A FAMOUS CUBAN SINGER IS SURE OF THAT

DON’T THINK STAYING IS AN OPTION

By Fidel Díaz

I ran into Carlos Varela in Pablo de la Torriente Brau Cultural Centre during the memorable celebration of Victor Casaus' sixty birthday. Obviously, I would have preferred, then and now, that he could be singing his songs in the cities of the United States. The fact is that it was really beautiful to have him there, sharing with the elder troubadours, with his pairs, and promoting a group from Bayamo, ormed by very young people and under the name Nubes, influenced by his legacy. Considering the fact that we are what we are, and some many things have been said overseas after the news of his visa denegation to perform in the U. S., so then, I asked him to keep the record of the following questions


How many times have you been in the United States, up to this time that won’t be possible?

Twice, in 1997 and 1998.

Where?

 In Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami.

I’d like you to tell me about the relation with the non-Cuban audience, which is suppose to have a different communication.

When I was in Miami, New York, where there were more Latinos, and Cubans among them, there was a closer connexions with the lyrics, with the song itself. However, when I played in other cities, as San Francisco or Chicago, where there were very few Latinos, the reaction was wonderful because no translation for the lyrics was required. That did impressed me, I thought my songs only had only one way of understanding, and it wasn’t so. Precisely, in my first tour I found out that even if I could not understand the details of the lyrics, communication is wider, is beyond that. It happens to many of us when we listen to English songs.

I liked both experiences. The United States is a huge country, beautiful, of an astonishing culture, they are at the same time so close and so distant from us, where one feels all the time the influence, above all in terms of music, I mean of the Cuban music. I plugged up very easily. I felt it took me a while to go to that country for first time, and it is natural that Cuban musician could visit that country on periodical basis. I don’t mean only to those cities where Latinos have an important presence, but to all the cities of the huge country.

What were your expectations when going to Miami the first, second and present time?

The truth is that the first time Miami was not even included in the tour. I had some days off and a couple of friends invited me over. They organized a couple of private concerts, in private residences for three or four hundred persons. Most of them were Cubans. It was fun, seeing so many people again, those who I haven’t seen for so long, even those who I thought were lost. People I had met at high school, at the university... and they were there. It was very beautiful, because they sang in chorus, wept , they all wanted to hug me at the end, they brought me drinks to the scenario and in general they said:“Brother, I’m fighting here, you don’t even think of staying, it is so good that you came to sing for us, but you stay there”.

In a way, I think that in this opportunity, six years later, I’ll return with an organized concert in a great theater, Guzman Center in down town. That would have been my first public concert in Miami. Well, it is a fortune to know that despite all the shit it is said by some people and some newspapers, a week before my trip, the theater’s tickets were sold out, considering we had not publicity at all. I mean a 1700 seats theater, a place very well considered there.

Although the tour would continue by New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Port Rico, for that occasion we had prepared some songs especially for Miami, songs that we’d not sing in other places. Those which are related with the exile, with the Cuban family, with the two seashores. It was not possible due to the decision of the Department of State, and I would say as some day my epitaph would read: “My music and I go somewhere else”. I have other tours, I hope that there would be other opportunities, above all because of the thousands people who remained waiting for me.

Is it evident for you that one thing is the Department of State and some other is the people who loves you and follows you?

Absolutely. Neither the organizer of the concerts, nor me could think a year of election in the U.S. could be so bad. I’m not the only one whose visa have been refused during this year, we are many Cuban musicians in that position. Organizing a tour to the U.S is very difficult. No matter the kind of music you play or the form of art you do, no matter if you are Ibrahim Ferrer, who have been there a thousand times, or Chucho Valdés who has been there two thousand times.

That decision is unfair, because any decision avoiding Cuban artist travelling to that country produces no effect, but the separation of two peoples, two cultures. It is a shame to deprive American people, and above all the Cubans who live there, of their right to enjoy and listen to Cuban music, to exchange with the artist of the island. They are demanding so, they’re crowding the theaters.

I have received a lot of letters in my web site during these days, they are complains of Cuban young people. They have dreamt of living in the land of freedom, however they have restriction on listening some kind of music or an specific artist.

I heard a good news yesterday. Jackson Brown, an American author and singer who was recently in Cuba, dedicated me a song in his last concert. We have planned to sing together in Los Angeles. When he knew about the fact that the visa had been refused, he said: “It is amazing to live in a country that feels free to send troops and bombs to another country, and later on it feels the same freedom to prevent an artist to come to sing here”.

I thank the thousand young people who have bought the tickets for the concert, mainly in Miami. It is a shame due to the decision of some dinosaurs from the Department of State I couldn’t sing to other people. Anyway, I may not be there, but my songs are, as I always say, they need neither visa nor passport to be on people’s side, on the heart of every person that listen to it.

Was is the significance, for this people, as well as your artistic project, of this experience of shutting the door in your nose?

Thoughtful songs, as Silvio said one day, is under the risk of men and countries. I’m not the only one. Evidently, one feels the pressure of living in the island, but I consider that in this moment those who are on the other side feel it more. It doesn’t cut my wings at all.
Of course, the band and I had the illusion of working at least two weeks in that country. However, we have many other tours during this year. It gives me strength to know they are waiting for me there, and the trust is that in my very heart I know I’ll go, maybe next year, when all this storm is over. I expected so, in a way. What surprises me is the role the media in Miami have played after the news.

Anyway you have people from Mexico, Argentina and Spain. I imagine you’ll go to give it all.

Absolutely. We are going to those countrioes to promote a new disk called 7. It was also our aim in the United States.

The last question. Is it true that in Cuba you’re not interested in singing outside of Havana?

I have had a lot of interviews on the radio and I have talked to several people in other provinces. I have explained that there are cities that does not have available the conditions to take the technology. Why we won’t make the concerts in those places with the same technical conditions we do it here in Havana, at the Karl Marx theater or any other? Why to underestimate other provinces? I consider everything has to begin with mutual support, to have concerts with all the professional rigor used in Madrid or in Havana. Why not have the same?

Unfortunately, there have been some contradictions, and the cultural institution usually have limited to say: “ Come only with your guitar”. I think it isn’t fair, in those discussions the people is the one who looses, because they finally don’t have a proper presentation.

It is a shame that people thinks that one doesn’t want to go. And it isn’t so. However, we have played in some places. I hope that during this year we could solve some disagreements. Both, the band and the technical staff are interested in making a tour in the island.


SOME MESSAGES

Good afternoon:
I wrote this e- mail this morning, worried about the concert, it is inevitable now. I called the theater and they say it is cancelled. Those who were looking forward it feel frustration and impotence.

Carlos Varela means a lot to us, and once we are on this side of the seashore, listening to him brings bitter-sweets memories of our days in Cuba, going to his concerts which touched us so deeply. A lot of sadness is combined today, we are still stock on one side and the other, with very little to do facing these violations of rights and freedom of speech, unbelievable, in this country
Tomorrow is my birthday, I only wanted to be Wednesday. I confess that when I bought the tickets, after work, I played the CD Como los peces, and I went listening on my way. I could not help some tears.

Finally, God permits Varela can come in any form, to have this expected wonder happen. We’re many the ones who love you on this side of the seashore.
Sincerely,

Ariadna García.



Carlitos, your lyrical messages are always present here, there and in other borders. Next time ―as always — but, it will be sometime.

A warm hug, maestro,

Fernando


Good evening:
Today is the saddest day of my life, after my departure from Cuba, eight years ago, specially today when I was looking forward Carlos Varela ‘s concert.

When I read the news in The Miami Herald that the concert had been cancelled due to the refusal of the visa by the United States, I felt myself offended and as well as my freedom to listen to such relevant singer and author, followed by all the Cuban youth in Miami. Why do they always have to mix the stupid and disgusting politics with art and music this two clean forms of expression of the human beings?

Thank you very much, and best wishes, from a Carlos Varela’s follower. Good bye from my youth in Cuba. Reply, please, just to have the new disc called 7 and listen to it, so that I could not attend the live concert.

Thanks so much,

Arnaldo.


Hello:

What happened with the tour to the United States? It was cancelled, I know, but what was the exact reason, because I don’t believe many of the sensationalist news here. It is a shame these things happen. Carlos, thanks anyway for trying to bring your music, and keep going. Good luck, Carlitos.

A great fond of you, I will always listen to your music.

Lucky.


Carlos,

I am really sad and angry to hear of the refusal to allow you to sing in USA. This is so petty and anti human, and an indication of how right-wing the US government has become. I hope that this decision will be reversed soon.

Many good wishes.

Your friend always,

Paul Brady.