Description
Book SynopsisFor more than thirty years, musician Carlos Varela has been a guide to the heart, soul, and sound of Havana. One of the best known singer-songwriters to emerge out of the Cuban nueva trova movement, Varela has toured in North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe. In North America, Varela is “Cuba’s Bob Dylan.” In Cuba, he is the voice of the generation that came of age in the 1990s and for whom his songs are their generation’s anthems. My Havana is a lyrical exploration of Varela’s life and work, and of the vibrant musical, literary, and cinematic culture of his generation.
Popular both among Cubans on the island and in the diaspora, Varela is legendary for the intense political honesty of lyrics. He is one of the most important musicians in the Cuban scene today. In My Havana, writers living in Canada, Cuba, the United States, and Great Britain use Varela’s life and music to explore the history and cu
Trade Review
'Impressively, the book has come to exist in two versions: English and Spanish. Such a production is highly commendable, even inspirational... The book provides much of value for readers unfamiliar with Varela and Nueva Trova.' -- Nolan Warden Notes: quarterly Journal of Music Library Association vol 73:01:2016 'The book makes an excellent case for Varela's cultural significance... My Havana reads like a love letter to Carlos Varela... It makes a strong case for the inclusion of Carlos Varela in the cannon of Cuban musical greats.' -- Julianne Graper New West Indian Guide vol 90:2016
Table of Contents
Preface (Jackson Browne) Introduction: Varela's Musical City (Maria Caridad Cumana and Karen Dubinsky) 1. Carlos Varela: The Distinguished Son of William Tell (Joaquin Borges-Triana) 2. The Persistence of "Memorias" (Robert Nasatir) 3. "Politics don't fit in a sugar bowl" Cuba in the '90s through the music of Varela (Xenia Reloba de la Cruz) 4. Carlos Varela and the Carousel of Cuban History (Karen Dubinsky) 5. A Singer Who Uses the Guitar as a Camera: The Cinematic Quality of Carlos Varela's Songs (Maria Caridad Cumana) 6. Singing the Cityscape: Varela as Urban Chronicler (Susan Thomas) 7. Carlos Varela, Protest Song, and Cuban Music History (Robin Moore) 8. Carlos Varela: A Cuban who knows the past but can also see the future (Paul Webster Hare) Interview: Beginning a New Cuban Dream: An Interview with Carlos Varela (Maria Caridad Cumana and Karen Dubinsky) Appendix: Lyrics of Varela's recorded songs, in English and Spanish Bibliography Contributors Biographies
