Cuban Band Leader Commits Musical “Suicide”

Cuban Band Leader Commits Musical "Suicide"
September 15, 2013
By Circles Robinson

HAVANA TIMES — Popular jazz-fusion band leader Roberto Carcasses said a
few improvised lines at a concert on Thursday night that will most
likely cost him his career in Cuba.

Robertico's group Interactivo were the closing act at a nationally
televised concert held at the Anti-imperialist plaza in front of the US
Interests Section in Havana.

The occasion was a government conceived event to mark the 15th
anniversary of the arrest in the United States of the Cuban Five, and a
call for their immediate return to the island.

So what did Carcasses add to his personal call to bring home the Cuban
Five, considered national heroes? A report from AP stated:

Carcasses, the 41-year-old leader of the Cuban jazz-fusion combo
Interactivo, sang about his desire for "free access to information so I
can have my own opinion…"

"I want to elect the president by direct vote and not some other way,"
he continued. "Neither militants nor dissidents, (we are) all Cubans
with the same rights."

"And an end to the blockade," he added, in reference to Washington's
51-year-old economic embargo against Cuba, "and to the self-blockade,"
which critisizes what many consider unnecessary roadblocks the system
has put on itself.

Then, more in line with the theme of the event, Carcasses gestured at
the US Interests Section behind the stage and exclaimed, "Free the Five
Heroes!"

The controversial lyrics coincide with criticisms by both supporters of
greater participation and openness within Cuba's socialist system as
well as those dissidents who believe the system must be totally gutted.

Affordable and domestic Internet Access, a revamping of the Communist
Party controlled media, plus a general freedom of expression and
association are points that the government has refused to allow despite
its economic reform process.

AP added: "The concert was the crowning event of a government-sponsored
yellow ribbon campaign to raise awareness about the Cuban Five, who were
convicted in 2001 of spying on U.S. military installations and exile groups.

"Cuba maintains that they were only monitoring violent exile groups to
prevent terror attacks on the island, and their imprisonment is one of
Havana's chief grievances against Washington.

"Fans packed the so-called Anti-Imperialist Plaza at the foot of the
U.S. Interests Section Thursday night to hear more than a dozen
performers. One after another, they demanded freedom for the four agents
still behind bars."

Repercussions

The reprisal against Carcasses have already begun. Robertico "has been
separated from the music industry" for an indefinite time period,
reports Café Fuerte.

"They called us to a meeting yesterday at the Cuban Music Institute,
where we were told that Roberto is "separated from the industry" for an
indefinite time period. That means he cannot perform solo nor with
Interactivo at any State facility", informed the Interactivo Facebook
page on Saturday morning.

"Shortly after the message disappeared and it only mentions that the
group suspended its scheduled performances Saturday at the Café Jazz
Miramar and next Wednesday at the Bertold Brecht Café Theater. The
reasons were not given," noted Cafe Fuerte.

"It was like an earthquake that caught everyone off base", commented a
member of the technical support team in charge of the broadcast of the
concert. "I still can't believe that it [Carcasses's lyrics] were
broadcast to all of Cuba."

Source: "Cuban Band Leader Commits Musical "Suicide"" -
http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=98799