CAMAGÜEY.- The death of Adalberto Álvarez is a half truth. He certainly has the lifeless body this September 1st due to complications derived from COVID-19. However, for an entire country, from the humblest dancer to the president, he walks as a presence in music, in particular, in son.

Because of his creative stature and humility, he thought and acted to cheer the audience, insisting on giving back ample spaces where he could move and interact with the orchestra. He fought and won the vindication of his favorite genre with a fixed date, because since this year on May 8, the Day of the Cuban Son is celebrated.

Although he was born in Havana, he always spoke with pride of his roots in Camagüey. He began as a paila performer in 1957. His talent found the first channel in the parental shelter. In a short time, he was the arranger and director of the group Avance Juvenil of his father, Enrique “Nené” Álvarez.

He received his middle name Cecilio for being born on November 22, the day of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians. He studied at the National School of Art (ENA) from 1966 to 1972. Then he taught Musical Literature at the Provincial School of Art of Camagüey from 1973 to 1978.

He always returned to this city when he had his own, successful, popular groups. First, with the group Son 14, which he founded in 1978, at the suggestion of the Santiago composer Rodulfo Vaillant. Then, with Adalberto Álvarez y su Son , with which he debuted on February 25, 1984 in Santiago de las Vegas. He deserved the National Music Award in 2008.

In the Provincial Center of Equine Therapy Garden of Dreams in 2010. Photo: Otilio Rivero Delgado / Adelante

Camagüey was permanent in his projects. He had good deeds for everyone, such as that interaction with children and family members at the Jardín de Sueños Provincial Equine Therapy Center in 2010, and at another time, in the onco-hematology services of the Eduardo Agramonte Piña Pediatric Hospital.

Here he had the support of the authorities to make the occurrence of a Fiesta del Tinajón a reality. At the end of 2007, the first edition of a mega-event conceived for the meeting of the people with their artists was held, so that “the culture of this province resembles its people”.

In the eighth edition, in December 2019, the opening gala of the Fiesta del Tinajón at the Teatro Principal was a tribute to El Caballero del Son and the 35 years of his orchestra. There was no shortage of topics And what do you want them to give you, No one is going to love you like me and The roads of Ifa. Photo: Alejandro Rodríguez Leiva / Adelante

In his full life, Adalberto Álvarez was pampered in this city, and he was sincere in thanking him for that. In fact, in 2016 he allowed the Casa de la Trova Patricio Ballagas, one of his endearing places, to dedicate La Esquinita del Caballero in his name. For the ceremony, the bartender Roberto Cabrera presented the El Caballero cocktail, with coconut liquor, pineapple juice, Havana Club rum in its three-year-old and special vintage modalities, and ice cubes.

With certainty, Camagüey will continue to return the affection of Adalberto Álvarez, who continues to speak to us as in the video call to the May 6 broadcast of the Mi Camagüey Streaming program on Facebook:

“I want to express the great pride that I feel more and more every day in being Camagüey, and the pride of everything that you have managed to do in support of this campaign for the Day of Cuban Son.

“Camagüey has shone in a way that is to be truly proud. A lot of work has been done in all the provinces, it is true, here (in Havana) they are still working hard, already thinking about the things that will be done in the future, but I can tell you that Camagüey is a point and an aside, for the union of all the people who have been involved.

“I really appreciate the tribute to the figure of my father. I really appreciate all the love you have put into this. I send you a hug. I really want to be there, to go to Culture (to the headquarters of the Provincial Directorate) to have my coffee in the morning, and all those things that you know, and to walk through the streets of my Camagüey ”.

Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez