Singer Silvio Rodríguez would like to see a Cuban 'Evolution'

Maite Junco
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Cuban folk singer Silvio Rodríguez has not been welcome in the U.S. for
three decades, but today, as he answered questions from the New York
media, he seemed relaxed, jovial and ready for new beginnings.

"I am very happy to be able to come back to the United States, a country
that, even if some won't believe it, I admire in many different
directions, in many ways," Rodríguez said in Spanish at a press
conference at SOB's.

The 63-year-old, a pioneer of the Nueva Trova music movement, plays a
sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall on Friday, his first in the city since
1979. A second show has been added for June 10.

"I'm happy, I hope to do a good job and that it is worthwhile for the
people who are going to go listen to us, which is the reason we are here."

Rodríguez, a prolific songwriter and guitarist, is known for his
romantic songs but also for his political lyrics in support of the Cuban
revolution and other left-leaning political movements.

But in his latest album, "Segunda Cita," he seems ready to air some
criticism about his Communist homeland, singing about "transcending the
'r' in revolution" and "repairing the decrepitness" he sees.

"The revolution already passed, now comes the evolution," he said today,
explaining the lyrics of "Sea Señora." "Evolution for Cuba, political
evolution, social evolution - even if socially we have things that many
countries don't have, but I want to have more."

He was clear that he still "believes in the revolution" and its
accomplishments, like providing education and health care to all Cubans.

Pressed as to what needs to change, he wouldn't go into specifics, but
said: "There's a lot of things in Cuba that have aged and that need to
be revitalized [but]... I'm from the countryside, I was raised that you
don't go to your neighbor's house to complain about what's happening
with your family."

Rodríguez opened his U.S. tour in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Sunday,
singing a mix of well-known hits like "Ojalá," "Óleo de mujer con
sombrero" and "Unicornio," and newer work for some 10,000 fans at the
Coliseo José Miguel Agrelot.

He said the New York concerts will differ only slightly. He is playing
with a band that includes a tres guitar, a bass and drums.

Fans will be pleasantly surprised to hear Niurka González, a classically
trained musician, accompanying him on a seductive flute. González is
also Rodríguez's wife of 14 years. "She is always magnificent," he said
with a laugh. "We met thanks to music."

Rodríguez's first tour in the U.S. mainland since the Carter era became
possible when he was finally granted a visa, he said. His last troubles
were last year when his visa arrived late to attend a tribute concert
for Pete Seeger at Madison Square Garden. "I had lost the faith."

At the well-attended press conference, Rodríguez fielded a variety of
questions, from whether he thought Fidel Castro was still alive
("kicking," he said), if U.S. policy towards Cuba has changed ("a bit")
and whether he believed the embargo would be lifted anytime soon ("no,
lamentably.")

The first American music that influenced his work was in films such as
"Vertigo" (1958) and "The Man with the Golden Arm" (1955), Rodríguez
said, crediting his family's love for the big screen.

"My mother took me to the movies when I was 20 days old, it's a thing
that's told in my family," he said, "to the movie house in my village in
San Antonio de los Baños, since then I'm listening to music."

He is now mostly working on composing music for films.

The tour wraps up June 23 in Orlando, his only stop in Florida, which is
home to the biggest Cuban population outside of the island.

"We are a neighboring country; even if we have been pulling our hair out
for 50 years we are neighbors, geographically we are condemned to that,"
he said. "We have to get along well, sooner or later."

mjunco@nydailynews.com

http://www.nydailynews.com/latino/2010/06/01/2010-06-01_poet_of_cuban_change.html