Panamanian singer and songwriter Rubén Blades acknowledged that with the death of compatriot and trumpeter Victor “Vitín” Paz, the world is losing “a titan of music, an example of iron discipline and dedication to perfection.”
“The Titan of the Trumpet and one of the best musicians in the world, leaves us as a legacy his seriousness, professionalism and his quality to serve as an example, now and always,” Blades said on his social networks.
Paz, always considered a “living legend” of Panamanian music, who accompanied great artists such as Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and Las Estrellas de Fania, among others, died last Saturday at the age of 89, without knowing the cause of his death. . .
Blades regretted that Paz “moved to the other neighborhood” and confessed that it is “difficult to write about the departure of loved ones, week after week.”
The Panamanian composer and film actor indicated that in an environment “as competitive” as New York, where he developed much of his artistic career, “Vitín” “gave up the trumpet seat, and his excellence takes brought admiration and respect from all his colleagues, plus access to opportunities to join bands that usually did not hire Latin musicians. ”
He emphasized that “when the best trumpet was needed, the phrase was: ‘look for Vitín'”.
Author “Pedro Navaja” remembers Paz as “an eternal student of his instrument” who “practiced daily throughout his life” without allowing “fame to make him forget that only discipline can help create and sustain excellence.” ”.
“He knew that in order to keep his reputation clean, he must always maintain a constant training and study regime and he did so until the end of his days,” said the Panamanian singer, songwriter, actor and composer.
Blades recalls the “” Vitín “of the legend, the one with the perfect solo in (the song)” Puerto Rico “, by Eddie Palmieri, member of the best orchestras, musical accompanist of” Tito “Rodriguez and Frank Sinatra, the narrator of anecdotes, connoisseur of musical truths and possessor of a dry, sometimes stinging humor ”.
He also saves Paz’s friendship with his family as a “musical colleague” who, along with his mother, singer and pianist Anoland Bellido de Luna, was a member of the orchestra of Panamanian musician Clarence Martín and remembers that “Vitín” trumpet with my mother’s voice and not the piano, as is usually done. ”
“I asked him why he did that and he came up with one of his countless exact answers: ‘I’ve heard discordant pianos, men, but I’ve never heard your mother disagree,'” Blades said.
Blades closes his obituary and says thank you to Master Vitin. Here we will continue your route as you advised us; always taking care of “oil”.
“Vitín” Paz was a musician who was on the best stages with relevant artists and singers from Caracas, New York and Panama, be he in theater, salsa, jazz and also in movies like “Mambo Kings” , in which he played the trumpet by the actor Antonio Banderas, according to his CV.
Paz, who has always been the first trumpet player, married and the father of four children – none of them musicians – returned to Panama in 1999 after living in New York for 36 years.
In 2011, the Panama Jazz Festival (PJF) dedicated its eighth edition to Paz for his career in music history around the world.
EFE