Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Thousands of Cubans attend American concert

Thousands of Cubans attend American concert
IANS
Tuesday 22nd December, 2009

The US band `Kool & the Gang' gave a concert in Havana over the weekend
that attracted thousands of Cubans who danced and sang along to songs
like 'Celebration'.

The band performed for almost two hours Sunday before 250,000 people on
the Jose Marti Anti-imperialist Platform on the Malecon, Havana's famous
seaside esplanade, according to official media.

The concert, which included a cast of guest Cuban artists like trumpet
player Alexander Abreu, was free of charge and was the only show the
band intended to stage during this visit to the island.

Group frontman Robert 'Kool' Bell said at a press conference a few hours
before the show that the concert was dedicated to the 'brotherhood and
unity' of nations.

Bell said he didn't come to Cuba 'as a politician but as a musician',
and said there has always been a significant relationship between the
music of his country and that of Cuba.

The US musicians also said that during their stay they hoped to keep up
a 'good exchange' of ideas with their Cuban colleagues.

Kool & the Gang got its start in New Jersey in 1964.

The album 'Celebrate' in 1980 marked the first of its hits, and after a
period of decline from lists of the top discs, Kool & the Gang recovered
in 1994 with the song 'Jungle Boogie' that was included on the sound
track of the movie 'Pulp Fiction' by Quentin Tarantino.

Thousands of Cubans attend American concert (22 December 2009)
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