A hand Painted upright by Humberto Benitez for Master Bass Player Israel "Cachao" Lopez was presented on September 22,2007 during his 80 years homage at Carnival Center in Miami
CUERDAS DE ORO”
un guaguanco al maestro cachao
SU BAJO LLEGO A MIAMI
CON PALMAS,TABACO Y RON
CON MARACAS Y TROMBON
CON CAFÉ AZUCAR Y CANA
TRAJO CON USTED UNA PALMA
CON SUS CUERDAS IMORTALES
TRAJO CAMPO Y TRAJO MARES
Y NOS TRAJO UNA CANCION CANCION
USTED LE ABIRIO EL CORAZON
AL CUBANO DE MANERA
QUE SUS CUERDAS LE RESUENAN
A SU CUBA EN UN DANZON
SU MUSICA MARCA EL PASO
DE UNA MANERA IMORTAL
EN EL JOVEN DEL FUTURO
PARA PODER DISFRUTAR
EL PODER DEL GRAN SENOR
TOCO SU VIDA EN MANERA
QUE HA DEJADO EN ESTE MUNDO
CUERDAS DE ORO SINCERAS
AQUI TERMINO MAESTRO
PENSANDO EN MI GUAGUANCO’
CON SU SU MUSICA IMPREGNADA
EN TODO MI CORAZON
EN SUS MODALES SENOR
EN SU UMILDAD Y RESPETO
HOY GRACIAS LE DOI MI VIEJO
POR COMPARTIR CON NOSOTROS
UN MOMENTO TAN PERFECTO
SUENA LA CUERDA CACHAO
PA PODER COJER TUMBAO'
Por
Humberto Benitez
Septiembre 23 2007
PUBLICADO POR EL NUEVO HERALD/Miami Herald
Marzo 27,2008
Literary Copyright Washington DC
MIAMI HERALD
BEHIND THE SCENES| ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT IN SOUTH FLORIDA
Paint job's music to his ears
Posted on Sat, Sep. 29, 2007
It was quite a different canvas: A bass.
But for Cuban-American artist Humberto Benitez, painting a bass for legendary bassist Israel ''Cachao'' López was ``an enormous honor.''
The Coral Gables artist was tapped for the job by Anthony Columbie, who does vocals for Cachao, after he saw Benitez paint a small cello for a CubaNostalgia show two years ago.
Benitez used acrylics to paint a nostalgic scene of his trademark rumberas and bongo players with Cachao's face looming over the party on the bass presented to Cachao during last Saturday's concert to mark his 80th musical anniversary.
''What a jam session,'' said Benitez, who also plays percussion. ``I'm still blown away.''
Benitez calls that job ``the most memorable project I've ever done.''
by FABIOLA SANTIAGO The Miami Heald
