The only way one legend can pay tribute to another is brilliantly.
Isadora Duncan and Celia Cruz
The Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz (1925-2003), had a long career that encompassed several genres of music and lasted a remarkable six decades. She recorded more than 70 albums and won two Grammy and three Latin Grammy awards. Cruz, in spite of her recording achievements, reminds me of Tina Turner in that both, in my humble opinion, are better live singers than studio singers: their energy almost seems diminutive in the studio, while on stage it can not be contained—making for a memorable music experience!
I was fortunate to have seen Cruz sing live at Carnegie Hall in the early 1990’s with her musical brother, the legendary Tito Puente. To understand what I am trying to convey, check out this video of Cruz, at the height of her powers in 1974, performing in Zaire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9iIBCO3vlE . While I adore Cruz live, my favorite song by her is a brilliant studio recording of her tribute to dance legend Isadora Duncan.
Isadora Duncan (1877-1927) was an American dance pioneer known as the “Mother of Modern Dance.” She was a revolutionary because her dancing eschewed the stringency of ballet while advocating the notion of free-spiritedness and the ideologies of ancient Greece (beauty, philosophy, and humanity). Duncan created a completely new way to dance. Cruz’s song captures Duncan’s spirit and creativity, lyrically and musically.
Isadora formo la liberacion (Isadora formed the liberation)
Isadora Duncan leyenda que no murio (Isadora Duncan your legend did not die)
Lyrically, the song tells of Duncan’s life and career and makes a brief reference to her very dramatic death.
y violento tu final (your end was violent)
Isadora Isadora Duncan
yo te tengo que cantar (And I have to sing to you)
para ti va mi cancion (I give you my song)
On September 14, 1927, in Nice, France Duncan went for a drive in a convertible and as she drove off purportedly shouted, “Goodbye my friends, I go to glory!” Moments later, her long shawl was tangled with a rear tire and her neck was broken.
While the lyrics are exultantly poetic, what makes the song exceptional is the arrangement created by master Johnny Pacheco.
The song opens with lush Classical strings playing a few chords of “Once Upon A Dream”, which was, fittingly, based on based on Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Sleeping Beauty (Duncan is now our sleeping beauty). It then launches into a 1970’s Salsa arrangement featuring a stalwart horn section. The song’s bridge marvelously combines the Classical strings with the Salsa horn section. The best surprise is during the final verse when a Rockabilly guitar is combined with the Salsa arrangement. The song climaxes, bringing in the best of the Classical strings and the Salsa horns. Even if you don’t speak Spanish, listen to the song because the arrangement will not fail to impress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrINI3iS_tw
After all of my years of listening to music, the only word I can think of to describe this song is unique. It is truly one of a kind.
A regular feature of this blog will explore a favorite song. My first foray into writing about a favorite song was in February 2014 when I wrote about the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ classic, “Under the Bridge.” I was inspired to write this entry after hearing the song on my iPod’s random play earlier this week.
Additional Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi3shupzL34
http://www.isadoraduncan.org/the-foundation/about-isadora-duncan
Edwin Roman 