“He was someone who made us see that there were other ways of playing and improvising on the Cuban flute after the charanga”
The Cuban Institute of Music reported this Monday that the national musician José Luis Cortés died, at the age of 70, after a stroke.
The country’s cultural organizations, including the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (Uneac), the Recording and Musical Editions Company (Egrem), the Artex Cuban Key Agency, and others, sent their condolences to the artist’s relatives for this great loss of popular music.
“Just a few months ago we congratulated him on his 70th birthday, today the news of his death hits us hard, Cuban culture has to mourn, a talented fruit of the National School of Art has died, a humble and legitimate son of the Revolution Cuban”, asserted the President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.
Who was Jose Luis Cortes?
The recently deceased artist, better known as El Tosco, was a flutist, arranger, composer, and music producer, who joined the Cuban orchestra Los Van Van directed by Juan Formell, from which he later became independent to create his own, known as NG the Band, in 1988.
Likewise, the interpreter is considered a precursor of the timba, the creator of the new school of singers and flutists of Cuban popular music, who also obtained the National Music Award in 2017.
It is worth noting that his artistic projection transcends musical borders, so hits such as Holy Word, La expresiva, Lelolei, La Tightener, La Bruja, Échale Lemon, La Cachimba and other songs of his authorship are known worldwide.
It should also be added that his talent as an instrumentalist gave him public recognition at various national and international jazz festivals.
“Our Agency is in mourning, José Luis Cortés, one of our founders, dies, a very hard blow for Cuban culture, another major blow for family & friends, rest in peace “Tosco”, that generations of Cubans carry in our souls the rhythm and the sound of your metals”, expressed the Artex Cuban Key Agency.
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.
