The Santiago-born music producer Alden González Díaz is, alongside Emilio Estefan Jr. and Geovanis Alcántara, the most awarded producer in the Best Traditional Tropical Album category at the Latin Grammy Awards, with three statues to his name.
The particularity that distinguishes him from his two compatriots —also from Santiago— is that he is the only one still working from Cuba, under conditions that he himself describes as very challenging. In an interview published by El Nuevo Herald, González offered a candid self-critique regarding the state of popular Cuban music.
"Yes, it is in full crisis. There is a production crisis (recording is happening much less) and a significant decrease in concerts, both in and out of Cuba, across all genres," stated journalist Michel Suárez.
His three Latin Grammy awards correspond to the albums Tribute to Los Compadres, Tribute to the Cuban Classics, and Rolling Around the World, the latter in collaboration with José Alberto El Canario, who won at the ceremony in November 2024. Throughout his career, he has worked with artists such as Rubén Blades, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Pablo Milanés, Ismael Miranda, and Andy Montañez, among many others.
For González, the proliferation of groups that exploit the name or aesthetic of the Buena Vista Social Club without authorization is not an isolated phenomenon: "What is happening with so many counterfeit Buena Vista Social Clubs is a reflection of the current crisis."
The producer goes further and points to the Cubans themselves as responsible for neglecting their musical heritage: "The blame lies strictly with the Cubans. We have not known how to defend that legacy; we have not managed our history of popular music well. It is very difficult to defend something one does not feel connected to."
As an illustration of that disconnection, he draws on his own experience: "I, for example, came to listen to Arsenio Rodríguez too late in my life, when I started developing a connection with radio. And I heard Machito on my first trip abroad. If this is my case, what is left for others?"
The state record industry in Cuba —comprising labels such as EGREM, Bis Music, Colibrí, and Abdala— has been experiencing a productive collapse for years, worsened by the economic downfall of the dictatorship. The power outages have even forced the Septeto Santiaguero to suspend concerts, the group with which González won two of his three awards.
Born in Santiago de Cuba, González emphasizes the eastern roots of son and bolero. He recalls that son originated in rural areas of the former province of Oriente and that bolero was born with the Santiago native Pepe Sánchez, whose piece Tristezas (1883) is considered the first Cuban bolero, followed by contributions from Alberto Villalón and Sindo Garay. "Santiago de Cuba has a significant influence on my musical vision. If I were from another part of Cuba, I would have a different perception of son," he explained.
Regarding the future of the genre in the face of the dominance of urban music, González acknowledges that "the last global boom of Latin music was centered around the Buena Vista Social Club," but he optimistically points to a new generation: "In salsa, there are young artists trying to make their mark, such as Luis Figueroa, Cristian Alicea, or the Mexicans from La Bendición. There are people with a very good reception, like the Dominican Yiyo Sarante or the Cuban Fresto."
The interview comes as a preview to the Latin Grammy 2026, which will be held on November 12 in Las Vegas, where three Cubans are competing in Tropical Traditional: Omara Portuondo (Eternamente Omara), Leoni Torres (Cualquiera se enamora), and Dayhan Díaz (Algo Nuevo de Ayer).
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