Carlos Alfonso and 45 Years of His Band Síntesis

December 20, 2021

"Síntesis is my universe and Ele is its center. The day Ele decides to stop singing, that's where Síntesis ends," Carlos Alfonso reveals in this beautiful declaration of love, regarding the 45 years of the iconic band to which he has devoted himself body and soul as director.

They say that musical groups project the essence of those who lead them. The invariable freshness we find in Síntesis's work is the result of the determination of a respected creator, committed to contributing to his people's heritage.

Perhaps for some it may be difficult to believe that the person whose legacy is based on a balanced fusion of rock timbres with our musical roots knew nothing as a young man except so-called classical music, until the day he was absolutely amazed by a young Silvio Rodríguez on a television program.

Similarly, after so many years, Carlos Alfonso surprises with his euphoria when he recalls the memorable piece Pastilla de menta, by the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna. Thus, from his inclination toward Anglo-Saxon rock on one hand, and his contact with musicians of the Nueva Trova, the quartet Tema iv is born, the precursor to Síntesis.

He is interested in talking about the host of musicians who have left their mark on this undisputed talent-forming academy such as José M. Vitier, Mike Porcel and Pablo Menéndez, among others, in addition to pointing out the collaborations of Silvio and Amaury Pérez.

From such admiration on Carlos's part for artistic rigor comes the durability of Síntesis, considering it as one great indivisible family, where specifically his prestigious sons Equis and Eme Alfonso, each with their own personal trajectories, still return the experienced sap acquired to the current performance of the mother group.

This unlimited confidence in the certainty of the chosen path translates into the strength of a singular musical proposal, also applauded internationally. However, Carlos Alfonso's healthy pride is motivated by having made no concessions, by not having allowed himself to be artistically prostituted to achieve supposed greater transcendence, since he didn't even expect so much from life. All he wanted was to become a Cuban musician who has never stopped dreaming.