Monday, 25 July 2011 14:33
Tony Ávila
I must confess, the first time I heard Tony Ávila, I thought of the late Faustino Oramas, "El Guayabero," Ñico Saquito´s guile, and also, the ingenious Pedro Luis Ferrer.
To some extent, I perceived a binding continuity, especially due to the flavor and the double meanings Cubans use in their songs. But when this young troubadour´s lyrics came into my consciousness, I saw that Tony Ávila went above and beyond, given his content, wit and simplicity.
Then, I found most revealing, that this Havanian by birth, but Matancero by adoption, has a degree in philosophy; he is better equipped than other singers with tools that in his own words, allows him to "speak my mind, remove society´s positive and negative critical consciousness."
Ávila uses critical satire to look at racial prejudice, lack of resources, unexplained migration barriers and social and economic inequalities, in order to provoke a reflection, which brings a spontaneous smile; because as he´s confessed, his work is "very down to earth, but without dragging, it´s clear."
HIs songs (with more suggestive titles) like Científicamente negro (Scientifically Black), Sin técnica no hay técnica (Without Technique, there is no technique) or Cascarilla (Husk), are good examples of what I´m saying. Musically speaking, these themes merge the traditional ballad with popular music and "guaracha."
His most recent success, La choza de Chacho y Chicha (Chacho and Chicha´s Hut), is a really big hit on television and radio, as well as has full scale promotional video clips in popular Cuban areas.
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