The Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club has become the first Cuba-based band to play in the White House for more than 50 years.
The band played at a White House reception on Thursday to mark Hispanic Heritage Month and the 25th anniversary of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. “It is wonderful to have you here, " President Obama said, welcoming the legendary musical ensemble.
Lead by vocalist Omara Portuondo, vocalist/guitarist Eliades Ochoa, Laud player Barbarito Torres, trumpeter Guajiro Mirabal and trombonist Jesús ‘Aguaje’ Ramos the musicians performed their greatest hits, including Cuban classics such as Chan Chan and El Cuarto de Tula.
Meanwhile, the New York Review of Books has just published the first part of the text of a long conversation between the US President and the celebrated American author Marilynne Robinson, whose best-selling novels include Gilead and Home.
President Obama with Marilynne Robinson in 2012 when he presented her with a National Medal of Arts and National Humanities
Obama told Robinson that he loved her books. "Some listeners may not have read your work before, which is good, because hopefully they’ll go out and buy your books after this conversation."
He said that he first picked up the author's novel, Gilead, when he was campaigning in Iowa, where the novel is set. He remarked that there was "a lot of downtime when you’re driving between towns and when you get home late from campaigning."
