Rubén Blades

Shows

Episodes

  1. 5 strategies for starting something new

    01/23/2023

    5 strategies for starting something new

    There’s an intimidating blank page. A blinking cursor staring you down. A looming deadline for a project you haven’t touched. Sometimes, starting something new is the hardest part of the creative process. In this episode, you’ll hear from 5 creative people in 5 different fields offering 5 different strategies for how to start something new. Featuring novelist Ann Patchett on “The Dutch House,” Pixar director Domee Shi talking about “Turning Red,” “Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz, the designer Thomas Heatherwick, and salsa legend Rubén Blades. Follow along (with transcript and photos) at sparkandfire.com. Subscribe to the Spark & Fire weekly newsletter for images, stories and creative prompts: http://eepurl.com/hkmyMr See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    19 min
  2. 5 ways to handle creative conflict

    03/30/2023

    5 ways to handle creative conflict

    Creative conflict can destroy a work-in-progress — or it can push your work beyond good to great. What matters is how you respond. We’re going to hear from 5 creators in 5 very different fields who share actionable strategies (and great stories) about how to recognize, resolve, and harness conflict to create work that is visionary. Featuring “Frozen” songwriters Kristen Anderson Lopez and Robert Lopez, actor and comedian Cristela Alonzo, choreographer Bill T. Jones, salsa legend Rubén Blades, and “Queen’s Gambit” producers Bill Horberg and Allan Scott.  Listen to the full episodes that inspired this mixtape: “Frozen” songwriters Kristen Anderson Lopez and Robert Lopez: https://sparkandfire.com/frozen/  “Cristela” creator Cristela Alonzo: https://sparkandfire.com/cristela/  “Afterwardsness” choreographer Bill T. Jones: https://sparkandfire.com/billtjones/  “Pedro Navaja” songwriter Rubén Blades: https://sparkandfire.com/rubenblades/  “Queen’s Gambit” producers Allan Scott and William Horberg: https://sparkandfire.com/queensgambit/ Follow along (with transcript and photos) at sparkandfire.com/ Subscribe to the Spark & Fire weekly newsletter for images, stories and creative prompts: http://eepurl.com/hkmyMr See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    23 min
  3. Rubén Blades Wasn’t Supposed to Be a Salsa Star

    10/10/2023

    Rubén Blades Wasn’t Supposed to Be a Salsa Star

    For roughly half a century, the singer Rubén Blades has been spreading the gospel of salsa music to every corner of the globe, but his status as an music icon was anything but assured. Despite having an interest in music at an early age, the Panamanian-born Blades was pursuing a law career. But when the tumultuous political climate in Panama forced his family into exile in the United States, Blades found his way back into the music industry—through a record-company mailroom. “My diploma was not accepted by the Florida Bar, so I didn’t know what to do. I felt useless,” Blades tells The New Yorker’s Graciela Mochkofsky. “Then all of the sudden I thought of calling Fania Records, which was the biggest salsa label at the time.” Through the subsequent years, Blades came to recognize the power of salsa as a vehicle for people from disparate backgrounds and ideologies to find “common ground.” “My goal from the beginning was not to become famous or rich,” Blades says. “My goal from the beginning was to communicate, to present a position and create a conversation.” Mochkofsky talks with him about serving in the Panamanian government and about his lengthy career as an actor; outside the Americas, more people might know Rubén Blades as Daniel Salazar on “Fear the Walking Dead” than as a living legend of salsa.

    29 min
  4. Portrait Of: Rubén Blades

    01/03/2023

    Portrait Of: Rubén Blades

    Rubén Blades is a singer, songwriter, actor, lawyer, and politician. He was born in Panama and became a New Yorker in 1974. After four decades in the public eye and some of the best-selling records in salsa history, his unique storytelling across music styles has kept him relevant to this day. Latino USA sits down with the author of the popular song “Pedro Navaja” to discuss highlights of his monumental career. This episode originally aired on October 2018. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    34 min
Rubén Blades on Apple