Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Danny Rivera. Photo: Courtesy of Ricardo Alonso Venereo
Puerto Rican artist, Danny Rivera, is currently recording two albums in Cuba
Artemisa.-Singing has been my life ever since I was born and it is an honor to come here to do it. As a child I learned about Cuba and its music: I was always curious about those artists who were played in my country, Puerto Rican singer and composer Danny Rivera stated during a press conference at Artemisa’s Casa de la Música.
In this space, which was inaugurated earlier this year, he offered a concert on August 11, accompanied by the Artemisa musical group Alabao, and perfomed “Para decir adiós” alongside the young Chila Lynn.
The Puerto Rican artist is currently recording two albums in Cuba. The first of which, Aire libre, will feature the Tremendochi children’s musical project. According to the singer-songwriter, he met the children’s group in the community of Las Terrazas and, following the philosophy of providing opportunities to new talents, he invited them to be part of this new proposal.
Meanwhile, the album Diez lindas cubanas will be dedicated to Cuban songs written some decades ago. In this regard, Rivera commented that all the tracks have women’s names, and recording them is a means of ensuring they are heard once again, recreating them in his own way. “When I encounter this music again, I see that time has not passed, and I feel like that same child who grew up listening to it.”
The singer has enjoyed a career spanning more than 50 years, and visited Cuba for the first time in the 1970s. At that time, he was welcomed by children singing “Tu pueblo es mi pueblo,” and he stated that “from that point on, the love affair has been unique.”
As part of his stay in the province, Riviera visited the Mausoleum to the Martyrs of Artemisa, where he learned about the history of this solemn site, its characteristics, and paid tribute to the young people of the territory who participated in the Moncada assault.
Yusmary Romero Cruz, Granma
August 17, 2017
