(WSVN) -- Jose Angel Navarro can do things with a guitar that most of us could never imagine.
Carlos Cardenes, Angel's cousin says, "In Cuba they had to write a new music system so they could read the music for the type of music that he plays."
Angel is a wizard with the musical instrument .. but he has not mastered English yet.
So his cousin Carlos told us how Angel learned to play the guitar in Cuba ... On his own.
He says, "There is no musician in his family. His actual study was civil engineering so he never took music as in a music school or going to an academy."
And learning on his own may be why Angel is so unique .. able to make his guitar imitate every sound on the planet.
While living in Cuba, Angel put out several CD's and became a huge hit in Europe.
But as a Cuban citizen ... He never got a dime from the record sales.
Carlos says, "He had to give a percentage to the institute of Cuban Music."
The rest went to the record company and the Cuban government.
In other words into Fidel Castro's pocket.
Carlos says, "There is an account where this money is received. Obviously, they have never given him a number or a password or anything to find out where his account stands."
But things recently got better for angel ... He escaped to the U.S.
Carlos says, "He had a concert in Mexico. He had various concerts and then his visa was to expire. He asked for an extension of his visa and they told him no. Cuba told him no."
So he walked across the border ... And freedom.
Exciting, till he saw he was once again being ripped off ... That his music was being sold here in America and once again he was not getting a dime.
Carlos says, "I went into the internet and there is over 30-40-50 sites that I checked over night where all his records have been sold, even in Japan."
As we all know living in the land of the free and home of the brave ... Costs money.
But angel wasn't getting his royalties .. and has to watch his work produce money for castro ... So he called Help Me Howard to see if he can correct this wrong
7-News Legal Expert Howard Finkelstein says, "Because Cuba is a communist government they can sell the record all over the world and not give Angel any money. But there is a solution. Record a new album with new songs .. under a new label --- and Castro can't do a thing about it."
Help Me Howard wanted to find out what Angel's record contracts said .. and whether they specifically spelled out that all his money went to Castro's Cuba.
The record company never returned our phone calls.
Howard says they can keep selling Angel's old albums in the U.S. ... But that doesn't mean people have to keep buying them.
Howard says, "Surprisingly under a amendment to the Helms Burton Law .. Castro can profit from sales of music in the U.S...He is doing it in this case. The best thing for Angels fans and Castro's opponents, stop buying the old CD's and wait to for Angels new cd to come out."
Angel is now working on his new album. An album that will benefit him. And not the Communist government down in Cuba.
Cuban Guitarrist Jose Angel Navarro says, "I would like to play for the American people. I would like so much for the American people to know my music."
Angel is negotiating with record companies to produce his new album. When its available you can find out at his web page.
Howard says Angel could sue to get money from his old records. All he would have to do is prove Castro stole his music and gave him nothing in return.
But even if he won ... The odds of Fidel Castro sending him a check ... Slim to none. So its probably best to move on.
Someone stringing you along ... Want to make them sing a different tune? Contact us. Hopefully our response will be music to your ears.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: pfraser@wsvn.com
Angel's Web Site
joseangelnavarro.com
