Gerardo Alfonso Morejón

Outstanding composer and guitarist. Member of La Nueva Trova in the 1980s.

He was born in Havana in the municipality of San Miguel del Padrón. He learned to play guitar and piano self-taught. In 1980 he joined the Movement of La Nueva Trova.

As a composer, he has been influenced by the work of Silvio Rodríguez, Pablo Milanés, and Brazilians Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Milton Nascimento. But in reality, his music is nourished by many other currents, including other genres of Cuban music and rock.

He created the guayasón rhythm, with melodic elements of rural and Afro-Cuban music; "guayasón is the son of guava," says Gerardo Alfonso.

Gerardo has written one of the most transcendental songs about Havana ever made, "Sábanas Blancas," which is part of important anthologies of Cuban music of all time in different places around the world. It has been included in European documentaries about the City of Havana, has had countless social and cultural uses, and was an allegorical theme for the 2000 Havana Biennial of Plastic Arts.

He has written one of the most transcendental songs ever made about the Heroic Guerrilla Ernesto Ché Guevara: "Son los sueños todavía," a theme from the 30th anniversary of Ché's death in combat, and a theme that inspires countless revolutionary movements around the world as a shield and weapon of struggle. Dedicated to the XIV Festival of Youth and Students held in Cuba, it is part of numerous anthologies and films about the life and work of Ché Guevara.

With over 30 years of artistic career, he has received numerous nominations and Cubadisco awards at each of its events. His work extends to television and film, contributing works to soundtracks, television presentation themes, works that have been present on Cuban television for years. He regularly participates in almost all contemporary music events held in Cuba. His presence at theoretical events and conferences on broad facets of music, from folk song, rap, fusion and jazz, and his contributions, have been reflected in music schools in Cuba, being an artist always accessible to young people.

He has worked for years in the rescue of cultural values through perseverance and presence in various spaces of Cuban culture and its institutions. He has been and is an active promoter of less favored genres, a defender of marginalized social strata, a lover of his city and its inhabitants, an aggregator of forces in favor of solidarity toward his country, participating in relevant events in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, Turkey and numerous countries where they show solidarity with the Cuban people. A relevant artist within the panorama of contemporary Cuban music and member of the National Council of Writers and Artists of Cuba, he has received some of the most important distinctions awarded to an artist in the country.

In the film Hoy como ayer, a Cuban-Mexican co-production directed by Rapi Diego, he sang three songs, and also worked as an actor and on the soundtrack of the German feature film La risa de Ochún, and in the Cuban-Basque film, Calor.

He says about this: "...I like the world of acting because it is a very strong link of communication. Film is consumed by more people at once than a record. If I can combine acting with my musical work that is a great thing, what happens is that the responsibility is not individual.

Personal Discography
Volando hacia la luna – 1990, Italy, (not released)
El ilustrado Caballero de París
La cima
Diviértete un poco – 1994, Empresa Liberación. Hannover. Germany, (not released)
Los lobos se reúnen – 1993, EGREM. Cuba, (cassette)
Sábanas blancas – 1995, Bis Music, under license EGREM. CUBA
Almendares vivo. Gerardo Alfonso. Frank Viehweg. Tobias Thiele – 1999, (guitar and piano live), Cuba sí. Germany
Gerardo Alfonso. A guitarra limpia - 1999 (live guitar), MTM Ltda. Colombia. Centro Pablo de la Torriente Brau
Recuento - 2000 (Recorded at the Casa de las Américas, September 1997, for the 25th anniversary of the MNT. Inaugurated the record label Casa) (live guitar), Sello Casa. Casa de las Américas. Cuba.
El ilustrado Caballero de París – 2001, EGREM. Cuba
Momentos – 2002, Sello Unicornio. Estudios Abdala. Cuba
No me mires tan extraño. A guitarra limpia – 2002 (Concert recording as part of the Cubadisco Fair, May 2001), (live guitar), Centro Pablo de la Torriente Brau. Cuba.
Las cosas que yo te cuento – 2003, Sello Bis Music. Cuba
Raza – 2004, Sello Bis Music. Cuba
Cuarto de siglo - 2006 (live guitar), Cuba sí, Germany. Centro Pablo de la Torriente Brau
A orillas del mar – 2006, Producciones Colibrí. Instituto Cubano de la Música
La cima – 2009, Producciones Bis Music. Cuba
Leyendas camagüeyanas – 2010, Sello EGREM

Interpreters of the Work of Gerardo Alfonso
"Haila Live" - 2003 (Haila Mompié performs "Suceso de amor" and "En la vida real"), Bis Music. Cuba
"Rochy" - 2002 (Rochy Ameneiro performs "Yo también te amé"), Bis Music. Cuba
"Cantar al Che" - 1997 (Rochy Ameneiro performs "Son los sueños todavía"), Panamerican Productions
"¡Rocasón!" - 1997 (Mezcla performs "Lo que me amarra aquí", "Dicen que", "Por más que quema"), Lanina Productions. Mezcla
"Quiero dormir con la luna" – 1997 (Marta Campos performs "Sábanas blancas"), Picap. Spain
"Puro Filin" - 1999 (Jamila performs "Eres nada"), Canton Records. Spain
"Versos en el cielo" - 2002 (Isaac Delgado performs "Yo te quería María"), Bis Music. Cuba
Single and Video Clip of the CD "Yo te quería María",
"Ojalá" - 2002 (Moneda Dura performs "Quisiera"), EGREM. Cuba
"Otras mujeres" - 1996 (Luis de la Cruz performs "Un claro de luna"), EGREM. Cuba
"Evelyn" - 1998 (Evelyn Márquez performs "Quisiera"), EGREM. Cuba
"Alguien me habló de amor" - 1996 (Xiomara Laugart performs "Alguien me habló de amor", "Barrio secreto", "Distancia", "Eres nada", "Quisiera", "Desde que te quiero"), Bis Music. Cuba

Gerardo Alfonso
"Las puertas están abiertas" - 2001 (Mezcla performs "Lo que me amarra aquí" ("Lo que me atrapa aquí") and "Odio, desaliento y frenesí"), JMI Music. Karlyor S.A. de C.V
"Alma" - 2003 (Anaís Abreu performs "Aquel romance"), Bis Music. Cuba
"Dime de dónde vienes" - 2004 (Moncada performs "Por más que quema"), Sello Unicornio. Producciones Abdala. Cuba
"Todo bien" - 2005 (Gabriela Villalba - Gaby (former member of Kiruba) performs "Quisiera"), Ecuador
"Mi ADN flamenco" - 2004 (Diego Carrasco performs "Yo te quería María"), Sello Nuevos Medios. Spain
"Ese huevo quiere sal" - 2004 (Pascualito y su Tumbao Habana performs "Sábanas Blancas"), EGREM. Cuba
"El sueño divino" - 2004 (Nika García performs "Sembramos nuestras vidas", "Por más que quema" and "Déjala volar"), Pantalones Calientes Records. USA
"Entre lujuria y razón" (Claudio Bufeo performs "Yo te quería María"), VD Studios. Fullersound. Miami, Florida
"¿El amor se acaba?" - 2006 (Anaís Abreu performs "A veces un vaso de agua"), Producciones Colibrí. Instituto Cubano de la Música
"Como antes" – 2006 (Beatriz Márquez performs "Silenciosamente"), EGREM. Cuba
"La canción cubana. VOL 3. 1962-2002" - 2013 (Miriam Ramos performs "Eres nada"), Producciones Colibri. Cuba

Collaborations
"Patria es humanidad" - 1999
Gerardo Alfonso
(Gerardo Alfonso performs "Sábanas blancas"), Oficina de Publicaciones del Consejo de Estado de Cuba, (non-commercial CD)
"Tiempo" - 2001 (Gerardo Alfonso performs with Rogelio Botanz "Gente que sí", by Rogelio Botanz), Rogelio Botanz, Gaztelupeko Hotsak. Basque Country
"Un secreto a voces" - 1998 (Gerardo Alfonso performs with Alejandro Filio "Brazos de sol", by Alejandro Filio.), Alejandro Filio, Lundra Producciones. Sonopress, Mexico.
"A guitarra limpia" - 2001 (CD ROM containing the song "Quisiera" and a fragment of the concert "Guitarra, siempre guitarra" performed by Gerardo Alfonso at the Centro Pablo de la Torriente Brau in January 1997), Centro Cultural Pablo De La Torriente Brau. CEISIC. Cuba
"Che, Hasta la victoria siempre" - 1997 (Multimedia edition of the Diary of Ché in Bolivia. Includes song and video of "Son los sueños todavía"), CEDISAC. Casa Editora Abril. Editora Política. Cuba
"A guitarra limpia, Antología 1" - 2002 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Coincidencias"), Centro Pablo De La Torriente Brau. Producciones Unicornio. Estudios Abdala.
"Del agua que bebimos" - 2003 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Pensamiento" by María Teresa Vera and "Giovanna" by Gerardo Alfonso), Bis Music. Cuba
"De no ser por ti" (Tribute to Joan Manuel Serrat) (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Tocar madera"), Karlyor S.A. de CV. Mexico
"Radio Caribe. La puí calda selezione da la música Latina" - 1995 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Yo no vuelvo atrás" -"Por más que quema"-), RTI Music. Italy
"Éxitos de la Nueva Trova" (Moncada performs "Yo te quería María"), DISCMEDI, S.A. Spain
"Kubamusika. 8 Festival de la Nueva Trova" (Gerardo Alfonso and Frank Delgado perform "Aquí cualquiera tiene", by Gerardo Alfonso), Matxitxa Musika Eragintza para Gara, Under License EGREM. Cuba.
"Cantarte Comandante" - 1997 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Son los sueños todavía"), EGREM. Cuba. License Actual Records. Spain
"La Habana entera"- 1996 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Sábanas blancas"), Bis Music. Cuba
"Hits de Radio Taino" - 2001 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Sábanas blancas"), Bis Music. Cuba
"Cuba I´ am time" - 1995 ((Anthology of Cuban music in 4 volumes) Gerardo Alfonso performs "Sábanas blancas"), Blue Jacket. England
"El gran tesoro de la música cubana" - 2004 (Contains 8 CDs with the most representative recordings of the last 60 years) Gerardo Alfonso performs "La balada de John"), EGREM. Cuba
Nuova Polo, miti de la música - 2004 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Son los sueños todavía"), Volkswagen. Italy
Salsa Forever Vol (2) 2 CD - 2004 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Yo te quería María"), World Music
"El cha cha cha me encanta" - 2002 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Lo que me atrapa aquí"), EGREM. Cuba
Esto es Cuba VOL.1 - Nueva Trova Cubana - 2000 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Sábanas blancas"),
"Bridge to Havana" – 2004 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Everybody's watching us"), Pyramid Records. USA
"El dulce abismo" - 2005 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "Son los sueños todavía")
"Los juglares. La Nueva Trova" – 2005 (Gerardo Alfonso performs "El ilustrado caballero de París" and "Son los sueños todavía"), EGREM. Cuba
Collaboration with Kepa Junkera, Basque artist at Estudios Abdala, 2007.

Gerardo says: "I was a restless child, I had many physical and intellectual concerns. I would climb trees, throw rocks, but I was always eager to learn, read, draw. I liked to collect stamps, cacti, coins. I played various children's games of the time," the singer-songwriter recently assured the Perfiles program.

"My mother is a doctor and learned guitar for six months. I remember sitting watching her until I fell asleep. My older sister studied piano. We lived in the Reparto Eléctrico and she gave classes in the Calvario, it was obligatory that she take me."

"In the neighborhood I had the direct influence of popular, folk music. In many communities of San Miguel del Padrón there are African, Yoruba, Santería, Abacuá beliefs; and ceremonies of that type were constantly being held. Children attended as part of the family and I was assimilating organically and naturally the Cuban clave, guaguancó, rumba, those expressions intrinsic to me," he continued.

"Thanks to my sister, I had the privilege of witnessing events not appropriate for my age, such as coming-of-age parties, with music by Paul Anka, The Beatles. For me all music is good, I liked Aurelio Reynoso, Meme Solís, Los Bucaneros, Los Zafiros, and also Anglo-Saxon music. That influence went parallel with my childhood activities and that fundamental concern of wanting to be a singer took root," Gerardo assured.

"My father was an engineer and my mother a pediatrician. We decided that I should study a technical career to have independence. I like physics very much and electroenergy seemed like a phase within that interest I could develop. I started studying it and graduated in 1978. I'll be an artist or a beggar, that was the decision I made when choosing the path of music."

He studied electroenergy, however, the guitar was trapping him irremediably, so rock and folk song became his passion. In 1980 he joined the Cuban La Nueva Trova movement, which united him with prestigious singer-songwriters interested in songs committed to society and their times.

"The first songs I wrote were linked to love. But Havana was not only the stage where I sang, but a symbol, a reference point, an urban sign, although with metaphors and images we were touching a reality that was beginning to move. Reflecting that had an impact and we became more committed to a social discourse framed in the city."

In 1984 Gerardo wrote "Aquí cualquiera tiene," his first song about Havana. "Using as a reference the tenement where I lived, the Hormiguero del Vedado, I made a series of analogies and tributes to such an amazing city. I think of it as an architectural, civic, urban and human entity that cannot be abandoned. We must fight to defend it. I applaud a thousand times the work of Eusebio Leal."

From his inspiration, spontaneity and artistic concern came ochanga and guayasón. "I remember having a conflict before creating it in 1983. On one hand, Anglo-Saxon music with which I've identified since childhood and, on the other, our roots, Afro-Cuban, popular, traditional influence. Then, these two genres emerged to try to resolve the problem."

About the circumstances of how they arose, Gerardo recounts. "One day I was playing guitar in a strange way and a cadence appeared which I called guayasón, which has a bit of rural music, Afro-Cuban folk, Venezuelan joroco. Then I woke up one early morning, picked up the instrument and started playing music that was more bold, rhythmically asymmetrical, and I called it ochanga, a word that came out while I was dreaming."

I tried to introduce them into folk song. Guayasón was successful as support for songs like "Aquí cualquiera tiene," "La Ilusión," and "Son los sueños todavía." But there was no entity to normalize them as genres. When I introduced ochanga, asymmetrical with irregular measures, it was almost unbearable. Public opinion didn't assimilate the new rhythm because singer-songwriter music has another purpose, which is not to be danced to. I suppressed both genres for a long time until I matured the rhythmic concept and the social function of the song. I'm still in that process," he confessed.

In 1989 he makes his first video clip with Danish television. He then participates in the Cuban-Mexican film Hoy como ayer, where he acts and sings. These experiences repeat over and over. Paradoxically, he fails to release his music in Cuba until 1993 with the album Los lobos se reúnen, however, his songs are part of the soundtrack of Havana and the country, included in national and foreign repertoires.

"I don't have the technique or the studio, but I've worked on three films: Hoy como ayer, where I played a supporting role; Calor, a Cuban-Basque film by Luis Alberto García, and La risa de Ochún, whose soundtrack is mine. Now I'm working on the musical production of Rolando Almirante, it's called La Saga de Daniel."

The path of literature is always a present option. "I started writing poetry late, one day I came home from the street, sat down at the computer and started writing."

There are songs that mark him. "I don't know why I have so much apprehension about a theme I wrote in 1982. It has never been a hit nor has it been sung massively. When I perform it, I don't hear anyone accompanying me, everyone goes completely silent and then they applaud. But I perceive that it doesn't go out of style, it passes through all periods, it's like a medium entity between great successes and failures. It goes through the years and I don't know why I'll want to take it somewhere. It's called 'Eres nada.'"

Gerardo cannot renounce the most important things in his life: family and work. "When I was younger I was a street person, now I'm more of a homebody. Most of the time I'm at home spending time with the children, but I always have professional work to do. As you discover new knowledge you realize that you know nothing and you have to learn a lot, that takes up a lot of my time. Having a happy home is important, from there I go out to serve the Nation."

The verses of Gerardo Alfonso dwell on the balconies of the city, in humble neighborhoods, in the worker and the intellectual. His plural, mestizo and profoundly Cuban song is always welcome.