoe Valdes writes to Miguel Bose, the Spanish singer who will join the concert, urging him to pull out.

  • Willie Chirino issues a statement in support of the concert, recognizing Juanes’ “good faith” and explaining at length the “bad taste in my mouth.”

  • The group 3 de la Habana is in favor too: “Juanes in Cuba can bring some oxygen to the people…[Other concerts] open up the vision of the younger generation a little and makes them see things from another point of view.”

  • Puerto Rican singer Olga Tanon, who will perform in the concert, issues a statement explaining why, translated here by examiner.com.

  • EFE talks to anonymous “show business sources” in Miami and says Juanes is under “strong pressure” to cancel the concert. EFE also reports that Vigilia Mambisa plans a Calle Ocho protest tomorrow “in rejection of this humiliation and Juanes’ provocation of the Cuban community.” Protesters will smash his CD’s with hammers, the group says.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow, a protest on calle ocho against free expression and free speech. yeah, keep talking of the restrictions in cuba, makes so much sense. elian forever!

Anonymous said...

Years ago a fist fight broke out in symphonic music concert in Israel over the orchestra playing Wagner. Unless Juanes' CDs were ripped off from a store, he already made his money from the protesters. Time to take out the chewing tobacco, and start chewing! Does anybody have real news about negotiations between Havana and Washington? Are they ongoing or stalled?

Vecino de NF

Anonymous said...

that's good vecino!!!

popeye

Anonymous said...

For those who want to read more on the previous drive-by comment on Wagner, Israel and fistfights:

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/09/world/playing-a-bit-of-wagner-sets-off-an-uproar-in-israel.html?scp=9&sq=wagner%20israel%20ban&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/05/arts/music-a-cultural-disconnect-on-wagner.html?scp=17&sq=wagner%20israel%20ban&st=cse&pagewanted=2

It would be interesting if Juanes chooses to play Chirino or Celia Cruz' music or to invite some non-officially sanctioned musicians to play with him.

Peace man in the Year of the XL Anniversary of Woodstock! Hey dude, these brownies are out of this world!

Vecino de NF

Anonymous said...

To give context to Juanes' decision to travel to Cuba as part of his "peace" concert tour, note that he canceled his concert in Honduras after Zelaya's forced departure. http://www.elheraldo.hn/Vida/Ediciones/2009/07/16/Noticias/Juanes-pospone-concierto-por-la-paz-en-Honduras

It would seem given the unrest (albeit mild) in Honduras, a concert for "peace" would be far more applicable in Honduras than in Cuba.

NLNR

Anonymous said...

NLNR,

Honduras does not need any concerts. Zelaya has kept the country entertained doing the border hokey pokey:

You put your right foot in,
You put your right foot out,
You put your right foot in
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.

You put your left foot in,
You put your left foot out,
You put your left foot in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about...

Now all together!

Vecino de NF