Manolín: They treated me very well. I'm very grateful
to Immigration in Atlanta. Really, they treated me very well.
Jacira: Were you inspired to write anything while you
were in there?
Manolín: (He laughs!) No! I used the time to reflect.
Jacira: And now? What are your plans?
Manolín: I think that the perfect conditions exist here
now to start my career over again. I struggled in Cuba, and did what
I had to do. The press here has respected my position... they
have accepted me as I am.
Jacira: De Buena Fe was one of the best and most creative
Timba Cds ever, but since then you haven't had any other albums, even
though you've been using some new material in concert, these songs aren't
on any of your albums. Several of your musicians have said that you
recorded an album in 1999, but it was never released. What is your situation
with this now?
Manolín: I'll be free of my contract with the other record
label in another couple of months. Right now we are rehearsing and looking
for a new label.
Jacira: In one of the best moments of your career, your
group had both of the Pututi brothers, two incredible percussionists
who later left Cuba for Miami. When they left you found Reinier
Guerra who is as good or maybe even better than they are. How
did you find him and in general how do you find your musicians?
Manolín: I don't know, I guess I just have a lot of luck.
The musicians seek me out.
Jacira: In December of 2000 there were rumors that you
had formed a band that included both of the "Joels" - Joel
Domínguez and Joel Paez, Sergio Noroña, Alexander Abreu, José Miguel
and others… Mandela on trombone, Marrón on trumpet, Inoidel on saxophone.
This sounds like a phenomenal combination! Did you ever play with
this group? Did you record with them?
Manolín: We did one concert at the Macumba Discoteque,
the best club in La Habana. All the most important musicians went, all
the directors of other groups. It was a total success, but the
next day the government did not approve the group. The government
has to approve the members of your group.
Jacira: Your first 3 CDs had arrangements by Luis Bú,
Jeáns Valdés and Dagoberto González. Since you've been separated from
your original group, who have you been collaborating with on the new
arrangements?
Manolín: With Joel Domínguez.
Jacira: Are you related to Dagoberto González Hernández?
Manolín: No, but we are brothers anyway!
Jacira: What is the creative process you go through when
you write a song? Do you begin with the words or the melody? Do
you get inspired when you are walking or driving somewhere?
Manolín: The idea and the melody come together.
I might start with the words, and then start humming a melody.
Jacira: Do you play any instrument?
Manolín: Yes, the guitar.
Jacira: Yosvel Bernal, from Paulito's group, among others,
has said that he considers you to be one of the true geniouses when
it comes to the ability to write choruses. Tell us how you go about
that... do you invent the choruses separately from the rest of the song?
For example, you have used the chorus that later formed part of the
song, "Pegaíto Pegaíto" in concert, in a different song.
Manolín: Sometimes the chorus is a synopsis of the idea,
it depends... sometimes it comes first.
Jacira: When you wrote the chorus for the now legendary
song, "La Bola", where were you? What were you doing?
Manolín: I was at my house in La Habana, sitting in the
living room.
Jacira: And your bass player, Nápoles? He is, in my humble
opinion, a really incredibly talented musician. What is he up
to? Is he still in Mexico?
Manolín: Yes, he is. He's playing there.
Jacira: Who are the musicians that are playing with you
now in Miami?
Manolín: El Chaca, on piano, Luis Bu on keyboards, on
drums: Reinier, on tumbadoras: Raymel; the brass section: Jeáns
Valdés, Roy, Polledo, Niche; Chorus, my brother, Lázaro along with Katy
and Dayamí.
Jacira: The choruses on the album, De Buena Fe, not only
their content, but their execution are excellent and also the interpretation
by Vannia and Hayla of Bamboleo is great. The harmonies and the mix
of the voices is really sublime. How did you come to work with
them?
Manolín: It was a personal thing. I've always liked
them.
Jacira: Did you lay down the chorus tracks separately?
Manolín: No, we were all together in the studio, recording
at once.
Jacira: We've always enjoyed the guías sung by Roberto
and Mayito of Los Van Van in the song, "Pegaíto, Pegaíto".
Can you tell us about that recording session?
Manolín: They had rehearsed it before hand.
Jacira: You are listed as the composer for various songs
recorded by other groups, including one of the biggest hits the Charanga
Habanera ever had, "Para el llanto" and more recently, one
by Bamboleo, "Se le fue la mano". How do these collaborations
come about?
Manolín: I like to write.... I write something and I think
it is good for "X" group, so I call them up and offer it to
them.
Jacira: Have you thought about how the words to your most
famous song are somewhat ironic now, from "La Bola", because
now they could be applied to you and other Timberos who have left Cuba?
Manolín: Yes, but I'm going to continue to sing it anyway.
I'm going to get back "on top of the ball" here too!
Jacira: Miami is chock full of brilliant Cuban musicians
like the Pututi brothers, Tomás Cruz, the conga player from the best
band that Paulito ever had; Wickly,
the original conga player from NG la Banda, and almost all of your original
band members. Many more are living in Spain or in Los Angeles, but none
of them has produced a new Timba album. From what we can see,
when you separate Timba from it's home soil, it doesn't survive.
Manolín: Timba is really local Cuban music, but now I
have the opportunity with my group to do justice to Timba!
Jacira: In Cuba, you can rehearse on Friday afternoon
and play that night to 2000 enthusiastic fans and a few "gringos"
who travel all the way to La Tropical to hear you play. That kind of
ambiance doesn't exist here. do you think you can change that
and create the first great Timba CD outside of Cuba? If the answer is
yes, how will you go about it?
Manolín: Working hard and doing whatever is necessary.
I have the strength now and the spirit to do it. I am still the
same person, and if I haven't had a new album in a while, that has been
out of my hands. I hope to have one by the end of the year.
We will be recording soon. Tell my fans to be patient a little
bit longer, and that I'll be giving them a new CD very soon!
-- Miami, Florida, May 26, 2001
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