Wednesday, 01 December 2010 13:44
Joseíto Fernández, an immortal Havanian.
In contrast to what most believe, the writer credited for the famous and internationally recognized song "Güajira Guantanamera", was not from the eastern province of Guantánamo, but the Havana neighborhood Los Sitios, in the present area of Central Havana.
Also incorrect, as musicologists have posed, is the classification of this song within the genre of the "güajira", whereas it is more a "güajira-son", written in quadruple time. Joseíto composed the song in 1928 and released it seven years later when he began singing in a group using "son", a popular style of music that originated in Cuba.
The song began receiving national attention in 1943 after it was discussed in the radio program "El suceso del dia", a program of entertainment gossip.
"Güajira Guantanamera", is possibly the Cuban song with the most versions ever; renowned vocalists and instrumentalists such as Benny Moré, Paul Mouriat, Richard Clayderman, Demis Roussos, José Feliciano and Libertad Lamarque all have made their own renditions of this popular classic.
In 1963, the song received resounding international acclaim after American Pete Seege sang it during a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York, in a version that incorporated José Marti´s "Simple Verses".
Joseíto Fernández proved to be a full Havanian, friendly and helpful, who never forgot his humble origin, always connected to the house at 658 Gervasio Street in Los Sitios, Havana.
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