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• Arts and Culture
• Central America
• International
• Music
• 12 / 13 / 2006

By Joaquín Borges-Triana

Cuban musicians Francisco Céspedes and Gonzalo Rubalcaba presented Wednesday evening , Dec 6, in Mexico City the disc Con el permiso de Bola they themselves co-produced. The phonogram is made in homage to the great musician Ignacio Jacinto Villa, Bola de Nieve (1911-1971), born in Guanabacoa, Havana and died in Mexico FD, while en route to Lima (Peru), where he would have several performances.

" All the albums themes are Bola de Nieve's hit songs I sing without trying to imitate him because he was unique and that would be a nonsense on my part", Céspedes said in a press conference he and Rubalcaba gave in the Lunario of the National Auditorium, Mexico City.

According to EFE, Villa Clara-native singer song-writer indicated he did not have to adapt his voice accordingly because " as a good wine", its becoming modulated with the path of the years just as legend pianist singer Bola de Nieve experienced himself.

Con el permiso de Bola is a high pretentious disc featuring 13 themes; Adiós, felicidad; Vete de mí, ¡Ay, amor!, La flor de la canela, No dejes que te olvide, Alma mía, Drume negrita, Tú me has de querer, No puedo ser feliz, Ausencia, Si me pudieras querer, Bola de Nieve and a second version of Drume negrita in the voice of Bola de Nieve.

Singer composer affectionately known as Pancho, internationally famous after Mexican bolero singer Luis Miguel included Pancho's compositions in his repertoire, added jokingly that if at times his voice resembles that of Bola is because " he liked the same wine, too".

Regarding Rubalcaba, former Proyecto bands leader and bearer of a solid professional career as soloist, Francisco Céspedes asserted currently hes the best pianist in the world and added " its been a privilege to work with Gonzalo González Rubalcaba, a maestro and a friend".

Céspedes told he believes the disc will be successful as much as the DVD, a short length film on the album recording production in Abdala Studio, Havana.

As for Gonzalo Rubalcaba, he declared: " the disc is a homage to Cuban music in the person of Bola de Nieve, whom I got to know" and added: " Singing to Bola and playing the piano is quite a responsibility".

In this regard, the 43-year-old pianist and a recent Latin Grammy laureate pointed out: "Bola was as universal artist as Cuban.............he, lets say, ranged from the particular to the universal".

In the press conference held to submit the new album to the media, it was also made known editions will come to Mexico and the United States, Spain and Central and South America. Unfortunately, nothing indicates the distribution includes Cuba, therefore islanders interested in it will have to be content with getting a " well-burnt" CD.

Source: CubaSi