Today on Sojourner Truth:
As the coronavirus pandemic continues unabated, 29,000 Cuban doctors have been on the frontlines fighting the virus in 50 countries. Yet, Cuba's image in the United States is a negative one. Contrast this with countries in the Global South, from the Caribbean to the continent of Africa, there is a different image of Cuba. It is a humanitarian image, providing doctors, nurses and teachers to a wide swath of countries. It is also an artistic image. From music to dance and maintaining traditional African beats and spiritual practices. Cuba is known for its jazz, Afro-beats and more. This weekend, a major online live concert will focus on Cuba. It is billed as an epic gathering of Afro-Cuban musicians and artists influenced by Cuban traditions. Today, we speak with some of the artists performing, including Dayramir Gonzalez and Dionne Warwick.
Yamaha artist Dayramir Gonzalez is a three-time Cubadisco award-winner and the first Cuban national to receive Berklee College of Musics Presidential Scholarship and the 2013 Wayne Shorter Award for most outstanding jazz composer. In 2012, he was a headliner in Carnegie Halls Voices of Latin America Series, invited by Chucho Valdes to represent the young generation of Cuban jazz pianists. His latest album The Grand Concourse was named one of the Top 40 albums of 2018 and received 4.5 stars from Downbeat.
Dionne Warwick is a singer, actress, television host, and former United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization and United States Ambassador of Health. A six-time Grammy Award winner, Warwick has sold over 85 million records worldwide. She is a participating artist in the Concert for Cuba.
We also speak with Bill Martinez, one of the producers of the Concert for Cuba.
For our weekly Earth Watch, our guest is Manitoba, Canada-based Carol Kobliski. She has lived with her family in Nisichawayasihk her whole life. Carol is a survivor of the Churchill River Diversion project which has heavily impacted her family. Today, we discuss the implications of hydropower.
