The prizes were the prelude of the Cubadisco Festival to be hosted by the
eastern province of Santiago de Cuba from May 14-22.

Granma newspaper said Monday that the first Special Prize was granted to
“Rompiendo la rutina” (EGREM) for highlighting Cuban cultural heritage as Cuban singer Omara Portuondo rescues the repertoire of Paulina Alvarez (Cienfuegos, 1912-Havana, 1965), known as the Empress of Danzonete.

So was the case of “Parrandeando entre las lomas” (Bis Music), winner of the second Special Prize. The album is a compilation of the Parrandas (carnivals) of Florencia and Los Sanchez, from the countryside in the central region, created thanks to the research and production of musicologists Sonia Perez Cassola and Patricia Tapanes.

Because of the lucid way in which Cuban and African sounds were mixed resulting in a balance between the traditional and the contemporary, the third Special Prize went to Afrocubism (World Circuit). In the record, Cuban musician Eliades Ochoa and the band Patria, featuring Malian singer and masters of Mali folkloric instruments Djelmady Tounkara, Toumani Diabate, Bassekou Kouyate, Lassana Diabate and Baba Sissoko achieved an “exceptional sound,” Granma said.

The fourth Special Prize was awarded to the audiovisual collection of didactic games by Bis Music featuring Cuban singer songwriter Liuba Maria Hevia and playwright Carlos Alberto Cremata.