Carlos Barbería began his career in Havana, Cuba in the 1950s playing night clubs such as Monmatre and Tropicana. An early album titled "Carlos Barbería and his Orquestra" featured singer Yvette De La Fuente who performed with the band during the mid-1950s in Havana. "Besame Mucho" which was later recorded by the Beatles and the 2008 recording by Luis Miguel "La Gloria Eres Tu" were two of the songs on the album.
In his day Barberia was very talented and a great host. In Havana he met the famous Ava Gardner. That same night the actress invited him out; she loved the way he conducted his orchestra, the way he would wear the "habanera", a typical Cuban shirt.
During the 1970s and 1980s Barbería led a Cuban big band, Orquesta Kubavana, in New York. Artists who performed with him included Paquito D'Rivera

Paquito D'Rivera

Paquito D'Rivera is a Cuban alto saxophonist, clarinetist and soprano saxophonist. The winner of multiple Grammys and other awards, D'Rivera has lived in the United States since the early 1980s. He has worked in a variety of contexts, but is perhaps best known for playing Latin...

, Willy 'El Baby' Rodríguez (who also sang with Sonora Matancera

Sonora Matancera

La Sonora Matancera is a long-time band. Led by guitarist and vocalist Rogelio Martínez, La Sonora Matancera has been called, by the Guinness Book of World Records, "the group with the longest duration."...

), and Meñique (who also sang with Charlie Palmieri

Charlie Palmieri

Charlie Palmieri was a renowned Bandleader and musical director of salsa music. He was known as "The Giant of the Keyboards".-Early years:...

).http://www.groovecollector.com/groove_guide_artist/2/1336/carlos-barberia-y-su-orquesta.html as well as a featured performance by Yvette De La Fuente.

Chevere, the 1975 Discolandia release from Carlos Barbería y su Orquesta Kubavana, Rodolfo Manzano, Leonardo Rubino, and Miguel Menedez on trumpets, Al Cobb on trombone, Vicente Prado, Roberto Perez, Howard Johnson

Howard Johnson

Howard Johnson may refer to:*Howard Johnson's, a chain of hotels and restaurants*Howard Deering Johnson , founder of Howard Johnson's restaurants* Howard David Johnson, , American painter...

, and Max Lucas on saxes, Elio Martinez on piano, Bobby Rodríguez on bass, Sammy Leon on congas, Julio Perez on bongos and timbales, and the voices of Juan Coronel and Tito Contreras.http://solarlatinclub.blogspot.com/2009/04/carlos-barberia-y-su-orquesta-kubavana_19.html

In 1980, Carlos Barbería y su Orquesta Kubavana recorded Rarezas del Siglo featuring Rolando 'Ruso' Aguilo, Ike Acometa, E. Suarez 'Jaruco,' Jesús Silva, and Mario Bonafede on trumpets, Marco Katz

Marco Katz

Marco Katz plays trombone and arranges and composes music for Band, Brass quintet, and other musical ensembles. Reviewer Adam Gaines writes, "Katz's compositions are a real highlight of the disc...

on trombone, Vicente Prado, Mitchel Endick, and Maxwell Lucas on saxes, Elio 'Pepsi Cola Martínez on piano, Cucho Martínez on bass, Rolando Diaz on conga, Marcelino Valdés on bongos and timbales, and the vocalists Tito Contreras, Meñique, and Willy "El Baby" Rodríguez.http://www.descarga.com/cgi-bin/db/13238.10?yjB748Ed;;458http://laotrasalsa.blogspot.com/2008/03/carlos-barberia-y-su-orquesta-kubavana_22.html