by JohnnyConga » Thu Dec 27, 2001 2:29 am
Ben I'll put it to you this way some guys have hands, and then there are guys who have hands and can take care of "Business". I have met in my lifetime many a great player that had no desire to become Famous(recognized) or Wealthy. I do know some very wealthy percussionists. Remember ,coming from a system that teaches you to have to "Depend" and "Listen" to the "Dictation" of a system that controls your very existance,make you "Dependant". Since living here I have met many Cubans from the Island visiting who had no concepts of "Capitalism" what so ever. So when they went into a local very large suprmarket all they could do is look at the items because they don't know these items even existed, and then they didn't even understand how one gets paid and have to pay ,for example 600 a month rent, when in Cuba it's 12 dollars a month To deal with concept,because Cuba is locked in time. It is still 1959 in Cuba. The difference is that Education is "Free". But after your education and Degree, there is no where to go with it. The "Best" jobs right now in Cuba are Taxi Cab drivers and Musicians,only because Castro recognizes that Musicians are a "Commodity" and he has to keep them "Inside" because so many are being tempted today from outside sources to 'Defect". So now Castro "pays" his musicians. Taxi drivers just know who and how there service is worthy of the fares,based on research outside the country...they talk too. Daniel came out,from what I was told was the "prison" system and he actually learned in the joint. What they call here a "jailhouse rumbero"...Now don't quote me on this I was told this in 1980 when I first saw him in NYC.....the tale continues....JC JOHNNY CONGA...