Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna ( born July 16, 1948) is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres. As songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of Central American nueva canción and Cuban nueva trova as well as experimental tempos and political inspired Nuyorican salsa to his music, creating thinking persons' (salsa) dance music. Blades has composed dozens of musical hits, the most famous of which is "Pedro Navaja," a song about a neighborhood thug who appears to die during a robbery (his song "Sorpresas" continues the story), inspired by "Mack the Knife." He also composed and sings what many Panamanians consider their second national anthem. The song is titled "Patria" (Fatherland).
Latin, Salsa, Latin-Jazz
Escenas is the 1985 album by Ruben Blades with appearences of Joe Jackson and Linda Ronstadt.
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"Greatest Hits Special 2 Record Set" is a compilation album of Ruben Blades, produced by Jerry Masucci and released in 1983.
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Maestra Vida: Primera Parte is the first Salsa Opera and was the project by Ruben Blades.
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Nothing but the Truth is the first album sung in English by the Salsa singer Ruben Blades. Lou Reed was guest musician and the album was produced by Tommy Lipuma.
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