Cuban singer Carlos Varela set for U.S. tour
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- Music
- 04 / 24 / 2010
Varela, often referred to as Cuba's Bob Dylan, will start in Los Angeles with a concert on May 5, then work his way across the country for a final show on May 15.
Varela, 47, last performed a concert tour in the United States in 1998.
TOUCH THE HEART
The bearded, black-clad Varela told Reuters in a recent interview his songs, known for their metaphorical social criticism, cannot by themselves bridge the political gap between the two countries.
"But they can touch a man's heart. And it is men who wage wars, build hatred, separation, borders and religions," he said.
"We musicians often are closer to the people than politicians," he said peering through dark glasses during a break in rehearsals at a warehouse near Karl Marx Theater.
His concert tour will be the latest in a series of cultural exchanges under the Obama administration, which views them as a way of increasing people-to-people contact with Cuba.
Cuban musicians including the salsa band Los Van Van and Buena Vista Social Club singer Omara Portuondo have crossed the Straits of Florida to perform for American audiences.
Under the Obama's predecessor, President George W. Bush, Cuban performers, including Varela, were mostly prevented from playing in the U.S. He was denied a visa in 2004.
U.S. band Kool and the Gang played at Havana's Anti-Imperialist Tribunal on December 20.
Varela believes the cultural exchanges will survive renewed U.S.-Cuban hostility and predicts more U.S. musicians soon will play in Cuba.
"Art in general can contribute a lot to relations among neighbors," Varela said. "We can't spend so many years so far away and yet so close."
In addition to Los Angeles, Varela's other U.S. stops will include Oakland, Chicago, Boston and New York City. He will also play private events in San Francisco and Sonoma, California, and a concert on May 16 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
By Esteban Israel Esteban Israel
Source: Yahoo
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