Just read this Reuters piece about a DVD entitled Liberación: The Songs of the New Cuban Underground. Apparently it’s been nominated for a Grammy and everything. Chris Murphy, an Australian music entrepreneur, made the film. I wonder if Luis from Child of the Revolution knows anything about him.
Has anyone seen or heard anything about this movie? Sounds pretty cool and the article helps expose the greed of the Cuban government:
“There are very few places on the planet where there are all these (musical) gems left, because they’ve all been mined,” says Murphy, who had previously licensed traditional son and bolero from Cuban government libraries. When recording began, word spread quickly among the city’s aspiring artists — and the Cuban government, which, Murphy says, began trailing his crew.
“We started getting word … that ‘you shouldn’t be working with artists directly, that you should be working with us,”‘ Murphy recalls. “I was recording mechanics, doctors, kids who were waiting to go into the army. So I was upsetting the apple cart.”
I actually own a copy of it but have not watched it yet. I was afraid it wouldn’t address the real issues and that it would be another fluff piece. I will have to dig it out and watch it.
I wonder if this is another Buena Vista Social Shit type of thing? If these record impresarios, and organizations like the Grammys want to award an underground group in Cuba, they should give Porno Para Ricardo a well-deserved Grammy. Not only are they courageous, but they are also very talented and marketable.
Hi Monica, I am not familiar with Chris Murphy but I did read the Reuters report. I gather Mr Murphy is based in the US? Regards.