Singer, guitarist, songwriter, poet Carlos Puebla was born in Cuba in 1917. He taught himself guitar and formed a group called Los Tradicionales. He wrote songs in support of an independent Cuba, against the Bautista military dictatorship, and for peace. His best known composition, “Hasta Siempre”, was written in honor of Che Guevara’s contributions to the Cuban Revolution.
My father listened to the music of Carlos Puebla. It inspired his 1970 album Liberation Music Orchestra. The original recording of “Hasta Siempre” was sampled in their version of Charlie’s tune “Song For Che” - listen at around the 4:16 mark.
I’m not sure what album these songs are from. I found them on a Maxell UD 90 cassette, in a box filled with cassette tapes belonging to Charlie. The label reads, “Carlos Puebla etc”. My father collected protest music records and tapes from all over the world. See here, here, and here. Solid, Jackson.
Carlos Puebla Y Sus Tradicionales
Saludo a Finlandia
Y En Eso Llego Fidel
Hasta Siempre
Pues Que Se Mude
Autos de Uso
Guantanamera (Joseíto Fernández)
Soy del Pueblo
Nuestra Ayuda
Independencia Parcial
El Lobo Domesticado
Elegía por Salvador Allende
La Oea Es Cosa De Risa
All songs written by Carlos Puebla except where noted.
In this Substack podcast I listen to albums and cassettes from the collection of my father, the late jazz bassist Charlie Haden. If you like what you hear, please consider subscribing. I’m writing a book of Memoires about life, death, jazz, slowcore, and survival. The address is joshhaden.substack.com.
All words & images © 2024 Josh Haden except where noted. All rights reserved.
Carlos Puebla Mixtape