Rubén Blades

Quick, who’s the king of salsa?

If we focus on music (rather than dance), the great percussionist and band leader Tito Puente is a leading contender. But for many, the voice of salsa is Hector Lavoe, who will forever be remembered as El Cantante (“the singer”). It’s hard to compete with his wild, eccentric and terribly tragic life, memorialized in movies. Lavoe’s song “Mi Gente” is a virtual nantional anthem in his native Puerto Rico.

But take a close look at my favorite salsa superstar, Rubén Blades. At first glance, he might seem a little boring, maybe even a bit bizarre; the guy’s a politician! Or is he?

In fact, Blades’ talents are so diverse, it’s almost scary. He is indeed politically active, having served as Panama’s Secretary of Tourism. (He even ran for the office of president.) But Blades isn’t a politician of the boring, sleazy variety; he’s apparently a fan of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the firebrand the corporate media like to beat up on 24/7.

Blades is also an actor who has appeared in many films. But can Blades compete with Lavoe in the music department?

Comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges, of course. But Blades is more than a singer: he’s also a celebrated songwriter. He’s known for writing songs for intelligent people, prompting some to call him the John Lennon of salsa. Blades’ spirited and very political album Siembra became the best selling salsa album of all time (though it no longer holds the #1 spot).

But Blades’ focus isn’t limited to political activism. Translating the lyrics and researching the story behind his enchanting song “Maria Lionza” ranks as one of my favorite salsa adventures. (This is not your typical salsa love song.) What salsa song could be more inspirational than “Siembra”? Blades even wrote Hector Lavoe’s signature song, “El Cantante.” And I haven’t even mentioned Blades’ most famous song yet!

For me, Hector Lavoe represents salsa’s heart, firmly rooted in the community, while Ruben Blades represents the brain. But since true political activism is based on compassion, there’s plenty of heart (and backbone) in Blades’ music, too. Lavoe’s community was primarily Puerto Rican, while Blades reaches out to all of Latin America.

Ironically, Rubén Blades may be better known in Latin America than in New York City, where he has lived for so many years. I’ve never heard one of his songs (or Hector Lavoe’s, for that matter) played in a salsa club here in corporate Seattle. I wouldn’t even know he exists if I hadn’t stumbled across his name on the Internet.

Early Life