Hey Steemers!
I'm spankin' new to this, and eager to learn more, so forgive me if my questions or instincts are off-kilter. This post is about a fantastic new documentary that was recently shot and produced by a brilliant Italian director/producer (you know those Italians have such style!). The doc recounts in vivid color, language and musical mastery, the legendary rise and national influence of a famed group, the Ignacio Pineiro Septet, now celebrating its 90th anniversary. Of course, the members of the septet have changed over time but the purity and the masterful techniques are non-negotiable and remain a constant. Credited with introducing a new "son" (sound) into the Cuban musical and mainstream culture, because, after all, music is central to life in Cuba (how great is that??), Ignacio Pineiro remains a legendary figure in Cuba due to his enormous influence on the heart and soul of the nation.
Check out this clip.
There's a whole lot more where that came from: incredible artists, somehow eking out livings in a country that does not afford them any breaks beyond appearing in the film, while making and maintaining phenomenal levels of artistry that routinely blow the mind. Well-documented and revered African roots and culture form the backbone and pulse of much of the Cuban culture and its iterations that so deeply move us. The appearances around the world, and the crowds that froth at hearing them, quietly shaking the earth with musical vibrations, making it better. This is an art and a medium that affects and embraces all who hear it. As the true characters in the doc reveal, there is no real separation among the artists. Regardless of outer appearance, mercifully and at last, they are forever conjoined by the soul of the music. It is in all of us. I sure hope we can share this with the world. We could use and benefit from the global, loving mindset. Please let me know if you feel the same.