Ibrahim Ferrer

Ibrahim Ferrer in Groningen (2004)

Ibrahim Ferrer Planas (born February 20, 1927 in San Luis near Santiago de Cuba , † August 6, 2005 in Havana ) was a Cuban musician who was best known as a singer .

Career

Ferrer was born on February 20, 1927 in the small village of San Luis near Santiago de Cuba. He was born out of wedlock to Aurelia Ferrer. She died when he was twelve. Since his father was also dead at this point, he had to earn his own living as an orphan without siblings. In addition to jobs as a shoe cleaner and newspaper seller, he also worked as a street musician. A year later he founded the formation "Jóvenes del Son" with his cousin.

In the following years he played in many groups and soon became known nationwide. From 1953 he played in Pacho Alonso's orchestra and moved with it to the capital Havana in 1959 . In 1991 he ended his career first.

It was not until 1996, when Ry Cooder asked him and other Cuban musicians such as Compay Segundo and Rubén González to make a record with him, that Ferrer devoted himself to music again. He reports that Juan de Marcos suddenly stood in front of his door, took him as dirty as he was from shining his shoes into the studio, where Rubén González played the song "Candela" on the piano, which Ferrer had made popular in Cuba. Ferrer began to sing along with it, and Cooder then asked him to record the song.

The album "Buena Vista Social Club", produced by Cooder in 1997, was awarded a Grammy in 1998. The worldwide breakthrough as a solo artist came with "Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer", the first project in the succession of the Buena Vista Social Club success. Wim Wenders ' documentary Buena Vista Social Club (1999), which increased the popularity of BVSC and Ferrers even further, was made during the recording .

In 2004 he finally received the Grammy in the category “Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album” for his album “Buenos Hermanos”. In 2000 he received the Latino Grammy in the category "Best Young Artist".

tomb

Ferrer died shortly after returning from a European tour on August 6, 2005 in a clinic in Havana and was buried on August 8 in the Cementerio Cristóbal Colón cemetery in Havana. He is said to have suffered from emphysema for a long time . He left behind his wife, Caridad Díaz.

On December 1st, 2010 "Buena Vista Social Club" gave a concert for Ibrahim Ferrer under the direction of Ry Cooder in Valencia (Spain). Around 1500 spectators were invited and celebrated the Buena Vista Social Club one last time.

Discography

Studio albums

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)					Remarks
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US
1999	Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer	DE2 gold (27 weeks)DE	AT16 (16 weeks) AT	CH12 gold (36 weeks)CH	UK42 gold (4 weeks)UK	US137 gold (16 weeks)US	First published: May 14, 1999
2003	Buenos Hermanos	DE36 (9 weeks) DE	AT27 (11 weeks) AT	CH18 (11 weeks) CH	UK100 (1 week) UK	-	First published: March 2003
2006	Rhythms del Mundo - Cuba	DE9 platinum (35 weeks)DE	AT55 (3 weeks) AT	-	-	-	First published: November 14, 2006 with Omara Portuondo
2007	Mi Sueño	-	AT53 (2 weeks) AT	CH59 (3 weeks) CH	UK93 (1 week) UK	-	First published: March 26, 2007

more publishments

• 1960: Mis tiempos con Chepín y su Orquesta Oriental
• 1982: Salsón
• 1999: Wed Oriente
• 2000: Tierra Caliente: Roots of Buena Vista
• 2002: Mis tiempos con Chepín y su Orquesta
• 2002: La Colección Cubana
• 2004: Que Bueno Está
• 2005: Ay, Candela

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Spiegelonline: Cuba's singer legend Ibrahim Ferrer is dead
2. ↑ Chart sources: DE AT CH UK US
3. ↑ Awards for music sales: DE CH UK US

Web links

Commons : Ibrahim Ferrer  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Sound carrier by Ibrahim Ferrer in the catalog of the German National Library
• Biography and music of Ibrahim Ferrer in cosmopolis.ch
• Ibrahim Ferrer at Allmusic (English)