Ruben Blades
Latin Beat Magazine, Dec, 2002 by Jesse Varela

It was the urban tale of a street hustler named Pedro Navaja that put Ruben Blades on the map. Loosely based on Kurt Weil's Mack The Knife, it was a provocative snapshot of a common reality in many Latino communities. For the Panamanian-born singer-songwriter-actor, his experience as an artist and immigrant to the U.S. inspired him to write tunes that spoke of the Latino working-class reality. At a time when war and/or political turmoil were tearing apart Nicaragua, El Salvador and Panamá, he sang provocative suggestions for social change and justice in Maestra Vida, La Maleta, Siembra, Buscando America and other original tunes. Associations with bandleaders Willie Colón, Ray Barretto, Roberto Roena, Pete Rodríguez and others led him to go solo in 1982 with his bands Seis del Solar and Son del Solar. Signing with Elektra Records, he emerged as a major pop personality and began to act in films. Since arriving in the U.S., the 54-year old Blades has explored his dreams. His run for the presidency of Panamá in 1994 helped a voiceless sector of the country to rise and create an avenue toward positive change. A few years ago, he also forged an association with the Costa Rican band Editus, which has greatly refreshed his music. Sonically, it's a cross between jazz, classical and folk rhythms that Blades uses as a creative bed for his songs. On his latest album, Mundo (Sony), Editus grants him a stunning backdrop to songs that speak of the trials and tribulations of our times. Recently, I spoke with Rubén Blades about his new album at his office in Los Angeles.

Chuy Varela: I'm impressed that at this point in your career, you still write songs in a "popular" voice. Sometimes verses can get so overblown that people can't understand the message. What about that?

Ruben Blades: That's true. But remember I lived in a working-class neighborhood until I was 25 years old. That experience, with the opportunity to be educated, allowed me to express myself in a poetic way that is accessible. I'm not trying to impress anyone. All I want to do is exchange emotions and ideas, while maintaining a certain literary standard. I want people to understand my themes and I don't use words nobody understands. Just like I'm not going to descend to vulgarity, I'm not going to ascend to a level where I'm not understood.

CV: Your latest album (Mundo) is a contemporary beacon that marks the emotion of our time, from the musical textures of the Boca Livre Brazilian singers and tresero Nelson Gonzalez to your gorgeous rendering of the Irish ballad Danny Boy. Your tribute to the victims of 9/11 is soulfully deep and unifying.

RB: It's proven that what occurs in one place has repercussions in another. Culturally speaking, I don't focus on the differences that exist, but on our spiritual similarities. The world isn't what it used to be and in one form or another we're either suffering or taking advantage of the consequences of our locations on the planet. Now with the rapid means of communication, it's important to recognize common spiritual values and aspirations, independent of the color of our skin, religion or where we live. The problems are all the same around the world. In whatever language, people cry and laugh. So we're trying to create a commonality in human terms to help create unity.

CV: Tell us about your group Editus.

RB: For me, Editus is like a bath in aguas sabrosas. They bring a river of talent that's refreshing, as well as an innocence and desire to do things. They all come from humble neighborhoods and working class families. They all have backgrounds in classical music and a love for popular music. To find a group that has this type of flexibility and diverse knowledge gives me the opportunity to create all kinds of music. When I present them a song, they take it to a new dimension. It's a pleasure to see a group of young people getting to levels of success they deserve. In Costa Rica, they didn't have that opportunity.

CV: You performed at this year's San Francisco Jazz Festival. Has jazz been an inspiration?

RB: I have many currents. I started doing rock and roll in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was the music of my youth. It was simple and represented my generation even if it was in English. But as we kept exploring, we found things in our culture that we united with rock; the same thing happened with jazz. At this point, I'm comfortable singing any type of music. I grew up in Panama City, a country where oceans meet. All types of ideas flowed through there, and I heard Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Julio Jaramillio, Jorge Negrete, Pedro Infante and many others. I have a clear understanding of what Afro-Cuban, rock and jazz are, and have worked with artists from Lou Reed to Miles Davis.

CV: But you're a salsa singer at heart, and I've noticed your affection musically for Cheo Feliciano, whom you met in 1973 when he went to Panama to perform with Joe Cuba.

RB: Cheo Feliciano is very important to me! As a point of reference, I began copying Cheo "descaradamente" (shamelessly). My two favorite singers were Cheo and Ismael Rivera. H&tor Lavoe hadn't appeared yet. To me, Cheo's voice always sounded like he was smiling. His songs were the ones I first sang when I began to sing salsa in a group.

 CV: Where do you get your ideas these days?

RB: My best ideas come from observing and from literature. Observation of things occurring around me every day and, on a personal level, the appraisal of situations that happen around us. The things we witness, react to and sentiments of daily life. I've been reading a lot about genetics and that has inspired many songs and verses that I'm presenting on Mundo, such as Estampa (Profile) and Primogenio (Beginnings).

CV: How is your movie career going?

RB: Real good, thank God. Last year I did two films, one with Robert Duvall, (Assassination Tango), and a film with Robert Rodrlguez Jr., (Once Upon a Time in Mexico). This year I did a film with Antonio Banderas (Imagining Argentina), and had the honor of being in the first film directed by Salma Hayek. It features Peter Fonds and Mare Winningham. None of these films have been released yet, but I've been lucky in the movies. There's a lot of competition, but when opportunity presents itself, I take it. I can't believe I've done 26 films.

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