Luis Mariano Carbonell. Santiago de Cuba. July 26, 1923

Declaimer, one of the most outstanding personalities of Cuban culture, teacher of various generations of artists, remarkable declaimer of folkloric poetry and customs stamps.

Rigor, persistence, talent, criolla grace, color and above all, a strong willingness are the prominent features for Luis Carbonell, undoubted master of the verb and faithful promoter for the best values from Cuban, Caribbean and Latin American literature.

As member of a seven-children family, he grew watching his mother teaching poetry to her older sisters. She was, undoubtedly who influenced the most in his career and life.

On 1985, he recorded three records via Cubaney and EGREM having a wide commercialization abroad. His ''La mulata, ñañigo al cielo y otros poemas" is currently having a favorable commercialization in Dominican Republic where Carbonell has been largely appraised.

El Acuarelista de la poesía antillana ( The Aquarellist of Antillean Poetry) as he is internationally well-known in the artistic world due to his rhythmical and peculiar way of expressing the poetical works, has a deeply knowledge of music, specially violin and piano, such contents join a rhythmical percussion sound to conform a well-equipped whole of his art.

Carbonell's artistic life is entwined with other Cuban culture`s luminaries citing: Esther Borja, Ernesto Lecuona, Bola de Nieve and Rita Montaner, with which he shared national and international scenes, taking to diverse publics the genuine Cuban art and promoting the National Poet of Cuba's poetry, Nicolás Guillén.

His art is appreciated in different countries mainly in Latin America, highlighting Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic where, like in Cuba, he was honored for his 80 birthday.

One of his favorite concern is the study of History. Besides poetry, he loves music very much, because it allows him to imprint rhythm to his poetry, with the perfect use of clave in the percussion sounds.

He has been distinguished with Félix Varela Order, Distinction for National Culture and Raúl Gómez García Medal, receiving also the 2003 National Prize of Music.


Source: Cubarte Newsletter. Luis Carbonell: Tesón, talento y voluntad de un jerarca. Author: Urbino Amaya Acosta.