New York (KPRENSA) – The Cuban singer Ibrahim Ferrer, the star of the Buena Vista Social Club, struggled for many years. Finally, by 2004, Ibrahim had arrived at a time in his career in which he could record any type of CD he wanted. For his next project he decided to record a CD dedicated to boleros, the romantic style of song from Cuba.

In preparation, Ibrahim spoke with his musical collaborators and planned a tour that would be called “Mi Sueño”. With a very intimate group of musicians, formed by the pianist Roberto Fonseca and with the participation of Manuel Galbán and Cachaíto López, they also recorded a CD in Egrem Studios in Havana. Unfortunately, in the summer of 2005, Ibrahim fell sick. He would die on August 6, 2005, at age 78.

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Ibrahim’s death did not end his story. This month, the CD “Mi Sueño” by Ibrahim Ferrer was finally released. It is his final works and the culmination of his dream to produce a CD of boleros.

“There are those that have a gift, and I believe that Ibrahim had a gift to sing boleros.” says Roberto Fonseca, the CD’s producer “The timbre of his sound and the years gave him the perfect voice for the bolero, it gave him the nostalgia and the sensibility that the style requires.”

Ibrahim’s Long Road

Ibrahim Ferrer was born in Santiago de Cuba in 1927. His life was difficult, almost dying of tetanus at age 12 and being an orphan without a mother and father. Needing to work, he frequented the street more than school, selling candy and popcorn to make a living.

Nevertheless, Ferrer was consumed by music. At the age of 14 he formed a group with his cousin and played at parties in the neighborhood. The group was called Los Jóvenes del Son.

For more than two decades Ferrer was the main singer of the Cuban orchestra of Pacho Alonso. In 1955, he recorded a successful record, “El Platanar de Bartola”with the orchestra of Chepín-Chovén. He moved to Havana in 1957 and worked with the legendary Orquesta Ritmo Oriental and with the great Beny Moré, before collaborating again with the group Los Bocucos of Pacho Alonso. He toured the world with this band and, over many years, gained many followers.

However, he lost enthusiasm for music and retired in 1991. He was seen polishing shoes in the streets and traded his old house for a small pension remaining withdrawn from the world and, sadly, from music.

The Buena Vista Social Club and After

In 1997, his friends convinced Ferrer to give up retirement and return to music to record the debut album of the Afro Cuban All Stars followed the same year by the historic Bueana Vista Social Club. This album, the fruit of the work of Ry Cooder, a world renowned musical producer that had traveled to Cuba to work with notable Cuban musicians that were only known on the island such as Compay Segundo and Rubén González.

The CD of the Buena Vista Social Club would go on to win a Grammy and a year later Ferrer would record his first solo album, “The Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer”. His second solo work, “Buenos Hermanos”, won another Grammy in 2004.

Nick Gold, the producer Buenos Hermanos , encouraged Ibrahim to work on boleros. “It seemed evident to me that Ibrahim was a splendid singer of boleros” Gold says “because he sang directly from his heart, with an incredible dose of lyricism and spirit.”

“My Dream” is the proof.

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