(Prensa Latina - Cumbancha) Havana.- The Sociedad General de Autores (General Society of Authors), which has famous artists signed such as Joan Manuel Serrat and Fito Paez, will bring Spanish celebrities Martirio and Punto F., El Cigala and Dominican Victor Victor to the Cubadisco 2004 Fair. Despite the European Union cultural blockade on Cuba, the SGAE will bring 25 outstanding musicians, experts and businesspeople to Cuba´s most important music event from May 23-30 at the Pabexpo Exhibition Center in Havana.

The Festival dedicates its eighth edition to the Caribbean, which will have musicians from 13 countries and 92 independents. The main attractions are the World´s Longest "Son" Song, to feature many orchestras and soloists in a music marathon to set a new Guinness record. Exhibitions, discussions, concerts and tributes to the late Cuban percussionist Guillermo Barreto, the man who along with Walfredo de los Reyes introduced the drums into a Cuban orchestra, is part of the program. The recitals will feature acts such as Victor Victor, Martirio, El Cigala, Chucho Valdés and Cesar López.

Another tribute will be paid to guitarist and composer Leo Brouwer, pianist Frank Fernandez, composer Jose Maria Vitier and tres player Pancho Amat. Precisely the tres, emblematic instrument of Cuban popular music, will be the object of study during these days, paying homage to artists including Arsenio Rodriguez, Isaac Oviedo and Chito Latamblet. Seventy-two albums compete at the Eight Cubadisco Fair for prizes in 20 categories. The nominees include Chucho Valdes, Sergio Vitier, Amaury Perez, Teresa Garcia Caturla, Gerardo Alfonso, Sara Gonzalez, Paulo FG, Ars Longa, Top Secret, Carlos Varela, Polito Ibañez, Aceituna sin Hueso and Wena Onda.