Ibrahim Ferrer
(February 20, 1927 – August 6, 2005) was a popular Afro-Cuban singer and musician in Cuba. He performed with many musical groups including the Afro-Cuban All Stars. Later in life, Ferrer became a member of the internationally successful Buena Vista Social Club
. His increasing popularity led to collaborations with contemporary acts such as Gorillaz.
|
IBRAHIM FERRER TICKETS
|
Life
Ferrer was born at a
dance in
San Luis, near the city of
Santiago de Cuba. His mother died when he was 12, leaving him orphaned and forcing him to sing on the streets (
busk) to earn money. The next year, Ferrer joined his first ever musical group, a duet alongside his cousin called Jovenes del
Son (
Spanish:
Youths of Rhythm
). They performed at private functions and the two youths managed to scrape together enough money to live.
Over the next few years, Ferrer would perform with many musical groups, including
Conjunto Sorpresa
and
Orquesta Chepin-Choven
.
The leader of the latter composed one of Ferrer's biggest hits,
El Platanal de Bartolo
.
Ferrer was an adherent of the
Santería faith, a blending of traditional
African religions and
Catholicism.
Achievements
In 1953 Ferrer started to play with Pacho Alonso's group in Santiago, Cuba. In 1959 the group moved permanently to
Havana, renaming themselves
Los Bocucos
, after a type of
drum widely used in Santiago.
With Alonso, Ferrer primarily performed
son,
guaracha and other up-
tempo songs. However, he yearned to sing
boleros. It was not until almost 40 years later, with the release of
Ry Cooder's
Grammy Award winning,
Oscar nominated
Buena Vista Social Club
recording in 1999, that Ferrer's talent as a bolero singer would become widely known.
In 1996, Ferrer took part in the World Circuit sessions, when it was announced that an old-style bolero singer would be required. In that year, he recorded the album
A Toda Cuba le Gusta
with the
Afro-Cuban All Stars, an album nominated for a Grammy Award.
In 1998 he recorded an album for the Cuban label
EGREM,
Tierra Caliente: Ibrahim Ferrer con Los Bocucos.
It features Ferrer's unique voice and phrasing, band leader
Roberto Correra's rich, intricate arrangements and excellent lead
trumpet, and tight, rhythmic playing by the Bocucos. The album's is in the style of son-jazz big band fusion.
In 1999 Ry Cooder recorded Ferrer's first solo album. In 2000 Ferrer famously received a
Latin Grammy for
Best New Artist – at the age of 72. In 2001 he appeared on the track
Latin Simone
on the self-titled debut album of virtual-band
Gorillaz.
In 2004 Ferrer
won a Grammy, but was by the U.S. government to enter the U.S. to receive his award under a U.S. law designed for
Ferrer still toured internationally in
Europe in 2005, and released his second solo recording,
Buenos Hermanos
, in 2003.
Ferrer's contributed in 2005 to the APE Vision (Artists' Project Earth) album
Rhythms Del Mundo: Cuba, a collaboration with artists Coldplay, U2, Sting, Dido, Faithless, Jack Johnson, Maroon 5 and others.
Ferrer's last recording was
Mi Sueño
, an album devoted to the bolero. It was released in 2006.
Ibrahim Ferrer died at age 78 of
multiple organ failure on
August 6,
2005 at CIMEQ hospital in Havana (Cuba) after returning from a European tour. He was buried in the
Colón Cemetery, Havana.
Discography
- 1960 - Mis tiempos con Chepín y su Orquesta Oriental
- 1973 - Recording with Los Bocucos
- 1999 – Buena Vista Social Club Presents: Ibrahim Ferrer
- 2000 - Tierra Caliente: Roots of Buena Vista
- 2002 - Mis Tiempos Con Chepín
- 2002 - La Collección Cubana
- 2002 - Tiempos Con Chepín y Su Orquesta
- 2003 - Buenos Hermanos
- 2004 - Que Bueno Está
- 2004 - El Dandy
- 2005 - Ay, Candela
- 2006 - Mi Sueño
- 2006 - Rhythms Del Mundo
See also
- Afro-Latinos
- Compay Segundo
- Elíades Ochoa
- Music of Cuba
- Rubén González