“El Canario” gives the final touches to the album in which Pablo Milanés participated

New York – Dominican salsa singer José Alberto “El Canario” puts the finishing touches on an album of classic boleros that he recorded as a duet with various artists, including Cuban Pablo Milanés, who died this week after losing his battle against cancer.

“We finished the bolero album, to which we give the final mastering touches, and (I am) regretting this loss of Pablo Milanés, who recorded a song with me and I recorded one with him on a salsa album that I was making, which I think ended ”, the singer commented to EFE.

He explained that they are classic boleros that he rescued from the 50s and 60s that he sings as a duet with Pablo Milanés, Jorge Celedón, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Víctor Manuelle, Charlie Aponte, Milly Quezada, Sergio Vargas and Alexander Abreu.

The boleros were originally performed by Cubans Benny Moré, Rolando Laserie and Vicentico Valdés and Puerto Ricans Daniel Santos and Bobby Capó, among others.

“They are classics, a phenomenal record”, said “El Canario”, who performed “En el trunk de un árbol” together with Milanés, one of the founders of the Cuban nueva trova, but also remembered for his interpretations of boleros, a genre al who dedicated several albums.

The Dominican interpreter, who grew up in Puerto Rico, is concerned that the new generations do not know the tradition of the bolero, so deeply rooted in many Latin American countries.

“I worry because our traditions are gradually disappearing and I wouldn’t want to, I try to inject our new generation as much as possible so that they continue to listen, so that they continue to support our roots, so that they don’t get lost,” he commented.

He indicated that he still does not have a date to release the album, a project that he considers very special.

“There is no date because we want to make a very special preparation because it is such a special album that will fill many spaces, many expectations, well achieved, which has to win on all sides,” he said.

The salsa singer regrets not having personally met Milanés, who died at the age of 79, since the participation of each one in the song they recorded together was done separately. Communications for this project were maintained through calls and emails.

He recalled that when he learned of his death, which occurred on November 22 in Spain, he contacted a Milanese representative to confirm the news.

The salsa singer, who says that the Three Kings only asks for health for himself and his loved ones, will have several presentations before the end of 2022 and will begin the new year by visiting several Latin American countries, and between May and July he will tour Europe.