Ibrahim Ferrer Dies at 78 (Buena Vista Social Club)

[sintax]

Ibrahim Ferrer dies at 78

David Teather in New York
Monday August 8, 2005
The Guardian

Ibrahim Ferrer, who achieved fame late in life as the singer of the Buena Vista Social Club, died on Saturday in Havana at the age of 78.

Ferrer, known for his trademark cap and greying moustache, was a devotee of traditional styles of Cuban music such as "son" and bolero. He appeared destined to become a musician, having been born at a social club dance in 1927 after his mother went into labour unexpectedly.

He started singing at the age of 14, and by the late 1950s was a well-known performer. But by the 1990s he was scraping by on a meagre state pension, supplementing his income by shining shoes.

Then everything changed. In 1997, Ferrer was one of a group of musicians brought together by the Texas guitarist Ry Cooder to record the Buena Vista Social Club album.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/news/story/0,11711,1544678,00.html

[question everything]

1. And so they go

The great achievement of the movie and the CD was to get the older musicians of Cuba and to record them before they disappeared.

[Fenris]

2. That's a shame. He was a powerful vocalist.

:(