The Cuban singer-songwriter Pedro Luis Ferrer has plans for September 19: a concert at Tower Road Ranch in Miami to celebrate his 74th birthday, and also to introduce his new music compilation La Bunga. He made the announcement himself last Wednesday through his Facebook profile, showcasing the punctuality and charm that defines him.
“On September 19, I will be giving a concert at the Tower Road Ranch in Miami, in celebration of my seventy-fourth birthday,” wrote Ferrer, who was born in 1952 in Yaguajay, Sancti Spíritus. The Tower Road Ranch is located at 22051 SW 192 Ave, Miami, Florida, and its contact number, as detailed in Ferrer's post, is (305) 303-1515.
The highlight of the night will not only be the performance; it will also feature, "as a special touch," the release of the musical compilation "La Bunga," in its recorded version, under the American label Dot Time Records," announced the singer-songwriter.
La Bunga had been announced for some time as a "librisco"—a blend of book and album—associated with the Spanish publisher Media Vaca. It is now stepping into a formal record release under a U.S. label, marking a significant move towards the distribution of the material.
As is tradition in his performances, he will share the stage with his daughter Lena Ferrer, a singer and songwriter born in La Havana, and a regular creative collaborator of her father's. Together, they will be accompanied by what Ferrer affectionately calls his "tiny little group": "As always, I will share the stage with my daughter Lena Ferrer and our tiny little band. Songs, guarachas, sones, changüisas, lyricism, and festivity," he promised.
It is not the first time that the singer-songwriter celebrates another year with a concert in Miami. In September 2022, he turned 70 with a performance at the James L. Knight Center. Now, four years later, he is repeating the formula in a different venue and with the added excitement of a new album in hand.
Ferrer is one of the most censored figures in Cuban music, with decades of bans on state radio and television, and even a two-year prohibition on public performances, courtesy of the regime. His Creole humor, social critique, and verbal wit have earned him more censorship than official applause on the island; however, nothing has managed to silence or embitter his distinctly Cuban voice. From abroad—he resides between Spain and Miami— he has continued to publish and perform with the freedom systematically denied to him in Cuba.
Through his music and poetry, the troubadour has continued to maintain a critical perspective on Cuban reality that is consistent with his entire body of work, anchored in the sentimental memory of generations of Cubans.
Filed under: