CHARLIE FOX IN HAVANA.
To celebrate the fifty-fifth year of his professional career, Grammy award winner Charlie Fox decided to go on a world tour that would take him to dozens of countries. Charlie Fox is best known for his television and movie scores, and one of the countries on his anniversary tour is Cuba. He was in Havana the last week of June, where he performed before a sold-out crowd at Havana’s National Theatre.
Charlie Fox enters Havana’s National Theatre in a tuxedo and is met by a standing ovation before every playing a single note on the piano. The concert, titled Havana Dreams, was Mr. Fox’s debut in Cuba. Best known for his hit “Killing Me Softly,” which in Havana was sung by Buena Vista Social Club diva Omara Portuondo and Cristian Alejandro. In the orchestra that evening were Cuban stars like Roberto Garcia, Ruy Lopez-Nussa, Rafael Lay, and Eduardo Rubio.
“Havana Dreams” was a trip back to the 1970’s and 1980’s when Charlie’s music was heard almost nightly on American television on shows like The Love Boat, Happy Days, American Hero, and Wonder Woman. Estrella Lopez, who has worked for Cuba’s Institute of Radio and Television for over fifteen years, told me that she never imagined being able to hear the author of such iconic American television shows performing live in Cuba.
Charlie’s kind words to the public and to Cuba, in Spanish, were greatly appreciated by the audience, and he stated that at the age of seventy-seven he felt blessed to be performing in Cuba. In his broken Spanish, Charlie told the story of his early years in the Bronx and his and his generations fascination with Elvis. That changed when he discovered Benny More, La Sonora Matancera, and other Cuban greats, and he was captivated by Cuban music. His performances on both Friday June 30th and Saturday July 1, 2018 both ended with standing ovations.
Charlie Fox killed them softly in Havana with his song!
By Dina GomGar