A few months ago, I watched Peter Chang’s Cuba at Union Terminal’s IMAX theater for the first time and became enchanted by its opening music—a lovely, sultry Afro-Caribbean ballad. I tried to identify it afterwards with no success. I watched the film a second time and paid attention to the credits, but they did not list the film’s songs. I couldn’t find anything about it online. Well, this week, I saw Cuba again and memorized some phrases. Lo and behold, the song is “Quizás, Quizás, Quizás,” written by Cuban Osvaldo Farrés but sung in the film’s version by Guatemalan Gaby Moreno. She is flamante.
Here is a live version by Miss Moreno at the Warner Theater in D.C. (which I fondly remember as the place where I would attend The Nutcracker each year at Christmastime).
Music for the living! By the way, I recommend Chang’s IMAX movies. I’ve seen Jerusalem at least a half dozen times and his National Parks Adventure thrice. Along with Cuba, they’re gorgeous. He captures land- and city-scapes magnificently, but his films allow humanity to shine, as well. Chang obviously loves the human face. I heartily recommend his work.