In today's world of Cuban music, there's nothing really exotic about a band as well rehearsed in chamber music as it is in rock. But roll back the clock to the end of the Cold War, and you'll find Artevivo was at the heart of artistic resourcefulness on the island. The band stitched together the rigorous classical music training encouraged by the Soviets with the rebellious rock and multimedia presentations of a time of great ideological disenchantment.
Artevivo signified a movement that had the potential of expressing sentiments so often censored in words. But like many of its colleagues, the band ultimately sought greater ownership of its creative process outside Cuba. The members scattered across the globe. Lead singer Manuel Camejo immigrated to Europe to play jazz and then relocated to Miami to make music for the media. Percussionist Enrique Gonzalez skipped over the gulf to Mexico to make movie soundtracks, before settling in Miami as a music producer. And guitarist José Almarales traveled the globe as a guitarist before repatriating to the States to record. This Friday, after a 17-year separation, the group patches up the socio-cultural fabric in a show that reflects the versatility and resilience of Cuba's innovative rock generation.
