RYU & TOSCO
A Bond Born in the Special Period
Early 1990s. It was the “Special Period” in Cuba—a time of great hardship following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the midst of this era, two men met: Ryu Murakami and José Luis Cortés “Tosco.” Together, they created countless recordings and unforgettable concerts.
I feel their meeting was destiny, like two souls pulling together exactly what they needed. Their bond was incredibly strong. Interestingly, a scene from Ryu Murakami’s debut novel, Almost Transparent Blue, feels like a “foreshadowing” of their meeting—as if their friendship was written in the stars long before it happened.
Ryu has written extensively about TOSCO in his liner notes and essays. What I present here is a glimpse of those writings, filtered through my own perspective on their unique connection.
I believe the friendship and collaboration between these two became a vital piece of Cuban music history in the 1990s.
I hope you can feel the deep bond that existed between them.
The New World Beat
A Guide to Pleasurable Cuban Music
(Excerpt from “The New World Beat: A Guide to Pleasurable Cuban Music,” 1993)
“He is my dear friend; we call each other brothers. José Luis is a bandleader, songwriter, composer, arranger, and flutist (as well as a singer, dancer, and baritone saxophonist). He is world-class in every role, but as a flutist, he is undeniably a genius—the best in the world, beyond anyone’s reach.
Countless times, while spending time with him, I’ve thought, ‘So this is what true talent looks like.’ Because he doesn’t care about pleasing others, people in Cuba sometimes misunderstand him as a ‘conceited renegade,’ but at his core, he is incredibly kind.
When we recorded the album Love Is Always Unknown with Xiomara Laugart in Havana, he was the musical director and did a perfect job. I mean ‘perfect’ in the truest sense of the word. Trained in the classics and playing jazz with effortless ease (almost as if mocking it), he is a true child of music. Yet, I heard that as a young boy, he truly struggled to choose between becoming a fisherman or a musician.
Today, the fusion of Afro and European sounds—the ‘New World Beat,’ the music that comes after the classics—exists only within José Luis Cortés. When I tell him this, he always smiles shyly, but he clearly carries that pride within him.
I love his favorite phrase: ‘Don’t mess with me, I’m amazing.’“
Written in The Stars
Almost Transparent Blue (1976)
" just you go play the flute, I’ll sell some smack and buy you a good flute with the money."
Realized
“The Man” who called “TOSCO”(1994)
私がプレゼントした楽器でこの天才が演奏し続けると思うと、生きのびていく希望さえ持てるような気がしたのだ。
Esperanza (hope)
KYOKO(1995)
ホセが教えてくれたダンスが、まるで生きもののように、わたしのからだにあるからだ。
“Tosco”
José Luis Cortés
Born on October 5, 1951, in Santa Clara, Cuba, and passed away on April 18, 2022, at the age of 70. He was affectionately known as “Tosco.” His nickname, which means “rough” or “gruff,” reflected his blunt and straightforward personality. As the leader of NG La Banda, he perfected the musical style known as “Timba.” Today, José Luis Cortés is revered by the Cuban people as a legendary musician.
Two of NG La Banda’s masterpieces, Cabaret Panorámico | Échale Limón (1993) and La Bruja, were produced by Ryu Murakami. The track “Murakami Mambo” is featured on the Cabaret Panorámico album.
To learn more about the man behind the music, please read Ryu Murakami’s liner notes on the pages for [Cabaret Panorámico] and [The Man Called Tosco].
