- published: 10 Dec 2015
- views: 6657471
Baila is a form of dance music popular on the island of Sri Lanka. The genre originated centuries ago among the 'kaffir' or Afro-Sinhalese communities (mixed communities of Portuguese, African and native Sinhalese people) and was later amalgamated with European instruments and eastern and western rhythms, especially rhythms found in Spain and northern European folk music.
Baila music, though popular as a folk art for centuries in the country, was introduced to Sri Lanka's mainstream during the early years of the 1960s when singer Wally Bastian (who was also a police officer), began adapting the 6/8 'kaffirhina' rhythms to accommodate Sinhala lyrics. By the 1970s, owing largely to the contributions of musicians MS Fernando and Maxwell Mendis, baila had grown to become a recognized (and respected) style of Sri Lankan popular music.
The term "baila" is adapted from the Portuguese verb "bailar" meaning "to dance". The popular baila singer Wally Bastian was known as "Father of Baila in Sri Lanka." There is a popular baila song by Saman de Silva in tribute to him.[citation needed]
Enrique Iglesias (born Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler; May 8, 1975) is a Spanish singer, songwriter and occasional actor, popular in both the Latin market and the Hispanic American market in the United States. He is the son of the famous Spanish singer Julio Iglesias. Within five years of beginning his musical career in the 1990s, he became the biggest seller of Spanish-language albums of that decade. He made his crossover into the mainstream English language market before the turn of the millennium, signing a multi-album deal with Universal Music Group for an unprecedented US$50,000,000 with Universal Music Latino to release his Spanish albums and Interscope to release English albums. In 2010, he parted with Interscope and signed with another Universal Music Group label, Universal Republic.
Iglesias has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best selling Spanish language artists of all time. He has had five Billboard Hot 100 top five singles, including two number-ones, and holds the record for producing 22 number-one Spanish-language singles on the Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks. He has also had ten number-one songs on Billboard's Dance charts, more than any other single male artist. Altogether, Iglesias has amassed 55 number-one hits on the various Billboard charts. Billboard has called him The King of Latin Pop and The King of Dance. Billboard also named Enrique the number two Latin artist of the years 1986–2011 (Luis Miguel taking the first spot).
Descemer Bueno (b. 1971, Habana Vieja) is a Cuban singer, composer, and producer. His first professional gigs were playing bass with Santiago Feliú, one of Cuba’s greatest troubadours.
Bueno studied music in Cuba and became a music teacher before forming his jazz combo band Estado de Animo in 1990, which also included guitarist Elmer Ferrer and pianist Roberto Carcassés. His band encountered some success during the 90’s touring in Spain, Bolivia, Uruguay, Germany, and Argentina. Descemer also performed in the United States in 1998 with the jazz ensemble Column B.
During this period, Bueno was artist-in-residence at Stanford University in California, and spent a year teaching at the University of South Africa in Cape Town. In 1999, after moving to New York, Bueno became active in his hip-hop band Yerba Buena writing or co-writing most of the songs for their debut album "President Alien". Yerba Buena songs can be heard in several American movies and Pepsi commercials.
Bueno soon moved back to Cuba and began producing, arranging, and composing music for many young Cuban musicians including Haydée for Haydée Milanés, La Isla Milagrosa for William Vivanco, and Breathe for Yusa. He also composed part of the music for the film "Havana Blues", being in the group of winners of the 2006 Goya award for Best Original Music.. Several of Descemer's songs were in the soundtrack of "Habana Eva" (2010) by Venezuelan director Fina Torres, which won Best Film at New York International Latino Film Festival [1], and Best Film at Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival [2].