The American musician and producer Paul Cohen, husband of the Mexican singer Lila Downs, died on Wednesday at the age of 63 in Oaxaca, the artist has reported through social networks. The saxophonist also became an inseparable artistic companion of Downs, since in 1994 they produced the singer’s first album together, Offering, a creation now discontinued, of which barely 1,000 copies were published. Despite the fact that this work went practically unnoticed, it marked the beginning of a rich musical production that has raised Downs as one of the best singers in Mexico, whose popular culture has been reflected in her repertoire, has led her to win a Grammy award and five Latin Grammys and being considered the musical heir to Chavela Vargas.
Downs has mourned the death of his life partner in a statement posted on their social media, without informing about the causes of death. “Paul, musician, father and loving husband, shared life with singular joy,” the statement read. “May his magic and peace always shine in our memory,” adds the note, which is accompanied by a photo of the musician playing the sax in a concert. Cohen was part of the musicians who accompany Downs on her tours and her death comes at a time when the artist has begun promoting her new album, Lilac Downs. From Fine Artsa compilation of 17 of his hits.
Cohen and Downs managed to form a prodigious musical duo. After another two launches with little success (Azulao: Live with Lila Downsof 1996, and strokes1998), achieved great success after the publication of the sandungaan album published with EMI in 1999. The album includes a song written by both artists, I’m afraid of loving youa romantic ballad that seems like a declaration of love between the couple: You are so close to me at all times / that I no longer feel my heart. After that first great victory (success among the public and critics), the artist’s career took off with force. In 2001 they repeated the success with The line and after several years of standing out among the public, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States crowned his career with a Grammy for sins and miraclesone of the most critically appreciated Downs and Cohen albums, which includes the song mezcalitowritten by the couple, which has already become a classic by the Mexican artist.
The couple, who met in the United States in the 1990s, moved to Mexico and started a family with two children, Benito and Vanessa. After reporting Cohen’s death, Donws has received expressions of affection from important Mexican artists. “Dear Lila Downs, I am here to pray for Paul, your beloved, your ally. I send you lots of light and my love. We are going to miss a great musician.” wrote on her Twitter profile the actress and singer Regina Orozco. The family has reported that Cohen’s funerals will be held in an intimate setting. “There will be a time to fire Paul, but for the time being he will now be private,” Downs said.
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