1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: Ola Latino USA listener, Here's a show from our archivos 2 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: from Fudro Media and PRX. It's Latino USA. I'm Marie 3 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: nor Posa Today. A portrait of Ruben Blades, one of 4 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: the most prolific Latin American recording artists alive. Ruben Blades 5 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:33,279 Speaker 1: is a multi Grammy Award winner. He initially made his 6 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: name with Faina Records in the nineteen seventies, bringing a 7 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: new kind of storytelling to salsa and Latin jazz. But 8 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: where some artists might have stayed put, Rubin continued to 9 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: wander an experiment. Over his decades long career, Ruben Blades 10 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: has collaborated with artists like Lou Reed and Sting all 11 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: the way to Kayetrees and Wynton Marsalis. He's also an 12 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: actor who's appeared in TV shows and in movies, and 13 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: as if that wasn't enough, he also ran for president 14 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: of his native Panama. Most recently, in twenty twenty one, 15 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: Blades won the top award for Best Album in the 16 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: Latin Grammys, and he was also recognized as the Latin 17 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 1: Recording Academies Person of the Year. Ruben Blades Welcome to 18 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:27,039 Speaker 1: Latino USA, which as yes, Oh my god, it's so 19 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 1: it's so great. 20 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 2: To have you. Thank you in person. Thank you. 21 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: I gotta tell you. Of course, I was a Latina 22 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: in New York City in college and your music was 23 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 1: like literally the album of our lives. Your music then 24 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 1: it was not just about dancing, as we know. 25 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 2: Well, that thing basically is that I thought there were 26 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 2: people who were writing about love much better than I could. 27 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 2: I do feel there is a need to write about 28 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 2: what is happening around us. Well, I don't believe in 29 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 2: political art. That's like an like propaganda exactly, that's what 30 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 2: it turns into. I resent the fact that anybody would 31 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 2: ever call me a political singer, because I'm not. That's propaanda. 32 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 2: I don't believe in that. But I do believe that 33 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 2: one can document what's going on around us, and that 34 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 2: somehow that will make us all feel less alone, less disconnected. 35 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: I think that it can create and or faster solidarity 36 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 2: and also document the way things are. I think it's 37 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 2: very important. I never did like the whole thing about 38 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 2: protest singer because it immediately placed you in a political 39 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 2: sphere and would alienate the parts of the message that 40 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 2: were simply humanistic. So I'd rather talk about proposal and 41 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 2: beg at propoeta and you're talking about life in the city. 42 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 2: So that's where I went. And it was not a 43 00:02:55,720 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 2: wise career move at all, because the radios wouldn't play 44 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 2: my songs because they were too long and or considered 45 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 2: too arcane. 46 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: So like, for example, like here in New York the 47 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 1: radio station, No. 48 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 2: They wouldn't play my songs. I mean my songs. Pablo 49 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:20,360 Speaker 2: Pelo was about six six and a half minutes Pablo Pueblo. Well, 50 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 2: the format of the radio at the time was two 51 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 2: and a half minutes maybe three, So if you played 52 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 2: a song that was six and a half minutes, you 53 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 2: were destroying the publicity paradigm in terms of their presentation. 54 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 2: You know, you had three songs of two minutes each, 55 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 2: just six minutes, and then we're gonna have three minutes 56 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 2: of commercials and so on. If you played a song 57 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 2: six minutes long, that meant that you were only playing 58 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 2: one song instead of three songs. 59 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: B So you arrived in New York City twenty four 60 00:03:59,240 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: and seventy four. 61 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 2: The first time was sixty nine to visit Hey. Well, 62 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 2: the dictatorship closed in the university, and I was studying 63 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 2: in law school, and my mother was very worried that 64 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 2: I was going to probably join some art movement, like seriously, yeah, 65 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 2: she was like me, yellow pain sol and no momento. 66 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: So how old were you then? 67 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 2: Twenty years old going to twenty one? And Ton said, 68 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 2: my mother knew that I loved music, but I had 69 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 2: decided I'm going to go into law school only because 70 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 2: the deaner of the law school also he said, you're 71 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 2: going to be a lawyer a musician. You can't be 72 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 2: both here, you know, So you got to decide, and 73 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 2: I decided for law. But then the army closed the school. 74 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 2: My mother proposed out of nowhere, this woman who did 75 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 2: not want me to be a musician because she had 76 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 2: been one and she knew how hard the life was. 77 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 2: She proposed for me to go to New York and 78 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 2: visited New York that I always talked about in New York, 79 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 2: and you can see musicians in New York. And I'm 80 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 2: looking at her like she drunk, you know, second, and 81 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 2: it didn't dawn on me what she was doing. I 82 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 2: was so happy, I said, oh sure, And we had 83 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,159 Speaker 2: no money. This is another bad perception at me because 84 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 2: I'm a lawyer. And I ended up graduating from Harvard 85 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 2: Graduates Law School. We were working class family and I 86 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 2: was the first one to graduate from anything and I 87 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:23,359 Speaker 2: graduated from a public university down the Panama. But I 88 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 2: had a brother who worked in pan Am, so I 89 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 2: made the trip to New York for like twenty bucks 90 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 2: nice and my mother gave me some money that she 91 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:35,719 Speaker 2: had and I had a promise done earlier sixty seven, 92 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 2: I think by Pancho Cristal, who was a huge producer 93 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 2: here in New York, and he said, oh, I can 94 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 2: do an album for you. So when I found out 95 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:45,600 Speaker 2: that I was going to New York with the blessing 96 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 2: of my mom, I called him and I did my recording. 97 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 2: That was my first album, that Banam with pet Rodriguez 98 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 2: and the Bugalou Pete and his orchestra. The guy from 99 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 2: I like it like that and all that. And then 100 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 2: I went back to Panama University open again. And then 101 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 2: when I finished law school, my family had left in 102 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:14,279 Speaker 2: seventy three because of the military. I stayed behind because 103 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 2: I was working with My thesis was on repeat Criminals. 104 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 2: And once I finished, I just took the diploma and 105 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 2: the dean's office, I evalidated it and I left. A 106 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 2: week later. I went to Florida where they were. I 107 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 2: stayed with them for a while and feeling useless. I 108 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 2: was almost twenty six at the time. My diploma meant 109 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 2: nothing there and I didn't know what to do to work. 110 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 2: I didn't have any papers. My family was going through 111 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 2: a lot of hardship. I had three small brothers. My 112 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: father couldn't get a job. My mother was working in 113 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 2: bird Dies because she was a US citizen, so she 114 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 2: was working, but nobody else was. That's why I called 115 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 2: Fannia Records in New York. 116 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 1: Like literally, You're like, hey. 117 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 2: The biggest label in the world in salsa. 118 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna call. You know, you had an agent who. 119 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 2: No, no, no, no, no, no no. I had nothing, 120 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 2: so like seriously, You're like, I just picked up the 121 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 2: phone and try to find what funny number was in 122 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 2: New York and then called and and I said, you know, 123 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 2: once I wrote our song for Richie Ray in nineteen 124 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 2: sixty nine, that was one one call, three day, I 125 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 2: believe it was. It went well, and then I wrote 126 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 2: something for remind Miranda. You know, so would you want 127 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 2: me to go there and write for you? And and 128 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 2: they said no, and I said, thank you you. We 129 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 2: don't need singers, we don't need anything. And I said, 130 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 2: would you have any job available? And they said it's 131 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 2: a job in the mail room and I said it 132 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 2: just opened today, as a matter of fact. Then I 133 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 2: said how much does it pay? One hundred and twenty 134 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 2: five dollars a week. I said I'll take it. 135 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: And I went and they just said okay, yeah. 136 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 2: I don't know why, but they said, oh, okay. So 137 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 2: I went from Florida. I didn't. I don't know if 138 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 2: I told him I wasn't Florida. 139 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 1: So you're starting in the mail room. 140 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 2: And the mail room of Fania. That's where I started. 141 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 2: When I was in Panama, I wrote two songs that 142 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 2: were recorded by fannia a musicians. So I figured, now 143 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 2: I'm in the mail room in Fania in New York. 144 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 2: Of course I'm want to write for more more people 145 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 2: because I see them when they come to get their 146 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 2: checks and whatnot. So I have my guitar like right there, 147 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 2: you know, in a corner, and so I would try 148 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 2: to sneak in like and say, would you like to 149 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 2: hear a song or something? 150 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: Can you tell me about one of those times where 151 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: you had the guitar and you saw who walked by everybody? 152 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 2: Who would you know first of all, that I could 153 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 2: actually approach without being you know, scolded. The help doesn't 154 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 2: go and bother the stars, you know what I'm saying. 155 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 2: And that's how I started. I mean, Candela recorded a 156 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 2: song of mine called Amariam and Amor Paquin, who was 157 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 2: a big hit, huge hit Amor Paq with Netro Sanchez 158 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 2: more and uh Miranda. 159 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: All the great man like like right there next to you. 160 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. 161 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 1: So I'm thinking now about the heyday of Funya New 162 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:10,559 Speaker 1: York City. 163 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 2: The semities were a very important moment because of what 164 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 2: was happening in the city as a whole. It wasn't 165 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 2: just a salsa movement. It was like you had everything 166 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 2: seemed to happen at the same thing. You have rock, 167 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 2: you had the beginnings of punk, you had the jazz scenes. 168 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 2: John Lennon was living in the city. Stuff that Edi 169 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 2: Pamier was doing, witty Cologne, Vietnam. He was involved in 170 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 2: the Vietnam War. 171 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: You know. 172 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 2: The next thing, the crime of perjury, the young Lord said, 173 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 2: And everything seemed to converge at the time. You know, 174 00:09:56,320 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 2: there was an incredibly raw energy all over the place, 175 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 2: and to have been at that time in that mix, 176 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 2: I mean, that was it was just a very special moment. 177 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: What year does Cimra come out? 178 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 2: Seventy I think it was recording seventy cents, So it's 179 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:16,960 Speaker 2: yea seventy seven, seventy eight around there. 180 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 1: It is the best selling salsa album in history? 181 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 2: Well, I don't know. I do believe that there's a 182 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 2: strong possibility it is, because it's been sold still to 183 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 2: this day. But at the time I know that the 184 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 2: reason why it might have been the biggest seller ever 185 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:37,679 Speaker 2: is that Cimbra did something that nothing no record had 186 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 2: done at the time at that extent, which was to 187 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 2: internationalize salsa in sales in Venezuela. I sold over a million, 188 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 2: two millions, that had never happened before. If you sold 189 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 2: fifty records, that was wonderful. If you sold one hundred, 190 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:09,560 Speaker 2: that was unheard of it. We sold millions outside of 191 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 2: the United States. I mean, there was no president for it. 192 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 2: I tell you a story. I mean, when Cimbra was done, 193 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 2: Jerry Masucci got blessed them, who at the time was 194 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 2: the president of Finian. He called Willie Colonel and myself 195 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 2: to the office and in the office where people connected 196 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 2: to the radio business in New York, and every single 197 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 2: one at the time said they didn't like the record. 198 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 2: One of them said that it would be the commercial 199 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 2: death of Willie Cologne and this album ever came out, 200 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 2: and actually suggested that the album should be not released. 201 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:53,559 Speaker 2: I wasn't at all faced by that, and neither was WILLI. 202 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:57,559 Speaker 2: I mean, we just listened. You also had to understand 203 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:00,839 Speaker 2: that I had replaced an irreplaceable figure, which is a 204 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 2: you know, so people saw actor and Willie as an 205 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 2: ideal match. When Hector and Willie's played, then I come 206 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 2: in more, Let's quina del via ko bar basar. So 207 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 2: they weren't exactly like waiting for my next production. 208 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: Is such a classic? 209 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 2: Now it is. I have to say it is, and 210 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 2: I know because they sing it back. And what I've 211 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 2: been doing is like for the last four or five years, 212 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 2: every place we go at the end, I asked somebody 213 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,720 Speaker 2: from the band, I said table end, and I said present. 214 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:56,719 Speaker 2: I'm talking about thousands of people everywhere we go. But 215 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 2: you look at them and you know they weren't born 216 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 2: when the song was out right, so they learned the song. 217 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:05,679 Speaker 1: You know, the song that comes to mind for me 218 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 1: when I think of the album, it's definitely Plastical La 219 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: and everybody was singing that song. I mean we'd be 220 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: in house parties and the floor would be like. 221 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 2: Plastic. It was a song about consumerism, plastic you know, 222 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 2: people buying things they don't need, appearances before reality, fake 223 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 2: positions versus the need to confront reality. And it was 224 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 2: for me exemplified by the whole disco thing at the time. 225 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 2: Because I have nothing against disco music. I actually like 226 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 2: some of it. Some other stuff that I was done 227 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 2: by Doctor Buzza's original Savannah band, like Jack La Farm 228 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 2: that was that was my thing. Those were my yeah, 229 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 2: my friend Kwati Mundi. The thing is that I felt 230 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 2: that it was influencing areas of our lives, sort of 231 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 2: taking total control. The fact that you had to dress 232 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 2: a certain way and do certain things. 233 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: Or else you wouldn't even be allowed into the club. 234 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 2: Well yeah for one. But the point is that if 235 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: you notice, it wasn't just about dancing Plastical I go 236 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 2: from the plastic girl to the plastic boy, to the 237 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 2: plastic couple to the plastic city, which is the progression 238 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 2: of that false appreciation of what life is about, and 239 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 2: that was what I was trying to do. That was 240 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 2: trying to make people aware of the fact that if 241 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 2: we didn't get ourselves together and face reality, not just 242 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 2: escape all the time. And I felt music is good 243 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 2: to escape. Yes I use it too, but it should 244 00:14:55,840 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 2: not be a vehicle for perpetual escapism, writer for denial, denial. 245 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 2: That's why I did that song classical and maybe I'm 246 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 2: very grateful, not just from the point of vanity, but 247 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 2: just in point of solidarity, because I always thought I 248 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 2: wanted to prove the fact that audiences are smarter than 249 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 2: these people think. They think audiences can't get it. You know, 250 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 2: it's it's too long, or we'll reject it. Were rejected, 251 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 2: I said, you know, no, it's a story. We are storytellers. 252 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 2: Said also, you've got no better. 253 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: Don't coming up on that. In the USA, how does 254 00:15:43,400 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: Rumblade follow up a hit album like stay with Us, Hey, 255 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: We're Back. Before the break, we were talking with multi 256 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: Grammy Award winner Reuben Blades about his album Siembra. It 257 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 1: was his breakout hit record which brings us to the album. 258 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: He followed it up with Maestra Vida. 259 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 2: That's another one that was like what the hell are 260 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 2: you doing? 261 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 1: Ye people were like, oh, wait, he's going to make 262 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: an opera out of sid No. 263 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 2: No, it was worse because after Plastico, then they want 264 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:04,400 Speaker 2: you to write a song called Celophan. 265 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 1: You know, and after you know, and after Celopan, tyle phone. 266 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 2: Tyle phone, because you know, you stay there because that click, 267 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 2: you know better than us. And now it's one and 268 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 2: then it's like, you know, just stay around there. And 269 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 2: instead of coming with something following up this monster hit, 270 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:34,199 Speaker 2: I come up with my travida. I decided I'm going 271 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 2: to write a story about a family from the moment 272 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 2: they meet to the moment they die in a neighborhood. 273 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 2: And this particular imagination place that I create kaled Ispania. 274 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 2: It begins with a classical introduction, you know, an overture, 275 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 2: and then it goes into a spoken word. It goes 276 00:17:52,560 --> 00:18:01,360 Speaker 2: into like an narration, and then there's theater. Then all 277 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 2: of a sudden, the songs begin, and then there's more talk, 278 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 2: and then there's a diary that you go to the 279 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 2: back and you have to read the album, and then 280 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 2: you start following up on the characters. And it made 281 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 2: all these demands of an audience that allegedly was there 282 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:20,119 Speaker 2: just to escape. And I asked people to write me 283 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 2: because I knew that that was going to be the 284 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 2: way for me to gauge whether people were supporting. And 285 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 2: I got thousands of letters, and I hung to like 286 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,439 Speaker 2: four hundred of those thousands of letters that I couldn't 287 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 2: throw away for like years because they were so touching. 288 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:41,879 Speaker 2: They were bulky also, but they were so touching for me. 289 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 2: You know, all the work that I've done really is 290 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 2: about my travida, because every single song since nineteen sixty 291 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:55,360 Speaker 2: nine it's about my Clarida. It's about this place. I'm 292 00:18:55,480 --> 00:19:07,640 Speaker 2: just recognizing it now and making the connections. 293 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 1: So in what year is the song for Oscar? He 294 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 1: was the archbishop of San Salvador and he was assassinated 295 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,440 Speaker 1: for speaking out against the government. 296 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 2: That came out in the Buscana America that is nineteen 297 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 2: eighty three, which was not only about Oscar Romero, it 298 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 2: was also about all the people who simply oppose a 299 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 2: dictatorship that were murdered. And what I did was because 300 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 2: of what happened with Romeo at the time, number Pueblos 301 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:55,879 Speaker 2: Riego les, you know, he felt there was not the 302 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 2: place of church to get involved in political So. 303 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:02,440 Speaker 1: This is the archbishop of El Salvador in a time 304 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:06,400 Speaker 1: when the people were being targeted massacred. 305 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 2: Two thousand people are being killed every month for. 306 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: Just raising their voice for a basic kind of union activity. 307 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:14,920 Speaker 2: What they did was they said to the left, they said, okay, well, 308 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:18,160 Speaker 2: instead of revolution, why don't you participate in the political process. 309 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 2: And they said okay. So whenever they got together to 310 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:24,240 Speaker 2: participate in the political process, they will go in and 311 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 2: kill all of them. Now, thirty eight years later, he's 312 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 2: going to be declared America a saint. He is going 313 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 2: to be a saint, a saint, and by the Vatican, 314 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:41,040 Speaker 2: which also ignored Rometto at the time. When Rometto went 315 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 2: to the Vatican and spoke to the then Pope and 316 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:46,639 Speaker 2: said this is happening, he was scolded and he was 317 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 2: told to keep his position and do not get involved 318 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 2: in on them. 319 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 1: You end up recording in English. You start recording with 320 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 1: Louie leave in someone. 321 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 2: With sting. 322 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,360 Speaker 1: With Elvis Costello. 323 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 2: Go to one meeting, I did an album in English 324 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 2: and called nothing but the Truth, and I said I 325 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 2: want to write with five guys you know, I want 326 00:21:24,359 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 2: to write with Paul Simon, with Stink, with Bob Dylan, 327 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 2: with Blue Reed, and with Elvis Costello. And the guy 328 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 2: from an R from Electro just looked at me like 329 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 2: I just asked him to drink a poison. And he said, 330 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:41,359 Speaker 2: you know, Ruben, uh, that's not going to happen. And 331 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:43,640 Speaker 2: I said why not? He said, well, first of all, 332 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 2: the five guys you mentioned, they've never collaborated with anyone. 333 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 2: Two is they're not the easiest people on earth to reach. 334 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 2: And the thing is, I insisted, and then he came 335 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:57,239 Speaker 2: back about a month later and I've forgotten about it, 336 00:21:57,560 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 2: and he said, you know, they all said yes, but 337 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 2: they don't want to talk to us. They want to 338 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,919 Speaker 2: talk to you. So I actually met with Dylan. He 339 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 2: came to the house and we spent like five hours 340 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 2: writing supposedly a song which I still have on a 341 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 2: tape recorder. 342 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: So you do something again, another Ruben Blades, which is okay, 343 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 1: I'm actually going to translate Michael Jackson's I just can't 344 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 1: stop loving you each time the wind blows your voice. 345 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 2: So this is the way it happened. So Quincy Jones 346 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:34,479 Speaker 2: called me and he was very hit to Latin things 347 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 2: and Latin music. So he said, you know, Michael Jackson 348 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 2: wants to sing a song in Spanish, Ruben, and I 349 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:45,439 Speaker 2: think that you're the guy who can write the lyrics 350 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 2: for him. And and and I said, really. 351 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: So you you were actually like. 352 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:53,240 Speaker 2: I wasn't sure. 353 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:55,160 Speaker 1: I don't know if I want to work with Michael Jackson. 354 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 2: I wasn't sure. It seemed odd, too eccentric. Then Zell watching, 355 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 2: and he was a dear friend of mine. I share 356 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 2: his philosophy. Then Cell says, keep it simple, and that's 357 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:08,200 Speaker 2: how I want to keep my life. And I thought 358 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:15,199 Speaker 2: that might be too complicated. Also he was huge, you know, 359 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 2: huge right after thriller. It's like my gut, you know. 360 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,960 Speaker 2: So I said, okay. The other thing I said was 361 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 2: I don't want I can't write just a translation. This 362 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:28,639 Speaker 2: has to make sense. Well, I have the freedom to 363 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 2: write a lyric that would also incorporate new elements to it, 364 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:38,399 Speaker 2: but that conjure or transmit what he did, And he 365 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 2: said yes, So I wrote the lyric. I made a 366 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 2: one for Michael that word by word, explaining what each 367 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 2: word meant, explaining where it was a change, you know 368 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 2: why I had changed it, so I sent it to 369 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 2: Quincy and Quincy said, okay, this is great. This is 370 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 2: gonna work. And then he said, okay, so now I 371 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 2: need you to come and coach them. And I said, okay, now, 372 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:09,919 Speaker 2: but who's gonna be there because I don't, you know, 373 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 2: I don't like entourages, and I mean, if we're gonna work, 374 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 2: we're gonna work. And he said no, no, no, it's Quincy, 375 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 2: Michael and you. That's it. And I said, okay, that's great. 376 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 2: So I went in and for three days I worked 377 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 2: with Michael. 378 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 1: And did you get to get a sent yes? 379 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 2: So tremendous professional. And I'm going to tell you something. 380 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 2: I think he sang the song and I believe he 381 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 2: thought so. So I think he sang the song better 382 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:40,760 Speaker 2: in Spanish, with more emotion than in English. 383 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:49,400 Speaker 3: Maybe he was so proud of how it came out, 384 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:50,880 Speaker 3: and so was I. 385 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 2: I mean, he was a wonderful, wonderful peer. I mean, 386 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 2: he would finish the take and he'll say, so, what 387 00:24:56,480 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 2: do you think? I said, it's good? He said, you 388 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 2: think I can do it better? I said, I don't 389 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 2: know what you think, and he would try it again. 390 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 2: And the funny part is I don't even have a 391 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,200 Speaker 2: picture with him. I kind of regret that now because 392 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 2: I never expected and to leave so early, but I 393 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 2: feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to work 394 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:18,679 Speaker 2: with such a talent. 395 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:24,639 Speaker 1: Then, you know, something more modern which happened, which I 396 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: think everybody was thrilled to hear you with Reidente. 397 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 2: And those kids. I heard about them. I had no 398 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:45,000 Speaker 2: idea who they were, and then somebody said, this guys 399 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 2: is talking very nicely of you, and I said really, 400 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 2: and who are they? And then they're very young and 401 00:25:50,119 --> 00:26:00,159 Speaker 2: they're doing I listened to their stuff and there was 402 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 2: an intelligence there and there was a humor there which 403 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 2: really appealed to me. So I contacted them and then 404 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 2: we said, you know, we should do something one day. 405 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 2: And then uh, they invited me to be a part 406 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 2: of one of their songs and one of their albums, 407 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:21,399 Speaker 2: and we did La Perla and I wrote my part. 408 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 2: I was working in government there, so after I, after 409 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:26,919 Speaker 2: I finished work, I went over and I recorded it 410 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,160 Speaker 2: in one take or two takes. I think I did 411 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:31,399 Speaker 2: much to their surprise because they had no clue what 412 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:33,639 Speaker 2: I was going to do. And then that became like 413 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 2: a huge hit. I got a Grammy for a video. 414 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:39,160 Speaker 2: That was all I had to say. And what though, 415 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 2: But you know, I just was a part of it. 416 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:44,159 Speaker 1: It raises the question of, you know, Ruben Blade and 417 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 1: his evolution of music, and what would you say When 418 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:50,480 Speaker 1: people say, like, what's the evolution? It seems to me 419 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:53,679 Speaker 1: like you're saying, yo, I'm an artist and wherever I 420 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 1: kind of feel like I need. 421 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 2: To be, that's what I do. I mean, right now, 422 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:00,080 Speaker 2: we're playing we got an album coming with Winter on 423 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 2: Marsalas and Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. You know, we did 424 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:10,359 Speaker 2: three shows in twenty fourteen and we did songs in 425 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 2: Spanish and songs in English. And this is like the 426 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:16,439 Speaker 2: outmost I think is the best jazz ensemble band in 427 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 2: the world. And Winton is like the trumpet here world wide. 428 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 2: Madria nol Left. I mean to work with them, and 429 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:28,439 Speaker 2: everybody again was like, what's gonna happen, What's gonna come 430 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 2: out of this? Now we're doing with the band, I'm 431 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:38,640 Speaker 2: doing big band stuff. We're doing Tony Bennett standards, We're 432 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 2: doing Sinatra standards. I give it my own twists, And 433 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 2: again some people will say, like, why is he doing that? 434 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,199 Speaker 2: You know, and I said, why not? Why not? 435 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 1: You've gotten a lot of criticism for that. Well in 436 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:01,200 Speaker 1: the sense of like bitter Day. Wait, wait, Ruben Blades, 437 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 1: he's like our singer. Wait now what is he doing 438 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,560 Speaker 1: in Hollywood? Wait? Rueyen Blades, he's our guy. Wait what 439 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 1: is he doing singing with rock and roll people like 440 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:12,679 Speaker 1: and it confused a lot of people. 441 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:16,120 Speaker 2: It did because we seem to have like a proprietary 442 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:20,840 Speaker 2: sense of people who influenced us in some way, and. 443 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 1: Like, you can only do one thing. 444 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, just do what makes me comfortable. You know that 445 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 2: what I need. I don't need you to do this 446 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 2: because I already have canteen flas you know, so I 447 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:35,160 Speaker 2: don't need you to do movies. But anyway, I never 448 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 2: was about fitting in. 449 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: That's actually the real key. You never were really about 450 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 1: fitting in. 451 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 2: But you know I didn't do it like I'm not 452 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 2: going to fit in. It's just that I went wherever 453 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 2: I felt that I could enjoy and produce something that 454 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 2: I would be proud, feel good about, and that I 455 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 2: felt would have some consequence. 456 00:28:57,240 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 1: Where did that come from? 457 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 2: Is that your mom, my grandma, my mother? I think 458 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 2: most likely? 459 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 1: So what were they saying were they like, look, your 460 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: life has to have meaning or do something. 461 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 2: Really, my grandmother was just she was a very special woman, 462 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 2: and she took a lot of time with me. She 463 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 2: taught me how to read when I was about four 464 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 2: or five. So, and my mother was like an excellent singer, 465 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 2: better singer I'll ever be a piano player who left 466 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 2: her vocation to take care of the family. So I 467 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 2: saw sacrifice, I saw talent. I saw my grandmother's desire 468 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 2: for education. And they were both very intelligent women and 469 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 2: very strong women. So I think that without them, definitely, 470 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 2: I would not be where I am. 471 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: So we are living in a time Grouven when things 472 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: are very confusing politically, they were difficult in the nineteen 473 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 1: seventies and eighties. We're living through really complicated times and 474 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: Latinos and Latinas frankly, it feels like we are the 475 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:04,600 Speaker 1: target of a lot of the the animosity at Hatred 476 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 1: right now. It's a very confusing time. How are you 477 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 1: feeling as a human being, as a Latino, as a 478 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,520 Speaker 1: Latin American, as an artist? What's going on? 479 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:16,720 Speaker 2: I'm very hopeful you remain. 480 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: I love that you're just like I hope. 481 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 2: I'm very hopeful, and I'll tell you why, because there's 482 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:23,719 Speaker 2: no secret about what's going on. I think that the 483 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 2: most insidious part of these matters is when they occur 484 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 2: in subterranean way. Now it's up, it's out there. I mean, 485 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 2: look what's happening with the Me Too movement. This is 486 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 2: not going to go away. It is not going to 487 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 2: go away. But I'm glad that all these things are 488 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 2: coming out because what it means now is that from 489 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,959 Speaker 2: now on there's going to be a new reality. And 490 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 2: that is important. And I think what's happening right now 491 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 2: is just making people look at what the problems that 492 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:55,640 Speaker 2: we have. Everybody thought, oh, racism is defeated when Obama 493 00:30:55,680 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 2: was elected. No, No, that is an eternal fight. This 494 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 2: is not something that is gonna be resolved by one generation. 495 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 2: It's a it's a continuous job. So I am hopeful. 496 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 2: I think all of these things are gonna bring the 497 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:12,720 Speaker 2: clash that is needed. And after that then we're gonna 498 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 2: have our reality because we're gonna have to. We're gonna 499 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 2: know what which way to go with this, you know, 500 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 2: I think. So I don't feel this is the end 501 00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 2: of the world. I think it's the beginning. Of something. 502 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 2: I think good will trump evil. Maybe I out what 503 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:38,240 Speaker 2: a significant. 504 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 1: Rum late. Thank you so much for joining us and 505 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,360 Speaker 1: Latin you're saying and spending some time with us, and 506 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 1: thank you for being the unencumbered artist that you are. 507 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:54,000 Speaker 1: We really appreciate it. 508 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 2: Thank you. I don't do much of these because I 509 00:31:57,320 --> 00:31:59,600 Speaker 2: really don't like it's weird. But I don't really like 510 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 2: well listen much, but I really enjoy it when I'm 511 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:05,240 Speaker 2: doing it, so maybe I should do more. 512 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:07,440 Speaker 1: We're so thankful that you gave us the time. 513 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 2: No, thank you for having me. Flora Warrio. 514 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 1: Ruben Blade's latest album is Barcedos. It's out now. This 515 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 1: episode originally aired in October of twenty eighteen and was 516 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:41,160 Speaker 1: produced by Ginni Montalbo and edited by Marlon Bishop. The 517 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 1: Latino USA team includes Andrea Lopez Cruzado, Marta Martinez, Daisy Contreras, 518 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 1: Mike Sargent, Julia Ta Martinelli, Victoria Estrada, Renaldo Leanos Junior, 519 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:56,760 Speaker 1: Alexandra Salassar, Patricia Sulbaran, and Julia Rojan, with help from 520 00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 1: Raoul Perez. Our editorial director is Va Santos. Our director 521 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:05,680 Speaker 1: of engineering is Stephanie lebau Our. Senior Engineer is Julia Caruso. 522 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 1: Our associate engineers are gabriel Lebias and Jjkrubin. Our marketing 523 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 1: manager is Los Luna. Our New York Women's Foundation Fellow 524 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:18,120 Speaker 1: is Elizabeth Lowenthal Torres. Our theme music was composed by 525 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:21,760 Speaker 1: Zegna Rubinos. I'm your host and executive producer Marienno Posa. 526 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 1: Join us again next time and in the meantime, look 527 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: for us on social media and remember mate Bay Yes Ciao. 528 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 4: Latino USA is made possible in part by the John D. 529 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 4: And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation California Endowment, building a strong 530 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:45,400 Speaker 4: state by improving the health of all Californians, and the 531 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 4: Heising Simons Foundation Unlocking knowledge, opportunity and possibilities more at 532 00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:53,960 Speaker 4: hsfoundation dot org. 533 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 1: Like in a car something and you'd hear the cut no, no, 534 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 1: no no, I don't drive. 535 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 2: I never learned to drive. Wait what, I don't know 536 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 2: how to drive.