Rubén Blades is not only a legendary singer, but an enduring icon in Latin music.
Blades was at the centre of the New York salsa revolution in the 1970s. His landmark albums in classic Afro-Cuban salsa are touched with rock, jazz, pan-Latin, and worldwide influences. He has collaborated with numerous artists across a variety of genres, and he has composed hundreds of songs and dozens of hits. His songs are known for their eloquent, socially conscious lyrics, their colourful characters and, of course, their memorable melodies.
Blades has won 11 Grammy Awards, and he recently received yet another nomination for his live album Siembra: 45° Aniversario, which commemorates the 45th anniversary of his seminal album Siembra from 1978.
Blades joined us on Café Latino for a conversation alongside his wife, the Broadway star Luba Mason, and Chris McKhool of the Sultans of String.