Voice of the Waterlily- Our Stories

Well, I'm back and with a new cohost/contributor! today we're talking all about what we can learn from Che Guevara's legendary 1964 speech to the United Nations. Sources: CR's Video Vaults. “Che Guevara Interview. Ireland 1964.” YouTube, 4 Nov. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDRrt5NTNgU. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024. DawnNews English. “Miller Smirks at Journalist Asking about UN Vote Condemning US Embargo on Cuba | Dawn News English.” YouTube, 29 Oct. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIjQodZesvM. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024. Guevara, Che. “At the United Nations.” Marxists.org, 11 Dec. 1964, www.marxists.org/archive/guevara/1964/12/11.htm. The i Paper. “Kamala Harris: I Will Ensure America Has the Strongest, Most Lethal Fighting Force in the World.” YouTube, 23 Aug. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1kh--W4l_w. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024. The White House. “Vice President Harris Has Made It Clear: As Israel Defends Itself, It Matters How.” YouTube, 19 Dec. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWgxNYzVCh0. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024. ALL RIGHTS AND CREDIT GO DIRECTLY TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

He had over 3,000 songs to his name. He was the most popular artists on the island right up until his death in 1965. He told about the life of the common person and the injustices they faced. He was one of, if not the first, exponent of Puerto Rican music in the US. His work crossed over into the Jazz world, and Jazz crossed over into his Puerto Rican music. Almost 30 years before Manteca was recorded, he would travel through Europe and make his way to the United States with Jim Europe’s “Harlem Hellfighters” and mix Puerto Rican rhythms with Jazz. This musical marvel, innovator and trailblazer is none other than ‘El Jibarito’ Rafael Hernandez.

The  jibaro music of Borinquen have always been very close to my heart.   I always heard them and loved them. Their rhythms and sounds took me home (to Borinquen). Even though I have never been to Borinquen this music is a way to connect to, and hear the sounds of my homeland. This music is the music that sings of the conditions that my family did experience in Borinquen. My father always told me that my grandfather loved, the music of Ramito, Luisito, and Moralito. My father always instilled a love of the Musica Jibaro. Every year on my grandfather’s birthday we play the Jibaro Music he loved, for him. I think about the Grandfather, who I never met but I have always known, every time I listen to Aguinaldos and Jibaro music. So, in today's show we will be celebrating the talent of Ramito, Moralito and Luisito, some of the most well known Jibaro singers of Puerto Rico.  Songs: De Los Trece Tres Amor Y Patria  Lo Que Tu Tierra Produce  Soy Boricua Hasta El Pelo Sol Boricua Alla En La Altura  Boricua Como Tú Que Bonita Bandera  El Amanacer  El Tambor de Mi Plena  A Desde Mi Tumba  El Jardinero Lamento Campesino La Mujer Boricua  Mi Ultimo Deseo Arboles de Mi Tierra  Romances y Flores 

While he is scarcely mentioned, Chivirico Davila's voice can be heard on the records of Orlando Marin, Joey Pastrana, Rafael Cortijo, Kako Y Su Combo, Joe Cuba, Johnny Pacheco, The Alegre All Stars and Richie Ray. His proficiency as a sonero and bolerista alike often goes unnoticed and understated. 28 years after his passing we'll be remembering and honoring his legacy here on Voice of the Waterlily Songs: Ritmo Bembe (with Orlando Marin) Esta de Bala (with Orlando Marin) Pastrana Llego (with Joey Pastrana) El Sopon (with the Alegre All Stars)  Yenyere Jala-Jala (with Richie Ray) El Champolon (with Johnny Pacheco) Yo No Bailo Con Juana (with Cortijo, Kako) Que Le Paso (with Cortijo, Kako) Mirame  Perfidia Que Mas Puedo Pedir Mala Noche  El Babalao Luna Lunera  Mar Y Cielo  Enamorado Asi

Israel López, better known as Cachao was the co-creator of mambo, bandleader, double bassist, composer, and arranger. One of his and his brother Orestes’ greatest innovations was Mambo; livening up a classical Danzon, with afro-Cuban rhythm, as Cachao termed it “turning the ship 180˚”. You'll hear all about this and more in this week's episode.  Songs: Sorpresa de Faluta El Niño Toca el Tres  Controversia de Metalles Isora Club Descarga Cachao Buenaventura  Ko Wo Ko Wo At Ti No Te Falta Nada  Mi Guajira

Welcome to part 3 of our celebration of Women In Latin Music.  Often we think there aren't many women in Latin Music, however this couldn't be farther from the truth. Lack of promotion and rampant misogyny in the music industry lead us to believe this. Tune in right here on Voice of the Waterlily and hear all about 16 more phenomenal and talented women who don't receive nearly enough recognition!  Verdad Amarga - Elvira Rios  Miel Amarga - Eva Garza Tuya Soy - Maria Alma  La Flor De Canela - Chabuca Granda  Me Llaman Rumbera - La India del Oriente  Es Tarde Ya - Sylvia Rexach Preciosa - Virginia Lopes  Eres Sensacional - Lucy Fabrey Canalla - Blanca Iris Villafañe La Siguaraya - Teresa Garcia Caturla Las Caras Lindas - Susana Baca Mama Regla - Caridad Cuervo Este Amor Que Se Muere - Beatriz Marquez  Homanaje A Las Soneras - Choco Orta

This is part of a series of short stories I have written recently. I felt it was prescient to share it now as it deals with themes of humanity, the environment, joy, grief and hope. I hope you enjoy reading it! This is a completely fictional story that takes inspiration from many real life events. Read it HERE Song: Gracias a la vida — Mercedes Sosa

When you hear this it will be September 28th and I’m thinking about Víctor Jara. He would have been 92 today. You may think I make more drama over this singer than is warranted, but for me and many many others around the world Víctor Jara is the symbol and embodiment of so much more. He’s much more than a singer and much more than a symbol of human rights violations. He is more than the way he died.  Víctor Jara is the embodiment of what it means to be a revolutionary singer, a man of peace whose power of communication was greater than any bullet, which is why 51 years after his murder we remember his voice, he hear his voice above the bullets and it continues to guide us and inspire us. My purpose today is to celebrate Víctor Jara, to give thanks that he lived, and uplift his work once again. As we move forward, I can only hope that we can all do justice to Víctor’s memory not only by remembering him and all of the victims of the dictatorship, but also by using our voices to speak up for peace, justice and freedom, against imperialism, colonialism and brutality wherever we see it, because if Víctor was alive today, that’s exactly what he would be doing, I have absolutely no doubt. Songs:Jai Jai El Lazo La FondaDeja la vida volar Desprendimiento del angelitoEl Derecho de Vivir en Paz con el poncho embravecido A cochabamba me voy La BalaEl AradoCuando Voy al Trabajo Vientos del PuebloManifiestoALL RIGHTS AND CREDIT GO DIRECTLY TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS.NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

Orlando Letelier’s only crime was being part of and defending the legitimate government of Chile, that of Salvador Allende, his actions earning him a year long detention and severe torture. This didn’t break him or stop him, Orlando moved to the united states and became the most vocal and prominent chilean exile fighting against Pinochet’s rule, further incurring the wrath of the US backed dictator. The story that follows is one of the most overlooked acts of foreign terrorism in US history, terrorism that is tied to US interventionism in South  America.Special 48th anniversary commemorative episode. Songs:Al centro de la injusticia - Isabel Parra Manifiesto - Nano Stern Con el Alma Llena de Banderas - QuilapayúnEl Derecho de Vivir en Paz - Banda Conmocion, Roberto Marquez Vientos del Pueblo - Víctor Jara Audio clip sources:DemocracyNow!Chile: Promise of freedomALL RIGHTS AND CREDIT GO DIRECTLY TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS.NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

Ep. 130I often talk about Chilean revolutionary song here on the podcast. Its close to my heart, not because of any personal connection to that beautiful country whatsoever, but because their history, music and culture is deep in my heart and I have deep admiration for the struggles, successes and achievements. I often talk about nueva cancion and its suppression under Pinochet as well, but what happened in Chile was not unique. The US history of interventionism is long and continues to grow longer even in this present moment. The history of fascism attempting to destroy art and culture is also long. These dictatorships understand that music and art holds an immense power of communication. Many of these dictatorships began actually suppressing their own cultures and traditional music and art. In Chile, we have perhaps the most severe case of artistic suppression, the murder of Víctor Jara as well as his records and many others being banned, Pablo Neruda’s books were burned and it was illegal to sing revolutionary songs. In Spain Franco officially banned Catalan and other languages from school and public spaces. Revolutionary artists suffered exile simply for singing about the reality of their people, yet they became part of the strong international community that not only brought attention to the atrocities being committed, but also played a role in ending those dictatorships with their tireless work and denouncements of their atrocities. Today we will be celebrating what many would call “protest music”, however I, like Víctor Jara, prefer the term “revolutionary song”, from around the world. All of these artists faced various consequences for their activism and We need this inspiration right now, we actually need more revolutionary song after all, no hay revolucion sin canciones, so at this time let us take inspiration from these courageous and talented artists, starting of course in Chile. But who start with, Chile has such a rich diversity of Nueva Cancion, of course we start with Víctor Jara, a man who paid the ultimate price for simply singing the truth. We start in Chile especially seeing as this is the month of memory in Chile, a commemoration, a celebration of memory and a vigil to all those whose lives were taken. Victor Jara — ManifiestoIsabel Parra — En Septiembre Canta el Gallo Quilapayún — Mi Patria Illapu — Nuestro Mensaje Los Jaivas — Un Mar de Gente Manuel Garcia — El Viejo Comunista (live)Atahualpa Yupanqui — Camino del Indio Víctor Heredia — Sobreviviendo Mercedes Sosa — Gracias a la Vida Daniel Viglietti — Declaración de amor a Nicaragua/Con Nicaragua [with Benedetti]Ramon Pelegero Sanchis (Raimon) — Diguem NoPhil Ochs — Santo Domingo (the marines have landed on the shores of) [note] Andres Jimenez — Libertad y SoberaniaEl Hormiguero — Calle 13Silvio Rodriguez — La MazaPablo Milanés — canción por la la unidad latinoamericano Carlos Puebla — Y en eso llego FidelQuilapayún, Inti Illimani - El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido

I’ve always wondered how a person can quote Lolita Lebron and extol the virtues of Albizu Campos while simultaneously conforming to and defending the political structure of the United States Empire and its politicians. The cognitive dissonance within our community seems to have recently surged with the current discourse around this election and its implications. I have seen people, some of whom routinely quote and praise Puerto Rican revolutionaries, exalt the “leadership of the united states, particularly Joe Biden and now Kamala Harris. Simultaneously, I have also found it shocking that some people in our community cannot find it in their hearts to be in solidarity with their fellow oppressed people. There are those who have told me, well, what about us? We should focus on ourselves. These are two groups in our community that I have been observing recently and I find it prescient to talk about them here today. Songs:Pedro Redentor - Andres Jimenez A Puerto Rico - Andres Jimenez El Pueblo Unido - Quilapayún Mosaico de Plenas Patrióticas - Andres Jimenez ALL RIGHTS AND CREDIT GO DIRECTLY TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS.NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

Remembering Chilean singer-songwriter, nueva canción icon and advocate against Pinochet's human rights abuses; Ángel Parra.Ángel is just one member of the incredible and illustrious Parra family whose contributions to Chilean music and culture have been enormous.Me Gustan los EstudiantesMeta BalaPobre del CantorCancion de Patria NuevaCuando Amanece el DiaUnidad PopularCompañero PresidenteHasta SiempreGuitarra en Duelo MayorCanto a Mi AmericaVientos del PuebloAllende PresidenteQue Vas a Hacer?La LibertadALL RIGHTS AND CREDIT GO DIRECTLY TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS.NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

What I will be reading today is Vladimir Ilyich Lenin’s revisions to the party doctrine. Lenin had recently returned from exile at this point. He returned to Russia on April 16, a month after the Tsar’s abdication, after which he wrote the April Theses, where he raged against the provisional government as bourgeois and said that Russia was in the first stage of revolution, the next steps would need to include placing power in the hands of the proletariat. There’s a lot of other things that he calls for as well such as agrarian reform, the abolition of police and the wages of all officials to be the same as common workers, it’s overall an interesting set of directives. I mention it to place what I will be reading today in the context of the time. The Tsar was out of power, Russia was not yet communist, Lenin was back from exile, and the country was in turmoil, a lot of violence and uncertainty. Just a few months after this document was written, the October Revolution would take power and bring to power the first government based on the teachings of communism. Russia would become the first socialist country in the world. The first to go beyond the theory and take action. A grand experiment indeed. But why am I reading this today? And on’t I know about all the atrocities committed by the soviet union? Wasn’t Lenin a bad person, an evil dictator, a killer and a tyrant? According to many and mainstream media yes, according to historical evidence and research, not really. I’m not here to say the soviet union was communist utopia, it wasn’t. I’m not here to say the USSR never committed any atrocities, they certainly did. I’m not here to say things were done perfectly, they were not. What I am here to do is paint a picture of the intentions of someone like Lenin and show that an immense amount of good was done by the soviets. I think we should first remember that there was no democratic tradition in Russia, there was never a democracy there. It’s rather rich to call Lenin a dictator when the guy before him was a Tsar! If anything Soviet Russia was more democratic than anything that Russians had ever known before it. ALL RIGHTS AND CREDIT GO DIRECTLY TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS.NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

An exaltation of folkloric tradition and the poetic laments of an exile, these two statements sum of the life and music of Uruguayan singer-songwriter Alfredo Zitarrosa.SONG LIST:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3sJj2CSpfrwwjfaYFFsP1z?si=78d74787905047aa ALL RIGHTS AND CREDIT GO DIRECTLY TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS.NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

At times I feel like I am loosing my sanity, like I can’t hold it together anymore, after all we can cannot normalize the times we are living through and what we are witnessing, this takes a massive toll on our minds and emotions and spirits. One of the things holding me together through all of this has been music. Especially revolutionary song, of all kinds. And that of course has me thinking about the power of revolutionary song and art of all kinds, the commercial music industry and how it tries to co-opt this expression of the people and the trap of “representation” in media and politics. This is what I want to talk about today. A Luis Emilio Recabarren - Inti Illimaninuestro mensaje - IllapuEl Necio - Silvio Rodriguezsolo digo compañeros - KaraxúEl Pueblo Unido - VentisckaALL RIGHTS AND CREDIT GO DIRECTLY TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS.NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

Víctor’s music reflects many things…a love for humanity, his own life experiences and the lives of regular people, the poor, the farmers, the laborers and artists that are often overlooked and forgotten. The people who make the country run, the people most exploited and forgotten among us. Víctor immortalized not only the archetype of the farmer, the laborer, the peasant but he also immortalized many individuals. Roberto Ahumada, Miguel Ángel Aguilera, Angelita Huenuman, the people senselessly killed in Puerto Montt in 1968 simply murdered for occupying the land of a rich family in southern Chile or Herminda, the baby killed where a Santiago poblacion named after her was built. These names would sadly be lost to time if it were not for Víctor’s songs which encourage us to discover who the real people were behind his lyrics.​Manifiesto ​La luna siempre es muy linda ​Preguntas por puerto Montt ​Te recuerdo Amanda ​Angelita Huenuman​Cancion de cuna para un niño vago​El lazo​Plegaria a un labrador ​Con el alma llena de banderas ​Ni chicha ni limoná​Herminda de la Victoria ​El arado ​Cuando voy al trabajo​Vientos de pueblo ​Que lindo es ser voluntario ​El derecho de vivir en paz ALL RIGHTS AND CREDIT GO DIRECTLY TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS.NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

I had a full circle moment recently. It was about this time last year, a cloudy day, drizzling.  I was wearing a wool sweater too, not the same one, but similar. I was moody and sad, both days. Last year, that day, I first listened to “Manifesto”, Victor Jara and I will say again, it changed my life. This past year has changed me as a person, and that moment when I first heard that beautiful voice and that guitar, I could feel the change. It was a song that I felt I had heard my entire life, yet a song I had never heard before. This year, I finally after having known about him for months, actually I first heard listened to Phil Ochs for the first time. And I had a similar reaction to “I ain’t marching no more”. I was struck by more than Ochs’ voice or the lyrics of the song, I was struck by poignant, relevant and sincere his music was. As I listened to more of his music, I was amazed at just how applicable they are to everything happening now, from US militarism, foreign policy, racism, western liberalism and revolution, all things Ochs sang about. I knew it was significant for me to come upon Ochs’ music at the time I did. I almost regretted that I hadn’t found his music just a tiny bit sooner, so I could have played his “Love me, I’m a liberal” on my recent show about Western liberalism.Today we will talk about Phil Ochs, his music, how it so perfectly talks about what is happening today and much more.Songs: What’s That I Hear Spanish lament Remember me Talking Vietnam blues Talking Cuban crisis Too many martyrsThe thresherI ain’t marching anymore Draft dodger rag Talking Birmingham Jam Here’s to the state of Mississippi There but for fortune I’m going to say it now Ringing of revolution Santo Domingo Love me. Im a liberal Canons of Christianity. The war is over Changes When I’m Gone ALL RIGHTS AND CREDIT GO DIRECTLY TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS.NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

In September of 1970 rightwing Chilean media baron Agustín Edwards Eastman traveled to Washington DC to meet with CIA director Richard Helms, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and President Richard Nixon. They discussed plans to overthrow the then newly elected government of Salvador Allende.This was just one part of the sinister role that Chile's wealthiest and most powerful media baron played in the events of the 11 September 1973.Songs:Plegaria a un labrador - Víctor Jara, QuilapayúnCon el alma llena de banderas - Quilapayún Encuentro con la vida - IllapuALL RIGHTS AND CREDIT GO DIRECTLY TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS.NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.

I was perusing the internet the other day when I came across the music of Spanish pop sensation Niño Bravo and his song “Un Beso y Una Flor” and I absolutely loved his voice and the style of the song, that dramatic 1970’s baroque pop sound. I of course looked him up and found out that one of his most famous songs, “Libre”, was played while political detainees and political prisoners in Chile were tortured by Pinochet’s regime. I’ll let that sink in for a moment.  I was immediately horrified especially when I found out that the song was originally written against Franco’s regime in Spain. So I realized that this song written against fascism was actually hijacked by it. It disturbed me, especially when I actually listened to the song, there was such a crazy contradiction there, this passionate song about freedom and the idea that people were tortured to the sound of it. That really messed with my head. Because I liked the sound of the song, yet I was revolted by the idea of it being used as a fascist anthem and the soundtrack of torture. Naturally this set up a wild contradiction inside of me.  So naturally I wrote a story and now I'm reading it for you!

I’ve been running into never ending problems with the western liberals recently, especially about the genocide in Gaza. This election cycle we are being presented with a supposedly democratic choice which is really no choice at all; between a racist, orange menace and maniac, or a genocide enabling geriatric psychopath. And the establishment is calling on us to chose between these two revolting individuals. Meanwhile the western liberals are telling us that we must vote for Biden, the genocide enabler and supporter. I want to unpack all this here today.