Barbarito Torres
Encyclopedia
Bárbaro Alberto Torres Delgado, best known as Barbarito Torres (b. Matanzas
, Cuba
, 1956), is a Cuba
n musician
best known for his work with the Afro Cuban All Stars and the Buena Vista Social Club
. Torres plays the laúd
, a traditional Cuban instrument of the lute
family that is most associated with the Guajiro
genre. He currently tours world wide with the band Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club.
and becoming a permanent member of Orquesta Cubana de Cuerdas. He became musical director for Celina Gonzalez's Grupo Campoalegre and worked with some of Havana's most prominent musicians.
In the 1990s, Torres began working the Afro Cuban All Stars which led him to be included in the Buena Vista Social Club ensemble. Torres went on to play a prominent role playing on both records and performances for the group, featuring in the 1999 movie also titled Buena Vista Social Club
. Barbarito has since released solo works including Havana Cafe, which featured a number of the players that had been featured in his previous ensembles, including Ibrahim Ferrer
and Omara Portuondo
.
He has become renowned for his virtuoso solos on the Laud, which often include playing the instrument behind his back.
Matanzas
Matanzas is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. It is famed for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore.It is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas , east of the capital Havana and west of the resort town of Varadero.Matanzas is called the...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, 1956), is a Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
best known for his work with the Afro Cuban All Stars and the Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
The Buena Vista Social Club was a members club in Havana, Cuba that held dances and musical activities, becoming a popular location for musicians to meet and play during the 1940s...
. Torres plays the laúd
Laúd
The word laúd is the Spanish word for lute. It is most commonly used to refer to a plectrum-plucked chordophone from Spain. It belongs to the cittern family of instruments. It has six double courses , similarly to the bandurria, but its neck is longer...
, a traditional Cuban instrument of the lute
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
family that is most associated with the Guajiro
Guajira (music)
Guajira is a musical form which evokes a rural ambience in its texts, instrumentation and style.In the years around 1900 a style of guajira emerged in association with Cuban music theater, especially as composed by Jorge Anckermann.This genre had some similarity to the criolla and, to a lesser...
genre. He currently tours world wide with the band Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club.
Biography
Torres played in a series of military bands during the 1970s, before settling in HavanaHavana
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...
and becoming a permanent member of Orquesta Cubana de Cuerdas. He became musical director for Celina Gonzalez's Grupo Campoalegre and worked with some of Havana's most prominent musicians.
In the 1990s, Torres began working the Afro Cuban All Stars which led him to be included in the Buena Vista Social Club ensemble. Torres went on to play a prominent role playing on both records and performances for the group, featuring in the 1999 movie also titled Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club (film)
Buena Vista Social Club is a documentary film by Wim Wenders about the music of Cuba. It is named for a danzón that became the title piece of the album Buena Vista Social Club.-Synopsis:...
. Barbarito has since released solo works including Havana Cafe, which featured a number of the players that had been featured in his previous ensembles, including Ibrahim Ferrer
Ibrahim Ferrer
Ibrahim Ferrer was a popular Afro-Cuban singer and musician in Cuba. He performed with many musical groups including the Conjunto Sorpresa, Orquesta Chepin-Choven and Afro-Cuban All Stars...
and Omara Portuondo
Omara Portuondo
Omara Portuondo Peláez is a Cuban singer and dancer whose career has spanned over half a century. She was one of the original members of the Cuarteto d'Aida, and has performed with Ignacio Piñeiro, Orquesta Anacaona, Orquesta Aragón, Nat King Cole, Adalberto Álvarez, Los Van Van, the Buena Vista...
.
He has become renowned for his virtuoso solos on the Laud, which often include playing the instrument behind his back.
See also
- Ibrahim FerrerIbrahim FerrerIbrahim Ferrer was a popular Afro-Cuban singer and musician in Cuba. He performed with many musical groups including the Conjunto Sorpresa, Orquesta Chepin-Choven and Afro-Cuban All Stars...
- Rubén González (pianist)
- Compay SegundoCompay SegundoCompay Segundo was a Cuban trova guitarist, singer and composer.-Biography:...