Abelardo Barroso
Encyclopedia
The singer Abelardo Barroso Dargeles (Havana
, 21 September 1905 – 27 September 1972) was the first sonero mayor (lead singer of the son) to be recognized as such by the Cuban public. He was the lead singer of the Sexteto Habanero
from 1925, recorded with the Sexteto Boloña in 1926, and joined the Septeto Nacional
de Ignacio Piñeiro
in 1927. With each of these top bands he made a string of recordings in New York
, and for the rest of his life his voice was in demand.
In 1929–1930 he joined the stage variety group Salmerón, with whom he toured Spain. Returning to Cuba in 1931, he joined the Orquesta Ernesto Muñoz. In 1933 he founded the charanga
López–Barroso with Orestes López
. He appeared alternately with this band and with the Sexteto Universo, and in 1935 founded the Sexteto Pinin. There followed spells with the bands of Andrés Laferté and Everado Ordaz before, in 1939, he joined the important charanga Maravillas del Siglo and performed on Radio COCO. During the 1940s he worked at the cabaret Sans-Souci until 1948, when he directed and sang for the National Police Band. Finally, set up his own band, Orquesta Sensación, another top-class charanga. They won the Disco de Oro for a recording of En Guantánamo and Arráncame la vida. With La Sensación he appeared in Miami in 1957 and in New York, 1959 and 1960. He retired in 1969.
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, 21 September 1905 – 27 September 1972) was the first sonero mayor (lead singer of the son) to be recognized as such by the Cuban public. He was the lead singer of the Sexteto Habanero
Sexteto Habanero
The Sexteto Habanero was a famous Cuban musical group which was founded in 1920. It played an important part in the early history of the son.In 1917 four musicians from Oriente, calling themselves Cuarteto Oriental, recorded four numbers for Columbia Records in Havana. The numbers are listed in a...
from 1925, recorded with the Sexteto Boloña in 1926, and joined the Septeto Nacional
Septeto Nacional
Septeto Nacional , or the Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro, is a group credited with expanding the Son musical style before Arsenio Rodríguez. It added the trumpet to percussion, vocals, and strings. The group started as a sextet in 1927 in Central Havana...
de Ignacio Piñeiro
Ignacio Piñeiro
Ignacio Piñeiro Martínez was a black Cuban musician and composer whose career started in rumba, and flowered in the rise of the son. He was one of the most important composers of son music; in total he wrote about 327 numbers, mostly sones.Piñeiro was a brilliant rumbero who worked with musical...
in 1927. With each of these top bands he made a string of recordings in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and for the rest of his life his voice was in demand.
In 1929–1930 he joined the stage variety group Salmerón, with whom he toured Spain. Returning to Cuba in 1931, he joined the Orquesta Ernesto Muñoz. In 1933 he founded the charanga
Charanga
Charanga is a term given to traditional ensembles of Cuban dance music. They made Cuban dance music popular in the 1940s and their music consisted of heavily son-influenced material, performed on European instruments such as violin and flute by a Charanga orchestra....
López–Barroso with Orestes López
Orestes López
Orestes López was a Cuban musician and bandleader, often credited with popularizing the musical form Mambo, together with his brother Israel "Cachao" Lopez....
. He appeared alternately with this band and with the Sexteto Universo, and in 1935 founded the Sexteto Pinin. There followed spells with the bands of Andrés Laferté and Everado Ordaz before, in 1939, he joined the important charanga Maravillas del Siglo and performed on Radio COCO. During the 1940s he worked at the cabaret Sans-Souci until 1948, when he directed and sang for the National Police Band. Finally, set up his own band, Orquesta Sensación, another top-class charanga. They won the Disco de Oro for a recording of En Guantánamo and Arráncame la vida. With La Sensación he appeared in Miami in 1957 and in New York, 1959 and 1960. He retired in 1969.