The day that Iván Villazón decided to paint a swallow in the form of a song, that same day all the gods gathered to give him their blessing. The same ones who endorsed his trova, when in the cold Bogota mornings he launched himself to stardom, making his beautiful voice known, between partying and partying, leaving behind a career in which his father, Crispín Villazón, had centered all the hopes of the continuity of a life at the service of the community.
IT WAS A WHISTLE
The truth is that young Iván, one day heard the whistle of Rafael Escalona, his father’s dear friend, singing a beautiful song and it got between his eyebrows, that he had to record that tune, and that this was also going to be his great success. He also knew that the road was not easy, because Rafa did not give his songs to just anyone, and even less to a boy who was just emerging in the trade. However clever, he knew that he had everything in his favor to achieve it.
I WAS PREDESTINED
It is that destiny intertwines everything in a skein that weaves point by point, until building blankets of experiences that later cover a whole life, oh, a whole life. And that’s what the boy bet on, determined to make the first stitch with his mother, Clarita Aponte. One day he decided that it was time; She told him what he wanted, explained to him, repeated it to him, practically set it up for them to go to Rafa Escalona, and ask him to let him record that beautiful song that he had released, ‘El rainbow’. “It’s a beautiful thing, mom.” Iván knew of Escalona’s great appreciation for her mother, and he was sure that with the good friend Rafa was, he was not going to say no to his mother.
He was right in his thinking, because Escalona, in addition to loving his parents, owed a debt of gratitude to his maternal grandfather, Pedro Nel Aponte, in whose house in Urumita he lived with ‘La Maye’ for a long time.
Now he lives in Urumita/ Now he lives in Urumita/ in Pedro Nel’s house/ compadre Tomás arrives/ asks for Escalona……
IT SEEMED SOMETHING DIFFICULT
Anyway, Iván did not make it easy for that beautiful and noble lady who was his mother. But what does a mother not do for a child. That was demonstrated when she dared to inform Rafa of the boy’s wishes, waiting for any negative response tempered with affection.
Oh surprise! Rafa said: with great pleasure Clarita, for a son of yours and my compadre Crispin everything. Let him record it and show what she knows.
“Oh Lord! That stubborn boy, daring so much, nothing less than coming out with a new song by Escalona; just like that.” Clara Aponte thought. And she did it, in her first album that bears the same title as the song, together with Alfredo ´Fello´ Gámez from San Juan. From her mouth came the most beautiful ode as she screamed at the top of her lungs:
“paint me a swallow and I’ll tell you if you’re a good painter/it must have a thorn in its beak and a pain in its eyes”
That swarm of wandering swallows flew high, flew far across the entire national geography, in the beautiful voice of Villazón. All those swallows crossed borders; then they were crowned with glory and Escalona knew from the first moment he saw them fly, that he had not made a mistake in giving his spoiled song to Pedro Nel’s grandson.
STARTED THROUGH THE BIG DOOR
That is why I affirm without any doubt that Villazón’s musical career began with a firm step linked from the beginning to the great Rafael Escalona; increasing that affection, gratitude and admiration that ‘Vancho’, as his friends call him, always felt and continues to feel for the teacher.
From there to there, the son of old Crespo became the darling of Rafa Escalona, and could dispose of the song he wanted by the poet from Patillal at will. Since then, those beautiful songs from Escalona were heard in the voice of Villazón, and they continued to travel like a yawn from mouth to mouth, until they reached the mother country, including a sober greeting to the Kings of Spain; the majesty of him Juan Carlos and Sofía; in the voice of the teacher, in the song Paloma San Basilio.
If gratitude was the constant in Escalona’s life, Villazón is not far behind. ‘El Tenor’ does not forget that beautiful gesture of the minstrel with him. He always keeps him in mind in his recordings, he always worships his memory on any occasion and when we his children call him to play Escalona on his anniversaries; Iván Villazón says present.
For Villazón, Escalona never left. For him, the son of Patillal lives forever in the immortality of the soul, together with those swallows that sometimes arrive after a drizzle so that the sun can look at them.
_And then? Asked.
_Villazón responds: Magical. They disappear into thin air, like rainbows.
By: Taryn Stairs
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@Tarynescalona