CubaPLUS Magazine

Cuba’s National Prize of Music 2017 was awarded to Jose Luis Cortes "el Tosco" (the rough), in recognition of his rich artistic career and contributions to the Cuban culture. 

The jury, integrated by Digna Guerra, Adalberto Alvarez, Cesar Pedroso, Beatríz Marquez, and Juan Piñera, emphasized how difficult was the choice because the work’s quality of the aspiring musician to this important prize. 

Alvarez highlighted the outstanding artistic career of Cortez, not only as musician, but also in other facets like the pedagogy, referring to the flute and song academies created by Cortés, who considered as "an integral artist". 

Through phone call the founder of NG la Banda (New Generation the Band) knew about his choice to the prize, gesture which he thanked and pointed out as a gratitude to the Cuban popular music and its cultivators. 

This, he said, it is another small granite which enhances to that extraordinary mountain known as dance popular music, this gesture makes me stronger and honourable to continue representing to the genre, and as long as the people love me there will be Tosco for a long time. 

José Luis Cortés is one of the foremost figures of the Cuban’s popular music, considered developer of the Timba (dance genre), and together with his orchestra, NG the Band, one of the most visible face of known as the salsa boom during the 90s. 

Graduated from the National Art School in the flute specialty, is also a successful composer, arranger and producer who before founds its own musical group, he was a member of Van Van orchestra, directed by Juan Formell, and Irakere orchestra, an all start association, founded and directed by the master Chucho Valdés.