Breathtaking Pete Seeger Guantanamo Video Released

A Henry Wadsworth Longfellow relation, an award-winning singer songwriter, released a project Wednesday based on the popular Cuban folk song, Guantanamera and dedicated to the life work of the late Pete Seeger, with beginning hallmarks of a viral music video.

While the video is by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s relative, this humanitarian, Stephen Fisk is a poet in his own right, giving expression and insights through his music, writings and presence wherever he goes.

At a meeting of Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace (ICUJP), when Guantanamo prison was discussed, Reverend Ignacio Consuela suggested, “Fiske should write new lyrics to Guantanamera reflecting closing Guantanamo.”

“I took the challenge,” Fiske said in an email today. ”When I first heard the song, Guantanamera, performed by Pete Seeger many years ago — it was a lifting, romantic melody that immediately captured me — unforgettable. 

“I feel his spirit with this project.”

A multitalented individual, dedicated to peace, humanitarian, environmental and spiritual concerns, Fisk has always found expression through his artistic pursuits. 

It was a popular song in Cuba, descriptive of the writer’s romantic vision of a young woman of Guantanamo. 

With support of ICUJP, Fiske and videographer Robert Corsini completed producing the music video below.

Over the years, the song became the framework for poets and musicians to express themselves.

“Often the expressions reflected a romantic closeness to the land, solidarity with common people and those who are less fortunate and oppressed, social sentiments, as well as capturing the tonality and melodic beauty of the place,” Fisk wrote.

Any righteous human being of conscience and some semblance of humanity would condemn the nightmare of Guantanamo. – Stephen Fisk

“Guantanamo Prison represents the lowest levels that human intention and endeavor can reach. The violence, the war consciousness, the torture, the inhumanity, the violation of rights, the damage of the spectacle to our international relations, the cost in dollars, and the emotional and psychological cost to the collective consciousness of humanity should never be what a democracy creates.

“Guantanamo sits like a cancerous tumor metastasized through the military/industrial/corporate system, which builds empire through the war machine. Any righteous human being of conscience and some semblance of humanity would condemn the nightmare of Guantanamo.

Since Fisk’s first album, Seeds of Peace, was released in 1980, through his present tenth CD, Basketball Scene, he has established himself as an inspired performer and veteran poet/spokesman of the times.

An award-winning singer/songwriter, Fisk has authored the poetic and philosophical handbook, The Art of Peace, A Personal Manual on Peacemaking and Creativity (New Paradigm Books), now in its second printing. The Art of Peace also features 40 of Stephen’s drawings. 

A long time student of peace and advocate of non-violence, Fisk was the former director of The Institute For Peace Studies and coordinator of the Peacemakers Camps/Retreats of the l980′s.

He is now producer of the annual Peace Sunday/Peace Fest event in Los Angeles and a coordinator of the Culture of Peace monthly educational series sponsored by the Unity-and Diversity World Council.

Man Who Regognized His Calling

Fisk’s a native of New York City. His mother was an opera singer and voice and piano teacher, and his father was a writer/editor. Fisk flourished in the arts and at the High School of Music and Art, becoming a self taught guitarist, composing his own original songs.

An outstanding athlete, Fisk attended NYU on a basketball scholarship, majoring in art. Music, however, was his calling,

In 1968, Fisk went to San Francisco and formed an acid-rock band called The Bycycle. After two turbulent years in the rock scene, Fisk embarked on his solo career. He became a traveling troubadour-minstrel man. 

Since then he’s performed widely, entertaining and uplifting audiences with his insightful, poetic and often humorous songs and stories. His music has been featured in various films and videos, and he has written for, sung and done voice-overs on TV and radio commercials. In addition to producing his own music, Stephen has produced music for other artists and projects, and has produced events and videos.

Most recently, with videographer Robert Corsini, Fisk co-produced the documentary, A Clear Mission, that won Best Short Documentary at the Interfaith Harmony Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Fisk raised a family of three children with his wife Nikki. He’s been a yoga teacher, a basketball coach, an avid backpacker/mountaineer, and lecturer and workshop leader.

He has written, produced and performed his one man musical theater piece, Minstrel Man at the Electric Lodge Theater in Venice, California to enthusiastic audiences.

Fisk has won numerous awards, including the 1994 International Peace Music Award, and his songs have been recorded by Luther VanDross and Jose Feliciano, among others.

“Thank you for reviewing this video,” he wrote in today’s email. “Listen and watch and share it in your communities and circles, support peace and justice efforts, go to gatherings, and remember how Pete would say, ‘Sing it Out’.

Here’s Pete Seeger’s rendition and attribution:

“As President Obama inches closer to his pledge to close Guantanamo, may this work serve as some small catalyst in that direction.”

Source: Stephen Longfellow Fiske: [email protected]  - www.stephenfiskemusic.com