Silvio Rodríguez
Unicornio

Cuba, 1991-92 or thereabouts. The friendly taxi driver taking us to Havana has really worn us out. "Silvio es un gran artista, embajador de la musica cubana en el mundo." And who the hell is Silvio. We have Silvio in Italy too, their problem, isn’t Fidel enough for them? "Escucha.....escucha." Okay, okay, I'll listen, then what do I hear... the poor cassette, also struggling just like everything else during the special period, has trouble playing in the poor stereo of the very poor car we’re in. "Nueva trova...." what the heck is that?

Madrid, a few decades later....here it’s the polite lady who's wearing us out. In front of El Retiro Park, I indulge myself at a vinyl stall. I'm struck by a cover that looks like it came out of a 70s prog album. Silvio Rodriguez....heck, I need a bar with Wi-Fi....who is he? I ask my wife for help. Could he be the same Silvio the taxi driver in Cuba talked about?....."Jerk, I wasn't with you in Cuba!!" Okay, I take the hit and negotiate the price of the precious vinyl. I snag it for a respectable €1.5, with the feeling that the junk dealer got the better deal.

Italy, my home a few days later....IT’S HIM...I gather my memories, I turn to the internet, and try to educate myself.

There aren't many pieces of information available about Silvio Rodriguez, but on YouTube there are several videos that help me get an idea. A prominent figure and founder of the Nueva Trova, a Cuban musical and cultural movement that transformed the traditionally melodic and light-themed Cuban music (Trova) into a more modern setting with decidedly more serious and political lyrics, and I would add, a bit sycophantic towards the leader (not a bad thing....in Cuba!). He’s apparently very famous throughout Latin America, and it seems that the vinyl I possess is the apex of Silvio's career. Unicornio is a musically very diverse album, with lots of acoustic guitar, a bit of rumba and salsa, sober arrangements, even hints of American (obviously Dylan) and French singer-songwriter styles. Two gems in my opinion that I invite you to seek out....La Maza, beautiful, and the very personal Unicornio. Escucha!!!!