- Senor Cortes, we have arrived from far away, where, nevertheless, the modern Cuban music is very popular, where NG la Banda is known quite well, where people look for your album “Oye Siii” and discuss which your album is the best. But in general we still need a presentation of Jose Luis Cortes, his group and their style.

- The group “NG la Banda” was born on the 4th of April, 1987, and was nursed by the professional musicians, graduates from the National Arts School. Those were musicians of Pachito Alonso, Emiliano Salvador, Irakere. We united together to play a new contemporary music. That’s why we called ourselves “New Generation”. New generation of music, not musicians. The group has been working for 18 years now, has visited more than 73 countries, has received many national and international awards, and produced 19 albums. The disc you mentioned was recorded under the Spanish label “Pacific Music”. Since Cuba has problems with exports, we recorded it in Italy. And as far as Cuba has problems with imports too, one can hardly find the album here. But if you leave us your address, we will send you one from Europe. Due to well-known problems we for a long time have been recording our albums not in Cuba, but in Curacao, Japan, Italy, USA. Of course, would any impresario show any interest to our group, we will make a tour to Ukraine with pleasure. I know your country – I visited it with Irakere: Voroshilovgrad (now it has a different name). Kiev, Lviv. During the same trip we visited Estonia as well. The Russians (El Tosco toured in times of USSR, that’s why he mixed Ukrainians into the Russian nation) know how to appreciate music, thanks to their good musical education. Maybe they have a slight inclination towards Latin Jazz, but I have been told that there is more and more interest to a dancing music, like salsa over there. And now I’m talking seriously: if you want to organize something like a promo-tour for NG la Banda in Ukraine, I will do it free of charge.

- What is the difference between the music of NG la Banda and other Cuban groups in fashion?

- NG la Banda “cuts the orange in half”, being situated in the stream that divides the music of “Van Van” and “Irakere”. The group plays music called “la timba Cubana”. After NG la Banda there emerged many groups that imitated this style, that became contaminated with it. Actually this is a very modern, very authoritarian music, defined very clearly. Among all the gamma of Cuban styles and genres it’s very difficult to create something new. We have been working with this new style for twenty years already, followed by Medico de la Salsa, Paulito FG, Issac Delgado, Bamboleo. Even old groups became infected with a new style, as it happened with “Van Van”. Although they themselves are creators of a new style – songo, - our timba has been quite associated with them lately as well. Don’t ask me about the bad sides of timba. I’m sure it has only good ones. Some would say it has weaknesses like choruses. Besides, it has become quite “rappized”, since it’s very easy to sing. That’s not my fault. I make the music itself, which is very professional and profound. And very popular in the world.

- Under this trademark of “timba” the modern Cuban music is being sold in the world. Are there many Cuban groups who deserve being called “timberos” in your opinion?

- Of course, yes! This style is very popular today. And virtually all the groups to some degree must feel obliged to it. Those who remained stuck to their own styles are quite few: Van Van, Adalberto y su Son, Irakere. Timba is a genre of the end of the century (and beginning of the new one). It will be followed with something new, maybe done by me again, because I’m the kind of a person who always looks for something new. To put it short, timba rules Cuban music today. There is, of course, Buena Vista Social Club, and I would like to ask for some silence in memory of Ibrahim Ferrer, who passed away today, but this music is out-dated. Today timba rules. They will argue this, criticize this, but I’m not going to change my mind. Some would put reggeaton above timba, but reggaeton will pass, while timba – not.

- Aren’t you afraid that reggateon, being so popular in Cuba today, may spoil the Cubans’ taste?

- Reggaeton experiences the same that went on with any fashionable stream. Formerly we danced to rock-n-roll, then jazz, then samba, then son, chachacha, mambo. It’s a question of time. What really makes me upset is that reggaeton is a very underdeveloped music. Unlike mambo, danzon and chachacha, where the music predominated, reggaeton does not care neither about harmonies, nor performers’ virtuosity, nor vocal’s quality. What matters is the text. Cuba with its music has expanded its borders all over the world: with mambo, danzon, chachacha, bolero, mozambique, etc. And now a muchacho from Puerto Rico shows up with his underdeveloped music which penetrates every Cuban house! That’s not a fault of Puerto-Ricans who are my friends. I only wish them to develop this music up to the sky. But to poison today the Cuban music with this… Eeeehhh! Especially after I had been criticized for my “La Bruja” – “The Witch”. They did not like the word “la diabla”. “How can you! That means “devil”! You can’t sing that!” And now you hear at every corner “tu fotingon”, “agarrame una cabilla”, and so on. And they wanted to kill me for “the witch”! Unbelievable. It’s ridiculous: the critics, musicologists, theorists spent so many efforts on me, and now they ignore what has been poisoning the Cuban music. By the way, I was the first to raise this issue. And they called me a Saviour! Some years ago wanted to kill me, and now – Saviour!

- What does the Cuban music lack to be…
(el Tosco interrupts):

- The Cuban music lacks a passport! Write it down: Cuban music lacks a passport. We are not terrorists. We don’t have any bombs. At every airport when I show my Cuban passport, they take me aside and re-start searching. I’m no terrorist! I’m Cuban. I was born in Cuba. Due to politics, we, the Cubans, are isolated from the rest of the world. They ask me: “Coño! What group is that? – We are Cubans. – Cubans from Miami? – No, Cubans from Cuba!” So, it cost me many efforts to promote the Cuban music in the world. We need a passport! Un pasaporte! (says it with English pronunciation). If I have a passport, I can travel worldwide freely. Y hay que mamarme una cabilla!