Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mid-1960s made Blades increasingly patriotic. For a brief period he refused to sing in
any language other than Spanish.
Blades has not shied away from politically charged lyrics. In 1980 he became em-
broiled in controversy over his song 'Tiburon,' which used the shark metaphor to de-
scribe American political and military intervention in the Caribbean. It was eventually
banned on Miami radio. In the '80s Blades experimented with a fusion of Latin, rock,
reggae and Caribbean music while simultaneously completing a masters degree in inter-
national law at Harvard University and breaking into Hollywood.
The same year he formed Los Seis de Solar, Blades got his first acting role in the film
The Last Fight
(1983). Portraying a singer-turned-boxer, Blades' character seeks to win
the championship against a fighter who was portrayed by the real-life world champion
boxer Salvador Sánchez. In the years to follow, Blades appeared in a string of movies in-
cluding
The Milagro Beanfield War
(1988),
The Two Jakes
(1990),
Mo' Better Blues
(1990),
The Devil's Own
(1997) and
Cradle Will Rock
(1999). However, his most mem-
orable performances were in Paul Simon's Broadway musical
The Capeman
(1997) and
in the cult movie
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
(2003).
After a mediocre stint in national politics as the Minister of Tourism, Blades has re-
turned to the music scene, rapping with Puerto Rican sensation Calle 13 in 'La Perla,'
just to keep it real.
Jazz
Jazz was brought to Panama from the US and found a welcoming home. It can be heard
in many clubs in Panama. The jazz composer Danilo Pérez is widely acclaimed by
American and European jazz critics. He has recorded with many jazz greats from around
the world and now serves on the faculty of the Berklee College of Music in Boston,
USA.
Reggaetón & Beyond
These days reggaetón permeates all social levels in Panama. Like rap, reggaetón spread
from the urban poor to conquer all social strata, though at its heart it's a youth trend. Key
artists include Danger Man, who died in gang violence, the romantic ballads of Eddie
Lover, alt-cool Los Rakas and the artist known as Flex, who has also been very popular
in Mexico. From Colón, Kafu Banton is a popular reggae star.
Rock 'n' roll, in both English and Spanish, is played on most Panamanian FM radio
stations, and some decent bands play it in Panama City clubs. For classic rock, Los
Rabanes is considered Panama's most well-known sound.
