Search - Ruben Blades :: Buscando America

Viva Panama!

Brooklyn's Finest | 11/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Y'know, I was fortunate enough to visit Panama for my Honeymoon. We vacationed for about 3 weeks throughout this luscious isthmian oasis.



My (now) ex-wife is from Da Bronx NY via Colon, Panama.

I was completely in-love w/ her... and Oh, what a knockout!

So it's no surprise that I became deeply interested (and ultimately patriotic) with her homeland.

I was THE honorary (gringo) Panamanian for awhile>ha! ha!

It's a truly beautiful country and they've offered so much to this planet's growth & progress on many levels.

For hours at a time, she & I would listen to old Fania records together... Of course she loves Ruben!



I must also mention how my Dad turned me onto Mr. Blades back in the day. As a young musician, he directed me towards the intricate (yet flowing) arrangements, cascading (yet memorable) melodies and very thoughtful (and politically right-down-my-alley) lyrics of Ruben & his worthy constituents.

Alone one night in NYC, when dashing back to the bar at a Gilberto Gil concert, I ran into Ruben. He was simply sitting there talking to a few friends. I was nervous, yet poised to talk to him. I explained how I felt about his music and politics. We had a very cool chat...What a genuinely NICE GUY!!! :-) Feeling guilty, I got his autograph for my (then) wife. She was pretty envious of my experience.



Now, I know what y'all are thinking --

There isn't a whole lotta continuity in this post of mine. But hey, I'm just reflecting on some vivid thoughts. Memories of a man I greatly admire, whose music will forever remind me of the woman I cared so much about...

This I celebrate, singing and dancing the tears away."

Para el hombre de Miami que no sabe de que habla

Gabriel | Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico | 04/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rubén no es un hombre de boca nada más como el tipo este aclara. Un ejemplo de sus acciones lo son su lucha por sacar la marina estadounidense de Vieques P.R.. Otro ejemplo es, el cancelar sus presentaciones por asistir al entierro de Tite Curet. Sabes quien fue Tite? No pero sabes quien fue Celia Y Gloria Estefan. Supiste que Rubén tambien tocó en una carcel de Puerto Rico con Bobby Valentín. Mi hermano, Rubén ha realizado dos conciertos en P.R. con Willie Colón, a los cuales he asistido. Así que Rubén Blades no es un hombre para bochinchar sobre el, sino para seguirlo en su rumbo. "Usa la conciencia latino, no la dejes que se te duerma, no la dejes que muera" Todos los discos de Rubén valen la pena. Pero si quieren saber mas sobre la maestría de Rubén y Willie deberian comprar los dos discos de Maetra Vida"