When inspiration strikes, Alex Cuba lets his creative ideas flow.
He ensures he records those thoughts or he risks losing them forever.
“We need to capture those moments of truth,” said Cuba. “They don’t come back when they come like that. You need to stop whatever you are doing otherwise they go away.”
Cuba said he hardly sits down to write a song.
“I wait for the inspiration to come to me,” he said.
He records the melodies or lyrics that flow into his mind on his iPhone. Before he purchased the phone he had to call home and leave a message on his answering machine.
“I am a firm believer that it is a gift,” said Cuba about his ability to create music.
He said by waiting for inspiration to strike he is able to deliver something that doesn’t get old and is something that is able to stand the test of time.
Cuba’s music crosses and combines many different types of music and cultural boundaries. He is forging his own Latin soul genre.
The artist has won two Juno awards, in 2006 and 2008, and a SOCAN award in 2009. He received a Latin Grammy Award in 2010 for best new artist and was nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award in the Best Latin Pop Album category.
“We are looking forward to seeing our Nanaimo fans. Come down for some Cuban soul rock,” he said. “We always deliver an upbeat fun very diverse, musically speaking, show.”
Cuba will perform songs from his self-titled album and selections from previous work. The album features Cuba’s first-ever song in English, If You Give Me Love.
It also includes Solo Tu, a mid-tempo rock ballad, and Tierra Colora, a samba-rock-surf-punk tune.
Alex Cuba performs at the gala opening of the Nanaimo Entertainment Centre Wednesday (Oct. 24), 7:30 p.m.
Guitarist Eric Harper opens for Alex Cuba during the gala.
His latest song, Scorpion, is a tale about a scorpion’s nature from its point of view. It explores the self-destructive and reactive nature of the creature. He released his solo-debut album in 2010.
Harper co-scored music for the film Inseparable, directed by Dayyan Eng and composed music for Waiting Alone and the short film Missing Pieces.
For more information please go to www.ericharpermusic.com.
Tickets are available at the door for $28 or in advance for $25 by calling 250-754-8550, online at www.porttheatre.com or at the Port Theatre ticket office, located at 125 Front St.
reporter3@nanaimobulletin.com