Early Cuban bands
Encyclopedia
Early Cuban bands played popular music for dances and theatres during the period 1780–1930. During this period Cuban music became creolized, and its European and African origins gradually changed to become genuinely Cuban. Instrumentation and music continually developed during this period. The information listed here is in date order, and comes from whatever records survive to the present day.
based on wind instruments, usually about 8–10 members. At the same time, there were also itinerant musicians, duos and trios: for them, see trova
.
(1800–1872). It played the dance music of the epoch at the balls of the island's aristocracy: contradanza
s, minuets, rigadoons, quadrilles, lancers. It was basically a típica
, or wind orchestra, which was sometimes augmented to 100 players for special occasions such as fiestas
.
Brindis de Salas, a disciple of the maestro Ignacio Calvo, was also a composer of creole danzas and the author of an operetta, Congojas matrimoniales. In 1844 his musical career was interrupted by his involvement in the Escalera Conspiracy, for which whites were absolved, but blacks paid dearly. Brindis de Salas was arrested and tortured. He was banished from the island by the Governor, O'Donnell
. Returning in 1848, he was imprisoned for two years, and when he eventually was free to think about reorganizing his band, he found out that most of them had been executed.
Apart from the operetta, he is known for a melody dedicated to the General Concha, printed in 1854. His son, Claudio Brindis de Salas Garrido
(Havana, 4 August 1852 – Buenos Aires
, 1 June 1911) was an even better violinist, of world renown.
(1825–1877), clarinetist and composer. He moved to Havana, where he played clarinet in Feliciano Ramos's band La Unión in 1856, and directed La Almendares in 1859. It is not quite clear when he formed La Flor de Cuba, which became one of the most popular in the middle of the 19th century. They played contradanzas, and other dances of the time. The orchestra was a típica
, with cornet
, trombone
, figle, two clarinet
s, two violin
s, double bass
, kettle drum, and güíro
. The figle (ophicleide
) was a sort of bass bugle with keys, invented in 1817; the t-bone would be a valve trombone.
They were playing in the Teatro Villanueva in Havana in 1869 when the Spanish Voluntarios attacked the theatre, killing some ten or so patrons who had been watching a bufo (musical satirical comedy), and applauding its revolutionary sentiments. The context was that the Ten Years' War
had started the previous year, when Carlos Manuel de Céspedes
had freed his slaves, and declared Cuban independence. Creole sentiments were running high, and the Colonial government and their rich Spanish traders were reacting. Not for the first time, politics and music were closely intertwined, for musicians had been integrated since before 1800, and "from 1800 to 1840, blacks were the clear majority of the professional musicians". Bufo theatres were shut down for some years after this tragic event.
(trombonist and composer; 1848–1905) after the death of Juan de Dios Alfonso
. We do not know exactly when the name of the orchestra was changed. When Raimundo died in 1905, his brother Pablo became Director. It was, like Flor de Cuba, the most popular típica of its day.
Under Pablo Valenzuela
(cornetist and composer; 1859–1926), the band became one of the earliest to record Cuban music, in 1906 with Edison cylinders (about 40), 1909 with Columbia Records (23) and with Victor (56). The last recordings were in 1919; there were about 120 numbers in all, most of which were danzones. The band dispersed after his death.
by Miguel Faílde
(1852 –1921), the official originator of the danzón
. His band was composed mainly of wind instruments, and therefore was a típica. Its initial members were: Miguel Faílde (cornet); Pascual Carreras (figle); Pancho Morales (1st violin); Juan Cantero (2nd violin); Anselmo 'Frijolín' Casalín (1st clarinet); Eduardo Faílde (brother, 2nd clarinet); Cándido Faílde (brother, trombone); Eulogio Garrido (double bass); Andrés Segovia (timpani); Isidro Acosta (güíro).
The usual changes in personnel meant that by 1903 the personnel included: Eduardo Betancourt (trombone); Alfredo Hernández (2nd violin); Magdaleno Rodríguez (2nd clarinet) and Benito 'Chacho' Oliva (tympani).
This is the band which played the famous Alturas de Simpson, the acknowledged first danzón; it was one of Faílde's compositions. It seems the band made no recordings, and it dispersed in 1921 after the death of its leader.
. Leader: José Alemán (Guanabacoa, 22 December 1846 – Santiago de Las Vegas, 1924).
Alemán was a tailor's cutter in Santiago de Las Vegas and a composer of dance and religious music. He studied music under Pedro Álvarez, and became a double bass player, also a good violinist and pianist. He played double bass in the orchestra of Havana Cathedral, and in the orchestra of Juan de Dios Alfonso.
Orquesta Alemán was a típica or band based on wind instruments. It included Alejo Carillo (cornet); Pedro Espinosa (trombone); Leobino Zayas (figle); Julián Allende (1st clarinet); Ramón Alemán (2nd clarinet); Elias Fuentes (1st violin); Juan Tómas Alemán (2nd violin); Aniceto Rodrígues (timpanist); Quirino Sastre (güíro).
On the death of José Alemán in 1924, the orchestra was directed by his brother Ramón, and there were numerous changes of personnel. The band was active until the 1930s.
. Its members at the start of the 20th century included the following: Perico Rojas (trombone); Patricio Valdés and Andrés Rojas (violin); Martín Caraballo and Miguel Rojas (clarinet); Jesús Urfé (cornet); Ambrosio Marín (trombone); Anacleto Larrondo (figle); Juan R. Landa (double bass); Pedro Hernández (tympani); Leopoldo Castillo (güíro). The band lasted to the early in 20th century.
; güíro and timbales. Probably it had started with a figle, and later substituted the saxophone. They included a piano by 1929.
The group recorded more danzones than any other before 1920. They recorded for Edison (1906), Columbia (starting 1906/7); Victor (starting 1907). The total number of recordings was 315 numbers. Valdés composed many numbers, including La Africana, Lamentos and Yeyé Olube. Some of these recordings are available on CD: four numbers from 1907 (Victor), one from 1916 (Columbia) and one from 1929. Díaz Ayala said:
's danzoneria was one of the first to record, and that profusely. Peña (1880–1922) was a cornetist and composer. This was the second band he organized (the first was called La Juventud): the line-up was: Peña (cornet); Antonio González (trombone); Féliz González (figle); José Belén Puig (1st clarinet); José Urfé (2nd clarinet); Julián Barreto (violin); Alfredo Sáenz (violin); José de los Reyes (tympani); Rufino Cárdenas (güíro) and unknown (double bass).
The orchestra started to record in 1908, and became famous for El bombín de Barreto (Barreto's bowler hat), written by Urfé, which was supposedly the first danzón to incorporate a syncopated third part, influenced by the son. Several members of the band went on to become well-known later on. The group recorded about 150 numbers, some of which are available on CD.
s supplanted the típica as the standard instrumental line-up for the danzón. Initially called charangas francesas (though they have nothing to do with France), they were 'invented' at the start of the 20th century. The formulation is still going strong, with appropriate adjustments to the instrumentation. The basic idea is to pitch the tone of the orchestra higher and brighter than the típica, by removing the brass, replacing the clarinet with a flute and replacing the kettle drums with a new invention, the pailas criollas, now called timbales
. This metal-cased drum, hit with timbales sticks, and not timpani sticks, produces a distinctive effect. The two timbales drums are pitched differently, and may be supplemented with two timbalitos, pitched even higher, and one or two cencerros (cowbells). Also noteworthy is the use of the sticks on the metal casing to produce a rhythm known as the cascara
. From early on these bands also included a piano. The overall effect is to produce a lighter, brighter flavor to the music; who actually originated the idea is not known.
Its director was the pianist Antonio 'Papaito' Torroella, and from the start the band included Papaito Torroella (piano); David Rendón (violin); Faustino Valdés (flute) and Evaristo Romero (double bass). Under the title Sexteto Torroella, the group recorded eight numbers on Edison cylinders in 1906.
(1876–1955), this was for thirty years the most important charanga in Cuba. Romeu had previously played in Orquesta Cervantes, one of several charangas founded at the beginning of the 1900s, and became one of the most prolific composers of danzones. The orchestra recorded hundreds of numbers over many years, beginning in 1915, and issued a whole series of albums after 1950. It is not clear that Romeu was, as sometimes claimed, the originator of the charanga, but it is clear that his band was for many years the leading danzoneria.
The initial line-up for Orchestra Romeu was: Romeu (piano); Feliciano Facenda (violin); Alfredo Valdés (flute); Rafael Calazán (double bass); Remigio Valdés (timbal); Juan de la Merced (güiro): quite a small group.
Much later the orchestra included Francisco Delabart (flute); Augusto Valdés (clarinet); Juan Quevedo (violin); Aurelio Valdés and Félix Vásquez (güiro); Antonio Ma. Romeu (son, violin); Pedro Hernández (violin); Dihigo (trumpet); Regueira (trombone) and José Antonio Díaz (flute). The singers (introduced after the introduction of the sung danzón, known as the danzonete) were, at two different times, Fernando Collazo and Barbarito Diez. In the thirties it had become a big band, and included two brass instruments.
When Romeu died, the orchestra was led for a while by his son, also Antonio María Romeu, then by Barbarito Diez. It still played the traditional danzón, but now was called the Orquesta de Barbarito Diez.
, sent the battalions of the Ejército Permanente away from their native provinces. It was the Permanente from Oriente that brought the son to Havana.
There are a few early recordings which survive from before the famous sextetos were formed. Some of the theatre music was interesting, for example, the Teatro Alhambra had a group of which Adolfo Colombo
was the leading personality. He was a singer and regular recording artist, though few of these recordings have survived. One that has been reissued by Harlequin reveals a funky number which is hard to categorize. Listed as a rumba, it is perhaps best described as a guaracha-son. The artists singing are Colombo and Claudio García, the guitar probably Alberto Villalón
, plus an unknown tres player. All three named players were white, yet the number is creole, almost Afro-Cuban, in style.
Jimenez (1890–1964) formed a son group in Havana. He played the marimbula
, the bongó and the guitar at different times and, despite his physical limitations (dwarfism
), he was a force in Cuban music for half a century. His first group was Hortensia Valerón (vocalist), Manuel Menocal (tres), Manuel Corona
(guitar), Victoriano Lopéz (maracas) and Joaquín Velasquéz (bongó).
In October 1926 the Sexteto Boloña recorded in New York
a set of numbers for Columbia which is available today on the usual media. The line-up for these recordings was, L>R in photograph: José Vega Chacón (guitar, 2nd voice), unknown (maracas, 1st voice), José Manuel Incharte 'El Chino' (bongó), Abelardo Barroso (sonero, claves), 'Tabito' (double bass), Alfredo Boloña (tres, leader).
The group split up in 1935.
in Havana. At least one of these records has survived, giving two numbers, which are probably the first surviving sones. The new grouping called itself Sexteto Habanero in 1920.
Its line-up (below) was: back, L>R: Guillermo Castillo (guitar and director), Carlos Godínez (tres), Gerardo Martínez (voz prima y claves); front, L>R: Antonio Bacallao (botija), Oscar Sotolongo (square bongó) and Felipe Nerí Cabrera (maracas).
The instrumental set-up is interesting, because they use some of the original instruments of the son: the botija and a unique square bongó. Soon this (and other) groups appreciated that the double bass
was a musically more suitable instrument: they never went back to the botija. Five years later, the group had new members and a different look. L>R below: Agustín Gutierrez (bongó), Abelardo Barroso (sonero, claves), Felipe Nerí Cabrera (maracas, vocals); Gerardo Martínez (double bass, vocals, leader); Guillermo Castillo (guitar, vocals), Carlos Godínez (tres, vocals).
The group's recordings in New York 1925-26 are available on LP and CD. The music is of high quality, considering the technical limitations of the time; the group won first prize in the Concurso de Sones in 1925 and 1926. When the group added a cornet, soon replaced by a trumpet, it became the Septeto Habanero. This latter line-up lasted until the late 1930s, when sextetos were ousted by conjuntos and big bands. The leader, Gerardo Martínez then formed a new group, Conjunto Típico Habanero.
and Miguel García. It went to New York and recorded numbers, but the group lasted only about 18 months. Its set-up was typical of the early son groups. Below, back: Maria Teresa Vera (guitar), Ignacio Piñeiro
(double bass), Julio Torres Biart (tres); front: Miguelito Garcia (clavé), Manuel Reinoso (bongó) and Francisco Sánchez (maracas).
, Oriente, 2 February 1864 – ?) worked as a tailor, and studied music under the Spanish maestro Magín Torres. Avilés, director and clarinetist, formed the orchestra with relatives and other musicians, and, eventually, his thirteen children. Later still, he engaged other younger relatives. He and some of the other band members fought in the Cuban War of Independence
in the Ejército Libertador.
The band is unusual in several respects. It started as a típico, then became a charanga, then became (in the 1940s) what Cubans call a 'jazzband', meaning, a big band. The band has always been based in Holguín, and scarcely ever left Oriente. It is still organized around family members. It is now called Orquesta Hermanos Avilés.
, son and guaracha
. The instruments included tres
, marimbula
, kettle drums or pailas criolla (timbales
). This instrumental line-up prefigures that of the sextetos which appeared later, rather than the older típicas. The members would be based on university students, probably reinforced by talent from other quarters. Similar Estudiantina groups were formed in other provincial towns.
Giro gives this set-up as characteristic of Estudientinas: two tres, 1st and 2nd; two guitars; one trumpet; botija
or double bass; paila (timbal); cencerro (cow-bell); güiro; three singers, 1st, 2nd and falsetto
, and maybe both sexes. It is clear that estudientinas in different parts of Cuba had variations in membership, instruments and repertoire.
, musician and musicologist, who has been working on this topic for many years. Others have explored the history of jazz and Latin jazz from the U.S. perspective. The pre-history of Cuban jazz includes musicians like Louis Moreau Gottschalk
and W.C. Handy, who visited Cuba and brought creole ideas into their music.
The Jazz Band Sagua was founded in Sagua la Grande
in 1914 by Pedro Stacholy (director & piano). Members: Hipólito Herrera (trumpet); Norberto Fabelo (cornet); Ernesto Ribalta (flute & sax); Humberto Domínguez (violin); Luciano Galindo (trombone); Antonio Temprano (tuba); Tomás Medina (drum kit); Marino Rojo (güiro). For fourteen years they played at the Teatro Principal de Sagua. Stacholy studed under Antonio Fabré in Sagua, and completed his studies in New York, where he stayed for three years.
The Cuban Jazz Band was founded in 1922 by Jaime Prats
in Havana. The personnel included his son Rodrigo Prats
on violin, the great flautist Alberto Socarrás
on flute and saxophone
and Pucho Jiménez on slide trombone. The line-up would probably have included double bass, kit drum, banjo
, cornet at least. Earlier works cited this as the first jazz band in Cuba, but evidently there were earlier groups.
In 1924 Moisés Simons
(piano) founded a group which played on the roof garden of the Plaza Hotel in Havana, and consisted of piano, violin, two saxes, banjo, double bass, drums and timbales. Its members included Virgilio Diego (violin); Alberto Socarrás
(alto sax, flute); José Ramón Betancourt (tenor sax); Pablo O'Farrill (d. bass). In 1928, still at the same venue, Simons hired Julio Cueva
, a famous trumpeter, and Enrique Santiesteban, a future media star, as vocalist and drummer. These were top instrumentalists, attracted by top fees of $8 a day.
All these bands no doubt played Cuban music as well as jazz, but there are few recordings of them playing jazz. There can be little doubt that these early ventures built up a stock of Cuban musicians that were at home with both genres. That led eventually to the Latin jazz fusions of later years.
Típicas
For about a hundred years, from early in the nineteenth century to about 1920, the main orchestral format for popular music was the típicaOrquesta típica
Orquesta típica, or simply a típica, is a Latin-American term for a band which plays popular music. The details vary from country to country. The term tends to be used for groups of medium size in some well-defined instrumental set-up.- Argentina :In Argentina, a típica is a tango orchestra...
based on wind instruments, usually about 8–10 members. At the same time, there were also itinerant musicians, duos and trios: for them, see trova
Trova
Trova is one of the great roots of the Cuban music tree. In the 19th century a group of itinerant musicians known as trovadores moved around Oriente, especially Santiago de Cuba, earning their living by singing and playing the guitar...
.
Orquesta Concho de Oro
Founded early in the 19th century by the black violinist and double bass player Claudio Brindis de SalasClaudio Brindis de Salas
Claudio Brindis de Salas Monte was a black violinist and double bass player who directed the most famous Cuban dance orchestra of his day. His band, the Concho de Oro , founded in the early 19th century, was the most popular band of its time...
(1800–1872). It played the dance music of the epoch at the balls of the island's aristocracy: contradanza
Contradanza
The Cuban contradanza was a popular dance music genre of the 19th century.- Origins and Early Development:...
s, minuets, rigadoons, quadrilles, lancers. It was basically a típica
Orquesta típica
Orquesta típica, or simply a típica, is a Latin-American term for a band which plays popular music. The details vary from country to country. The term tends to be used for groups of medium size in some well-defined instrumental set-up.- Argentina :In Argentina, a típica is a tango orchestra...
, or wind orchestra, which was sometimes augmented to 100 players for special occasions such as fiestas
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
.
Brindis de Salas, a disciple of the maestro Ignacio Calvo, was also a composer of creole danzas and the author of an operetta, Congojas matrimoniales. In 1844 his musical career was interrupted by his involvement in the Escalera Conspiracy, for which whites were absolved, but blacks paid dearly. Brindis de Salas was arrested and tortured. He was banished from the island by the Governor, O'Donnell
Leopoldo O'Donnell, 1st Duke of Tetuan
Don Leopoldo O'Donnell y Jorris, 1st Duke of Tetuan, 1st Count of Lucena, 1st Viscount of Aliaga, Grandee of Spain, , was a Spanish general and statesman...
. Returning in 1848, he was imprisoned for two years, and when he eventually was free to think about reorganizing his band, he found out that most of them had been executed.
Apart from the operetta, he is known for a melody dedicated to the General Concha, printed in 1854. His son, Claudio Brindis de Salas Garrido
Claudio Brindis de Salas Garrido
Claudio Brindis de Salas Garrido was a Cuban concert violinist. His father was the violinist and bandleader, Claudio Brindis de Salas. The son surpassed his father, and was a violinist of world renown...
(Havana, 4 August 1852 – Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, 1 June 1911) was an even better violinist, of world renown.
Orquesta Flor de Cuba
Founded by Juan de Dios AlfonsoJuan de Dios Alfonso
Juan de Dios Alfonso Armenteros , was a black Cuban band leader, composer and clarinetist...
(1825–1877), clarinetist and composer. He moved to Havana, where he played clarinet in Feliciano Ramos's band La Unión in 1856, and directed La Almendares in 1859. It is not quite clear when he formed La Flor de Cuba, which became one of the most popular in the middle of the 19th century. They played contradanzas, and other dances of the time. The orchestra was a típica
Orquesta típica
Orquesta típica, or simply a típica, is a Latin-American term for a band which plays popular music. The details vary from country to country. The term tends to be used for groups of medium size in some well-defined instrumental set-up.- Argentina :In Argentina, a típica is a tango orchestra...
, with cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
, trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, figle, two clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s, two violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
s, double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, kettle drum, and güíro
Güiro
The güiro is a Latin-American percussion instrument consisting of an open-ended, hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. It is played by rubbing a stick or tines along the notches to produce a ratchet-like sound. The güiro is commonly used in Latin-American music, and plays a key role...
. The figle (ophicleide
Ophicleide
The ophicleide is a family of conical bore, brass keyed-bugles. It has a similar shape to the sudrophone.- History :The ophicleide was invented in 1817 and patented in 1821 by French instrument maker Jean Hilaire Asté as an extension to the keyed bugle or Royal Kent bugle family...
) was a sort of bass bugle with keys, invented in 1817; the t-bone would be a valve trombone.
Ten Years' War
The Ten Years' War , also known as the Great War and the War of '68, began on October 10, 1868 when sugar mill owner Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and his followers proclaimed Cuba's independence from Spain...
had started the previous year, when Carlos Manuel de Céspedes
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo was a Cuban planter who freed his slaves and made the declaration of Cuban independence in 1868 which started the Ten Years' War...
had freed his slaves, and declared Cuban independence. Creole sentiments were running high, and the Colonial government and their rich Spanish traders were reacting. Not for the first time, politics and music were closely intertwined, for musicians had been integrated since before 1800, and "from 1800 to 1840, blacks were the clear majority of the professional musicians". Bufo theatres were shut down for some years after this tragic event.
Orquesta Valenzuela
The descendent of La Flor de Cuba, led from 1877 by Raimundo ValenzuelaRaimundo Valenzuela
Raimundo Valenzuela de Leon was a leading Cuban trombonist, composer and bandleader.- Life & career :...
(trombonist and composer; 1848–1905) after the death of Juan de Dios Alfonso
Juan de Dios Alfonso
Juan de Dios Alfonso Armenteros , was a black Cuban band leader, composer and clarinetist...
. We do not know exactly when the name of the orchestra was changed. When Raimundo died in 1905, his brother Pablo became Director. It was, like Flor de Cuba, the most popular típica of its day.
Under Pablo Valenzuela
Pablo Valenzuela
José Pablo Valenzuela García was a leading Cuban cornetist, composer and bandleader. After taking his first lessons in music under his father Lucas, Pablo moved to Havana. There he first joined the orchestra of Manuel Espinosa, before joining La Flor de Cuba, the leading band of the day...
(cornetist and composer; 1859–1926), the band became one of the earliest to record Cuban music, in 1906 with Edison cylinders (about 40), 1909 with Columbia Records (23) and with Victor (56). The last recordings were in 1919; there were about 120 numbers in all, most of which were danzones. The band dispersed after his death.
Orquesta Faílde
Founded 1871 in MatanzasMatanzas
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...
by Miguel Faílde
Miguel Faílde
Miguel Faílde Pérez , was a Cuban musician and bandleader. He was the official originator of the danzón, and the founder of the Orquesta Faílde....
(1852 –1921), the official originator of the danzón
Danzón
Danzón is the official dance of Cuba. It is also an active musical form in Mexico and is still beloved in Puerto Rico where Verdeluz, a modern danzón by Puerto Rican composer Antonio Cabán Vale is considered the unofficial national anthem...
. His band was composed mainly of wind instruments, and therefore was a típica. Its initial members were: Miguel Faílde (cornet); Pascual Carreras (figle); Pancho Morales (1st violin); Juan Cantero (2nd violin); Anselmo 'Frijolín' Casalín (1st clarinet); Eduardo Faílde (brother, 2nd clarinet); Cándido Faílde (brother, trombone); Eulogio Garrido (double bass); Andrés Segovia (timpani); Isidro Acosta (güíro).
The usual changes in personnel meant that by 1903 the personnel included: Eduardo Betancourt (trombone); Alfredo Hernández (2nd violin); Magdaleno Rodríguez (2nd clarinet) and Benito 'Chacho' Oliva (tympani).
This is the band which played the famous Alturas de Simpson, the acknowledged first danzón; it was one of Faílde's compositions. It seems the band made no recordings, and it dispersed in 1921 after the death of its leader.
Orquesta Alemán
Founded 1878 in Santiago de Las VegasSantiago de Las Vegas
Santiago de las Vegas is a city in Havana Province, Cuba, located south of Havana. As of the year 2000, the population was 22,000. The Cuban government maintains an agricultural experiment station, as well as a meteorology center in the city.-History:...
. Leader: José Alemán (Guanabacoa, 22 December 1846 – Santiago de Las Vegas, 1924).
Alemán was a tailor's cutter in Santiago de Las Vegas and a composer of dance and religious music. He studied music under Pedro Álvarez, and became a double bass player, also a good violinist and pianist. He played double bass in the orchestra of Havana Cathedral, and in the orchestra of Juan de Dios Alfonso.
Orquesta Alemán was a típica or band based on wind instruments. It included Alejo Carillo (cornet); Pedro Espinosa (trombone); Leobino Zayas (figle); Julián Allende (1st clarinet); Ramón Alemán (2nd clarinet); Elias Fuentes (1st violin); Juan Tómas Alemán (2nd violin); Aniceto Rodrígues (timpanist); Quirino Sastre (güíro).
On the death of José Alemán in 1924, the orchestra was directed by his brother Ramón, and there were numerous changes of personnel. The band was active until the 1930s.
Orquesta de Perico Rojas
Típica formed in 1884 by the trombonist Pedro Rojas (aka 'Perico'), in GüinesGüines
Güines is a municipality and city in the Mayabeque Province of Cuba. It is located southeast of Havana, next to the Mayabeque River.- History :The city was founded in 1737 by the Spanish...
. Its members at the start of the 20th century included the following: Perico Rojas (trombone); Patricio Valdés and Andrés Rojas (violin); Martín Caraballo and Miguel Rojas (clarinet); Jesús Urfé (cornet); Ambrosio Marín (trombone); Anacleto Larrondo (figle); Juan R. Landa (double bass); Pedro Hernández (tympani); Leopoldo Castillo (güíro). The band lasted to the early in 20th century.
Orquesta típica de Felipe Valdés
All we know of Felipe Valdés is that he was a cornetist and composer, who was born in Bolondrón, Matanzas, in the second half of the 19th century. He founded his típica in 1899, and it became popular in Havana. Its instrumentation in 1916 was: 3 violins; 2 clarinets; cornet; trombone; double bass; saxophoneSaxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
; güíro and timbales. Probably it had started with a figle, and later substituted the saxophone. They included a piano by 1929.
The group recorded more danzones than any other before 1920. They recorded for Edison (1906), Columbia (starting 1906/7); Victor (starting 1907). The total number of recordings was 315 numbers. Valdés composed many numbers, including La Africana, Lamentos and Yeyé Olube. Some of these recordings are available on CD: four numbers from 1907 (Victor), one from 1916 (Columbia) and one from 1929. Díaz Ayala said:
- "It's incredible that there is no more information about this director who composed and recorded so many danzones."
Orquesta de Enrique Peña
Enrique PeñaEnrique Peña
Enrique Peña Sánchez was a leading Cuban cornet player, orchestra leader and composer....
's danzoneria was one of the first to record, and that profusely. Peña (1880–1922) was a cornetist and composer. This was the second band he organized (the first was called La Juventud): the line-up was: Peña (cornet); Antonio González (trombone); Féliz González (figle); José Belén Puig (1st clarinet); José Urfé (2nd clarinet); Julián Barreto (violin); Alfredo Sáenz (violin); José de los Reyes (tympani); Rufino Cárdenas (güíro) and unknown (double bass).
Orquesta de Félix González
This, one of the last típicos to be founded, started in 1915 with a core of members from Enrique Peña's band. The set-up was: González (figle), Dolores Betancourt (t-bone); José Belén Puig (1st clarinet); José Urfé (2nd clarinet); Miguel Ángel Mendieta and Benito Moya (violins); Guillermo Maherve (d. bass); Demetrio Pacheco (tympani) and Ulpiano Díaz (güíro). Despite its old-fashioned format, the orchestra kept in work for 52 years, until the death of its Director in 1967. Three of its recordings are available on CD, from 1916, 1925 and 1928.Charangas
CharangaCharanga
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....
s supplanted the típica as the standard instrumental line-up for the danzón. Initially called charangas francesas (though they have nothing to do with France), they were 'invented' at the start of the 20th century. The formulation is still going strong, with appropriate adjustments to the instrumentation. The basic idea is to pitch the tone of the orchestra higher and brighter than the típica, by removing the brass, replacing the clarinet with a flute and replacing the kettle drums with a new invention, the pailas criollas, now called timbales
Timbales
Timbales are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing, invented in Cuba. They are shallower in shape than single-headed tom-toms, and usually much higher tuned...
. This metal-cased drum, hit with timbales sticks, and not timpani sticks, produces a distinctive effect. The two timbales drums are pitched differently, and may be supplemented with two timbalitos, pitched even higher, and one or two cencerros (cowbells). Also noteworthy is the use of the sticks on the metal casing to produce a rhythm known as the cascara
Cascara
Cascara may refer to:*Rhamnus purshiana, a plant known for its laxative properties*Cascara, a fictional Caribbean island in the film Water*Cáscara, a rhythm found in some Cuban music*Coffee cherry tea, from Spanish cáscara, meaning "shell, husk"....
. From early on these bands also included a piano. The overall effect is to produce a lighter, brighter flavor to the music; who actually originated the idea is not known.
Orquesta Torroella
Founded at the end of the 19th century in Havana, this was the first charanga francesa in the capital, and the first to include a piano.Its director was the pianist Antonio 'Papaito' Torroella, and from the start the band included Papaito Torroella (piano); David Rendón (violin); Faustino Valdés (flute) and Evaristo Romero (double bass). Under the title Sexteto Torroella, the group recorded eight numbers on Edison cylinders in 1906.
Orquesta de Tata Alfonso
A charanga francesa formed early in the 20th century by flautist Octavio 'Tata' Alfonso. Its line-up at its peak was: Tata Alfonso (flute); Bruno Quijarro (violin); Pablo Bequé (double bass); Jesús Lopéz (piano); Abelardo Valdés (güiro); Ulpiano Díaz (timbales). The band recorded six numbers for Columbia Records in 1918, and was regarded as one of the three most important charangas in the history of the danzón, and the first to incorporate melodies from the cantos de claves y guaguancó in this genre.Orquesta Romeu
Founded around 1910 by Antonio María RomeuAntonio María Romeu
Antonio María Romeu Marrero was a Cuban pianist, composer and bandleader. His orchestra was Cuba's leading charanga for over thirty years, specializing in the danzón.- Life & work :...
(1876–1955), this was for thirty years the most important charanga in Cuba. Romeu had previously played in Orquesta Cervantes, one of several charangas founded at the beginning of the 1900s, and became one of the most prolific composers of danzones. The orchestra recorded hundreds of numbers over many years, beginning in 1915, and issued a whole series of albums after 1950. It is not clear that Romeu was, as sometimes claimed, the originator of the charanga, but it is clear that his band was for many years the leading danzoneria.
The initial line-up for Orchestra Romeu was: Romeu (piano); Feliciano Facenda (violin); Alfredo Valdés (flute); Rafael Calazán (double bass); Remigio Valdés (timbal); Juan de la Merced (güiro): quite a small group.
When Romeu died, the orchestra was led for a while by his son, also Antonio María Romeu, then by Barbarito Diez. It still played the traditional danzón, but now was called the Orquesta de Barbarito Diez.
Son groups
The son is not an ancient style: it dates back to the latter part of the 19th century. Actual names of players and musical groups appear after the then Cuban President, José Miguel GómezJosé Miguel Gómez
José Miguel Gómez y Gómez was a Cuban General in the Cuban War of Independence who went on to become President of Cuba.-Early career:...
, sent the battalions of the Ejército Permanente away from their native provinces. It was the Permanente from Oriente that brought the son to Havana.
There are a few early recordings which survive from before the famous sextetos were formed. Some of the theatre music was interesting, for example, the Teatro Alhambra had a group of which Adolfo Colombo
Adolfo Colombo
Adolfo Columbo was a leading singer in the Alhambra Theatre in Havana, and also an actor and a leading personality in the theatre...
was the leading personality. He was a singer and regular recording artist, though few of these recordings have survived. One that has been reissued by Harlequin reveals a funky number which is hard to categorize. Listed as a rumba, it is perhaps best described as a guaracha-son. The artists singing are Colombo and Claudio García, the guitar probably Alberto Villalón
Alberto Villalón
Alberto Villalón Morales was one of the greatest musicians in the Cuban trova style....
, plus an unknown tres player. All three named players were white, yet the number is creole, almost Afro-Cuban, in style.
Sexteto Boloña
In 1915 Alfredo BoloñaAlfredo Boloña
Alfredo Bologña Jiménez was a Cuban musician who played a role in the early development of the son.Bologña played the marimbula, the bongó and the guitar at different times and, despite his physical limitations , he was a force in Cuban music for half a century...
Jimenez (1890–1964) formed a son group in Havana. He played the marimbula
Marímbula
A marímbula is a folk musical instrument of the Caribbean Islands . The marímbula is usually classified as part of the lamellophone family of musical instruments. With its roots in African instruments, marimbula originated in the province of Oriente, Cuba in the 19th century...
, the bongó and the guitar at different times and, despite his physical limitations (dwarfism
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is short stature resulting from a medical condition. It is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches , although this definition is problematic because short stature in itself is not a disorder....
), he was a force in Cuban music for half a century. His first group was Hortensia Valerón (vocalist), Manuel Menocal (tres), Manuel Corona
Manuel Corona
Manuel Corona Raimundo was a Cuban trova musician, and a long-term professional rival of Sindo Garay....
(guitar), Victoriano Lopéz (maracas) and Joaquín Velasquéz (bongó).
In October 1926 the Sexteto Boloña recorded 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...
a set of numbers for Columbia which is available today on the usual media. The line-up for these recordings was, L>R in photograph: José Vega Chacón (guitar, 2nd voice), unknown (maracas, 1st voice), José Manuel Incharte 'El Chino' (bongó), Abelardo Barroso (sonero, claves), 'Tabito' (double bass), Alfredo Boloña (tres, leader).
The group split up in 1935.
Sexteto Habanero
In 1917 four musicians calling themselves Cuarteto Oriental recorded four numbers for Columbia in Havana. The numbers are listed in a Columbia catalog for 1921, but are probably lost. However, the same group expanded to a sextet in 1918, and were recorded by Victor in a field recording at the Hotel InglaterraHotel Inglaterra
Hotel Inglaterra is the oldest hotel in Cuba and one of the most classic hotels in Havana. It is located at Paseo del Prado #416 between San Rafael and San Miguel in Havana, Cuba. The Hotel was founded on December 23, 1875 and built in neoclassic style...
in Havana. At least one of these records has survived, giving two numbers, which are probably the first surviving sones. The new grouping called itself Sexteto Habanero in 1920.
Its line-up (below) was: back, L>R: Guillermo Castillo (guitar and director), Carlos Godínez (tres), Gerardo Martínez (voz prima y claves); front, L>R: Antonio Bacallao (botija), Oscar Sotolongo (square bongó) and Felipe Nerí Cabrera (maracas).
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
was a musically more suitable instrument: they never went back to the botija. Five years later, the group had new members and a different look. L>R below: Agustín Gutierrez (bongó), Abelardo Barroso (sonero, claves), Felipe Nerí Cabrera (maracas, vocals); Gerardo Martínez (double bass, vocals, leader); Guillermo Castillo (guitar, vocals), Carlos Godínez (tres, vocals).
Sexteto Occidente
One of the early son sextetos, formed in 1925 by María Teresa VeraMaría Teresa Vera
María Teresa Vera was a Cuban singer, guitarist and composer. She was an outstanding example of the Cuban trova movement....
and Miguel García. It went to New York and recorded numbers, but the group lasted only about 18 months. Its set-up was typical of the early son groups. Below, back: Maria Teresa Vera (guitar), 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...
(double bass), Julio Torres Biart (tres); front: Miguelito Garcia (clavé), Manuel Reinoso (bongó) and Francisco Sánchez (maracas).
Orquesta Avilés
The group with the longest continuous record, founded in 1882 and still in existence. Manuel Avilés Lozano (HolguínHolguín
Holguín is a municipality and city, the capital of the Cuban Province of Holguín. It also includes a tourist area, offering beach resorts in the outskirts of the region.-History:...
, Oriente, 2 February 1864 – ?) worked as a tailor, and studied music under the Spanish maestro Magín Torres. Avilés, director and clarinetist, formed the orchestra with relatives and other musicians, and, eventually, his thirteen children. Later still, he engaged other younger relatives. He and some of the other band members fought in the Cuban War of Independence
Cuban War of Independence
Cuban War of Independence was the last of three liberation wars that Cuba fought against Spain, the other two being the Ten Years' War and the Little War...
in the Ejército Libertador.
The band is unusual in several respects. It started as a típico, then became a charanga, then became (in the 1940s) what Cubans call a 'jazzband', meaning, a big band. The band has always been based in Holguín, and scarcely ever left Oriente. It is still organized around family members. It is now called Orquesta Hermanos Avilés.
Estudiantina Oriental
This group developed in Santiago de Cuba at the end of the 19th century. It was significantly different from the típicas, both in music, instruments and racial composition (the members were usually white). The genres of music played included danzón, boleroBolero
Bolero is a form of slow-tempo Latin music and its associated dance and song. There are Spanish and Cuban forms which are both significant and which have separate origins.The term is also used for some art music...
, son and guaracha
Guaracha
The guaracha is a genre of Cuban popular music, of rapid tempo and with lyrics. The word had been used in this sense at least since the late 18th and early 19th century. Guarachas were played and sung in musical theatres and in low-class dance salons. They became an integral part of Bufo comic...
. The instruments included tres
Tres
The tres is a 3-course, 6-string chordophone which was created in Cuba. A tres player is called a tresero in Cuba and a tresista in Puerto Rico.-Cuban tres:In Cuba, the son was created as a song and a salon dance genre...
, marimbula
Marímbula
A marímbula is a folk musical instrument of the Caribbean Islands . The marímbula is usually classified as part of the lamellophone family of musical instruments. With its roots in African instruments, marimbula originated in the province of Oriente, Cuba in the 19th century...
, kettle drums or pailas criolla (timbales
Timbales
Timbales are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing, invented in Cuba. They are shallower in shape than single-headed tom-toms, and usually much higher tuned...
). This instrumental line-up prefigures that of the sextetos which appeared later, rather than the older típicas. The members would be based on university students, probably reinforced by talent from other quarters. Similar Estudiantina groups were formed in other provincial towns.
Giro gives this set-up as characteristic of Estudientinas: two tres, 1st and 2nd; two guitars; one trumpet; botija
Botija
The botija is a Caribbean musical instrument of the aerophone type. It was used in the early son sextetos in Cuba. The botija is a potbellied earthenware jug or jar with two openings. The player creates sound across a hole in the side whilst controlling the sound with his fingers in the mouth of...
or double bass; paila (timbal); cencerro (cow-bell); güiro; three singers, 1st, 2nd and falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
, and maybe both sexes. It is clear that estudientinas in different parts of Cuba had variations in membership, instruments and repertoire.
Cuban jazz bands
The history of jazz in Cuba was hidden for many years by the unwillingness of record companies to make recordings available. However, in recent years, it has become clear that its history in Cuba is as long as its history in the USA. The key figure in revealing the early days of Cuban jazz is Leonardo AcostaLeonardo Acosta
Leonardo Acosta is a Uruguayan footballer currently playing for Patronato de Paraná of the Primera B Nacional in Argentina....
, musician and musicologist, who has been working on this topic for many years. Others have explored the history of jazz and Latin jazz from the U.S. perspective. The pre-history of Cuban jazz includes musicians like Louis Moreau Gottschalk
Louis Moreau Gottschalk
Louis Moreau Gottschalk was an American composer and pianist, best known as a virtuoso performer of his own romantic piano works...
and W.C. Handy, who visited Cuba and brought creole ideas into their music.
The Jazz Band Sagua was founded in Sagua la Grande
Sagua La Grande
Sagua La Grande is a municipality and city located on the north coast of the province of Villa Clara in central Cuba, on the Sagua la Grande River. The city is close to Mogotes de Jumagua, limestone cliffs...
in 1914 by Pedro Stacholy (director & piano). Members: Hipólito Herrera (trumpet); Norberto Fabelo (cornet); Ernesto Ribalta (flute & sax); Humberto Domínguez (violin); Luciano Galindo (trombone); Antonio Temprano (tuba); Tomás Medina (drum kit); Marino Rojo (güiro). For fourteen years they played at the Teatro Principal de Sagua. Stacholy studed under Antonio Fabré in Sagua, and completed his studies in New York, where he stayed for three years.
Jaime Prats
Jaime Prats was a Cuban flautist, composer and orchestral director...
in Havana. The personnel included his son Rodrigo Prats
Rodrigo Prats
Rodrigo Prats was a Cuban composer, violinist, pianist and orchestral director. The son of a musician, Jaime Prats, Rodrigo began to study music at the age of nine...
on violin, the great flautist Alberto Socarrás
Alberto Socarras
Alberto Socarrás Estacio, , was a Cuban-American flautist who played both Cuban music and jazz....
on flute and saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and Pucho Jiménez on slide trombone. The line-up would probably have included double bass, kit drum, banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, cornet at least. Earlier works cited this as the first jazz band in Cuba, but evidently there were earlier groups.
In 1924 Moisés Simons
Moisés Simons
Moisés Simons , was a leading Cuban composer, pianist and orchestra leader. He was the composer of the Peanut Vendor, possibly the most famous piece of music created by a Cuban musician...
(piano) founded a group which played on the roof garden of the Plaza Hotel in Havana, and consisted of piano, violin, two saxes, banjo, double bass, drums and timbales. Its members included Virgilio Diego (violin); Alberto Socarrás
Alberto Socarras
Alberto Socarrás Estacio, , was a Cuban-American flautist who played both Cuban music and jazz....
(alto sax, flute); José Ramón Betancourt (tenor sax); Pablo O'Farrill (d. bass). In 1928, still at the same venue, Simons hired Julio Cueva
Julio Cueva
Julio Cueva was a Cuban trumpeter, composer and band leader. He was an important figure in the spread of Cuban popular music in the 1930s.- Life and career :...
, a famous trumpeter, and Enrique Santiesteban, a future media star, as vocalist and drummer. These were top instrumentalists, attracted by top fees of $8 a day.
All these bands no doubt played Cuban music as well as jazz, but there are few recordings of them playing jazz. There can be little doubt that these early ventures built up a stock of Cuban musicians that were at home with both genres. That led eventually to the Latin jazz fusions of later years.