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3. Roberto Poveda
Mulatto
Roberto Poveda spent many nights as a child in Cuba listening to his grandfather, a trovador, or
folk singer, singing tales of love and legend. As a young man, Poveda joined Havana’s
burgeoning nueva trova movement of singer-songwriters who sought to bring a more creative and
literary approach to Cuba’s folk traditions. In 1989, he moved to Colombia where he made a living
as a soap opera star while continuing to hone his musical skills on the side. His songwriting
talents earned him a deal with a music publisher and he has written many hit songs for Latin pop
stars. Poveda now lives in New York City.
“Mulatto” is from Poveda’s 2012 album, Brooklyn Nights. “The dream that gives you a life /
Sometimes it gives sometimes it takes / Perhaps, it never comes back / And it’s not worth waiting
for / Because waiting makes you tired / Sat in a station of a train that has no schedule / Nor date
nor calendar in your heart / Consider me , consider her, consider.”
4. Amanda Martinez
Alcoba Azul
Born in Canada to a Mexican father and South African mother, Amanda Martinez grew up amidst
a wide range of musical influences. After obtaining degrees in biology and international business,
Martinez decided to focus on her true passion and pursue a career in music. She released two
acclaimed albums and is about to release her third, which was produced by renowned Spanish
producer Javier Límon. Following performances at the 2011 Pan American Festivities in Mexico,
the 2010 FIFA World Cup Festivities in South Africa, the Montreal Jazz Festival and New York’s
iconic Blue Note club, Martinez’s growing international audience is steadily catching up to her
widespread popularity in Canada.
“Alcoba Azul” (Blue Room) originally appeared on Martinez’s 2009 album, Amor. Backed by a
passionate tango rhythm and the lilting strains of violinist Osvaldo Rodriguez, Martinez sings
“Come back to me / Love me in the dark / In our blue room / Where there was no sun for us.”
5. Jose Conde
El Avion
Although Jose Conde’s parents left Cuba for the U.S. before he was born, the rhythms and spirit
of the island made up a significant part of his upbringing. Growing up in the cultural melting pot of
Miami in the 1970s, Conde was not only exposed to the music of the Cuban expatriate community,
but also to Haitian compas, as well as contemporary American styles like funk, soul and
R&B. As a student at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, Conde experimented with rock, jazz
and even opera before he began to feel the need to return to his Latin roots. Conde, who usually
records and performs with his band, Ola Fresca (Fresh Wave), has released three critically
acclaimed albums that explore the relationships between his many influences, but always with an
underpinning of Cuban grooves.
“El Avion” (The Airplane) is from Conde’s 2011 album entitled simply Jose Conde. It features a
more laid-back, reggae-tinged flavor that is reminiscent of Manu Chao. “When will the spaceship
land / When will the airplane return / To make me happy again / This pain in my heart / I feel like
I’m on a cloud / Softly floating.”