Kool & the Gang’s eclectic mix of funk, disco, jazz, soul and R&B was hugely popular in Cuba, especially with those growing up in the 1980s.<\/p>\n
The crowd knew the words to most of their songs, as well as many of the disco dance moves.<\/p>\n
Forty-eight-year-old Asi Dominguez had arrived early with her husband and daughter to ensure they got a place at the front.<\/p>\n
“We listened to them at home, at school, at parties, at discos, everywhere”, she recalled with enthusiasm.<\/p>\n
“It’s just fantastic to be able to listen to them live here. It’s better late than never.”<\/p>\n
Her husband Frank recalls on their first dates dancing to Kool & the Gang’s music.<\/p>\n
“It was a great time for us. We were all 15 or 16 and that was our music.”
\nThe group’s main members over the years included brothers Robert Bell (known as “Kool”) on bass and Ronald Bell on tenor saxophone; George Brown on drums; Robert Mickens on trumpet; Dennis Thomas on alto saxophone; Claydes Charles Smith on guitar, and Rick Westfield on keyboards. The Bell brothers’ father was an acquaintance of Thelonious Monk and the brothers were friends with Leon Thomas.
\nThe visit made by Kool and The Gang to Havana has been very important. Several exchanges took place with Cuban musicians and Cuban art students and they were given the Cubadisco 2009 Honor Award.<\/p>\n
Calle 13 is expected in Havana<\/p>\n
Ren\u00e9 P\u00e9rez, the Residente from the frequently awarded Puerto Rican duet Calle 13 has been informing for several weeks to several press media on their possible visit to Cuba and he has also communicated this through the social network Twitter.<\/p>\n
They were even ready to reach Cuba within the international movie festival which took place in Havana, in which was screened the documentary Sin Mapa on their trips around Latin America. But they were unable to come because they didn\u2019t get on time
\nthe permit from the US State Department.<\/p>\n
Recently in Mexico, Ren\u00e9 P\u00e9rez said that his trip will take place in March and that his project in our country is not a concert for peace as was that of the Colombian Juanes, but simply a party for which some musicians will be invited.<\/p>\n