Mauricio Callejas has a new single that will be available for streaming on June 16 as well as a brand new video clip that will be released the same day on YouTube.
After a successful virtual media tour in many countries with “Olor Habana”, now it is the turn of this romantic ballad that wraps up the EP “Trópicos” released locally in Austin during the fall of 2024. Now the entire EP will be available on all streaming platforms.
Notes:Acompáñenos en una noche especial en Cuba512 con boleros, nueva trova y la presentación del más reciente sencillo del cantautor Mauricio Callejas “Olor Habana”. Tendremos la fortuna de contar con la percusión del maestro Alexey Montero de Cuba, Mauricio Ernesto en el bajo, Teresita Ramos en voces y Mauricio Callejas en la guitarra.
“Olor Habana” is a song about the scents and aromas that are an integral part of Havana’s landscape, and how they are inseparable elements of the beautiful memories I have from my visit. It took me about 25 years to finish and record this song. Musically, it evokes the classic sounds of Cuban Cha Cha and Danzón, describing what I perceived and saw during my long walks through the city.
I wrote the melody for this song right after my trip at the beginning of this century, but I could never finish writing the lyrics. I even wrote a blog entry ten years later about this creative quest to find the right words for its melody. It wasn’t until last year, when I had already booked the studio and the musicians to record it, that I was able to finish the lyrics and express what I wanted to say about that experience. We went into the studio, and I could not be happier with the results.
Produced, engineered, and mastered by JP Berreondo, it features the piano of Johnathan Montes from Puerto Rico, Yonathan “Morocho” Gavidia from Venezuela on drums, Oskar Cartaya from Puerto Rico on upright bass, and Isaac Peña from Austin, TX on trumpet. Lyrics, music, mixing, and co-production by Mauricio Callejas.
