By Adam Kovac |
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PHOTO : CHRISTINA WOERNS |
here is very little of the Caribbean in
Lethbridge in January .
While Alberta ’ s fourth-largest city is known for mild winters , it ’ s still a far cry from the sun and ocean breezes of Havana . Yet that is where a winter day has found Alex Cuba on his latest tour . Despite the difference in climate between the land of his birth , from which he takes his name , and this particular part of his adoptive home of Canada , there is clearly a hunger among audiences for his particular mix of Latin , jazz , and pop music . “ It ’ s going amazing ; every show is sold out ,” he enthuses over the phone .
The Western Canada dates are to promote his latest album ,
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simply titled Healer . While Cuba , born Alexis Puentes , is a veteran of both the road and the studio literally since childhood – he first started playing with his father Valentin Puentes , a famed guitarist and teacher in Cuba , at age four – Healer marks a new chapter in his career .
First , there ’ s that title . Healer is the first of Cuba ’ s albums to feature an English moniker . It ’ s a word that holds special meaning to the artist . “ I was making a joke with my bass player about that ,” he says . “ About six months ago , I pierced my nose and it ’ s been taking so long to completely heal .
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He said , ‘ Maybe that ’ s what your album is about .’”
In actuality , the title is an homage to the role music has played in Cuba ’ s own life . He says he doesn ’ t write when he ’ s angry or upset , only when he ’ s happy . Healer is his attempt to spread that mood to a wider audience .
While the title is English , much of the lyrics remain in Cuba ’ s native Spanish . Still , his fan base is not limited by simple linguistics . After all , melody , harmony , and rhythm form the international language of music and it ’ s through those three concepts that he does his real communicating . The music on Healer does just that – not by what Cuba is saying , but how he is saying it .
That being said , while pure , artistic expression is great , Cuba is still trying to market pop-based music in a language that many pop fans simply do not speak . Fans might be connecting , but in the
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38 • CANADIAN MUSICIAN |