When Albita's parents, Cuban folkloric performers themselves, gave Albita a guitar for her 15th birthday, she was pursuing an unengaging career in aviation mechanics.

Páez recorded the album alone on-stage with his piano; half the selections are duets with Spanish and Cuban performers.

Still, she won't condemn the passions, and she agrees with the message: Money for Cuban performers is money for Mr. Castro.

Some of the Cuban performers later released well-received solo albums and recorded collaborations with international stars from different musical genres.

Somebody has to be the voice of the people who are tired of all this,' she said of the protests against Cuban performers.

It would apparently be the largest mass defection of Cuban performers ever.

A more auspicious climate has greeted Cuban performers this year.

Many Cuban performers of popular music do not use it either.

Ending an arduous yearlong journey, 50 Cuban performers were granted political asylum this week after what is believed to be the largest group defection of Cubans in American history.

He can be seen greeting fans and proudly discussing his acquisitions: vintage record albums featuring top Cuban musical performers of the 1950's, smiling in night-black tuxedos on the covers.