Home » Jazz Musicians » Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades was born in a rooming house in a small Latin American country, but he refused to see limitations or barriers; his work has crossed geopolitical borders, cultures, and genres, and has made an impact throughout the world. He has won 17 Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards, and this year returns to star in the AMC television series Fear the Walking Dead.
As a composer and vocalist, Blades is one of the most successful artists in Latin music. His landmark albums in classic Afro-Cuban salsa are touched with rock, jazz, pan-Latin, and worldwide influences. His 2017 album Salsa Big Bandwas named the Latin Grammy Album of the Year. Blades has collaborated with rock, jazz, pop, hip-hop, reggaeton, and salsa artists, and has composed hundreds of songs and dozens of hits, known for their eloquent, socially charged lyrics, colorful characters, and memorable melodies. ASCAP honored him with its Founders Award, and the Grammy Recording Academy with its Heroes Award. He is the subject of the 2018 award-winning documentary Yo No Me Llamo Rubén Bladesdirected by Abner Benaim.
In addition to his music, he was recently seen starring in Hands Of Stoneopposite Robert De Niro, Edgar Ramirez and John Turturro, and in Safe Houseopposite Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds. Blades has played memorable roles in films with such acclaimed directors as Robert Redford in The Milagro Beanfield War, Robert Rodriguez in Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spike Lee in Mo’ Better Blues, Alan Pakula in The Devil’s Own, and Jack Nicholson in The Two Jakes. He was nominated for three Emmys for his roles in the television movies The Josephine Baker Story, Crazy From The Heart, and The Maldonado Miracle. His work in over 35 films and documentaries also won Blades a Cable ACE Award, plus Independent Spirit and ALMA Awards. The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors honored him with its Raúl Juliá HOLA Founders Award, and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation honored him with its Arts Award.
Beyond Blades’ artistic success, he holds degrees in political science and law from the University of Panama, and an LLM from Harvard Graduate Law School. The Loeb Music Library at Harvard University formed The Rubén Blades Archives in 2008 to collect his work and papers. He has received Honorary Doctorate degrees from Berkeley University in California (Chicano Studies), Lehman College in the Bronx (Humanities) and the Berklee College of Music in Boston (Music). In 2006 the president of Chile awarded Blades the Pablo Neruda Order of Cultural Merit, and in 2010 the president of Ecuador honored him with their Orden Nacional al Mérito Cultural. New York University Steinhardt has appointed him Scholar in Residence for the 2018/2019 academic year.
Read moreTags
Héctor Lavoe: La Voz
by Rob Garratt
Craft Recordings have been on a roll of late, following 2021's excellently presented Ornette Coleman boxset, Genesis of Genius, with 2023's Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds series and imminent Sonny Rollins set Go West!: The Contemporary Records Albums. So it is only natural that jazz-inclined audiophiles will start turning their attention to what other treasures the LA-based reissue specialists are digging out of the vaults. And so we arrive at Craft's new “special reissue" of salsa star ...
read moreRubén Blades at the Oakland Paramount Theater
by Roy Strassman
Rubén Blades Paramount Theater Oakland, CA November 20, 2021 The November night was brisk, and the expectant crowd gradually swelled. Sausage vendors were selling onion-and pepper-laden sandwiches right alongside the scalpers. The queues were long—for checking vaccine cards and gaining entry or even just to partake of a juicy pre-show sausage. Excitement was in the air. The 3,000-plus-seater Oakland Paramount Theater soon filled. Rubén Blades' 21-piece Panamanian band—courteously waiting for the arriving ...
read moreRubén Blades: Salswing!
by Jim Trageser
In the liner notes to this recording, veteran Latin pop singer Rubén Blades explains that Salswing! is meant as a demonstrative statement: About his own ability to grow beyond being a Panamanian singer, to show that musicians can speak to an audience beyond their own nationality, and to celebrate the stellar chops of the Roberto Delgado Orquesta backing him. Regardless of the purpose behind these sessions, the reality is that this is one of the best big band ...
read moreRubén Blades: Salswing!
by Angelo Leonardi
Se amate il jazz delle orchestre latine e avete adorato lo swingante incontro di Frank Sinatra con Count Basie non perdetevi quest'album appena pubblicato da Ruben Blades con l'orchestra di Roberto Delgado. Come indica il titolo è una fusione tra Salsa e Swing e si sviluppa in undici brani del songbook jazzistico (due di essi presenti nel primo Sinatra/Basie), del repertorio latino e degli stessi Blades e Delgado. Tutte le varianti della salsa sono un connubio tra ...
read moreSalsa Legend Rubén Blades Performs "Tangos"!
Source:
Sunnyside Records
Salsa legend Rubén Blades performs his classic compositions as tangos on the upcoming Sunnyside release, Tangos (June 24)! The best songs are those that provide messages that reach beyond the genre into which they are born. There are lyrics that can move people deeply, even when the composer and listener are separated by oceans. The tremendous poet, composer and actor Rubén Blades is the sort who can plumb the depths of human emotion. Over his industrious and varied career, Blades ...
read more
New Ruben Blades CD, "Tangos," Set For Release June 24th
Source:
Muse Media
Tangos, the stunning new CD from Ruben Blades, is set for release via Sunnyside Records on June 24th. The best songs are those that provide messages that reach beyond the genre into which they are born. There are lyrics that can move people deeply, even when the composer and listener are separated by oceans. The tremendous poet, composer and actor Rubén Blades is the sort who can plumb the depths of human emotion. Over his industrious and varied career, Blades ...
read more
Made In America 9/11 Benefit Concert To Highlight Classic Never Before Heard Collaborations Between Wayne Shorter/Ruben Blades, Cassandra Wilson/Bela Fleck and Michael Brecker/John Scofield
Source:
All About Jazz
Three Rarely Performed Verses To Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land to be Sung by Wilson
Made In America, an all-star benefit concert from the jazz community to honor the heroes and victims of September 11, is scheduled for 8pm on Wednesday, December 5 at Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd Street, New York City.
The updated lineup includes: Kenny Barron, Ruben Blades, Terence Blanchard, Michael Brecker, Regina Carter, Bela Fleck, kd lang, Joe Lovano, Brad Mehldau, Jane Monheit, Danilo ...
read more
Alfred Gómez Jr.
piano
Antonio Mazzei
piano
Juancho Herrera
guitar
Yan Kayary
piano
Carmela Ramirez
vocalsMusic
Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson
