La Sonora Matancera
| Sonora Matancera | |
|---|---|
Celia Cruz and La Sonora Matancera, 1950s
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Tuna Liberal Septeto Soprano Estudiantina Sonora Matancera Conjunto Sonora Matancera |
| Origin | Barrio Ojo de Agua, Matanzas, Cuba |
| Genres | Son, guaracha, bolero, guaguancó, chachachá |
| Years active | 1924–present |
| Labels | RCA Victor, Panart, Stinson, Ansonia, Seeco, Tropical, Marvela, MRVA, Orfeón, Bárbaro, Fania, Taurus, Warner Music, Varsity, Discos Fuentes |
| Associated acts | Las Hermanas Lago |
| Website | sonoramatancera |
| Members | Valentín Cané Pablo Vázquez Gobín "Bubú" Manuel Sánchez "Jimagua" Ismael Goberna Domingo Medina José Manuel Valera Juan Bautista Llópis Julio Gobín Humberto Cané Carlos Manuel Díaz Alonso "Caíto" Rogelio Martínez Díaz José Rosario Chávez "Manteca" Calixto Leicea Pérez Prado Bienvenido Granda Ezequiel Frías Gómez "Lino" Ángel Alfonso Furias "Yiyo" |
| Past members | Bienvenido León Daniel Santos Myrta Silva Celia Cruz Pedro Knight Miguelito Valdés Leo Marini Bobby Capó Nelson Pinedo Vicentico Valdés Estanislao Sureda "Laíto" Alberto Beltrán Carlos Argentino Celio González Elpidio Vázquez Carmen Delia Dipiní Javier Vázquez Willy Rodríguez "El Baby" Alfredo Armenteros "Chocolate" Ismael Miranda Justo Betancourt Linda Leida Gabriel Eladio Peguero "Yayo El Indio" Welfo Gutiérrez Olga Chorens Gloria Díaz Tony Álvarez Chito Galindo Toña la Negra Elliot Romero Emilio Domínguez "El Jarocho" Gladys Julio Hermanas Lago Israel del Pino Johnny López Jorge Maldonado Kary Infante Manuel Licea "Puntillita" Martha Jean Claude Máximo Barrientos Miguel de Gonzalo Pepe Reyes Raúl del Castillo Reynaldo Hierrezuelo "Rey Caney" Rodolfo Hoyos Tony Díaz Victor Piñero Vicky Jiménez Alfredo Valdés Roberto Torres |
La Sonora Matancera is a Cuban/Afro-Cuban band that played Latin American urban popular dance music. Founded in 1924 and led for more than five decades by guitarist, vocalist, composer, and producer Rogelio Martínez, musicologists consider it an icon of this type of music. Notable singers to have sung with the band include Bienvenido Granda,Daniel Santos, Myrta Silva, and Celia Cruz.
The group was founded on January 12, 1924 in Barrio Ojo de Agua, a neighborhood in the city of Matanzas. Culturally and demographically, this seaport is located in the most African region of Cuba. The ensemble was initially named Tuna Liberal for political reasons. The co-founders were Valentín Cané (director, tres, guitar and tumbadora, or as it is commonly called, conga. He was also a songwriter and later on a singer) and Pablo "Bubú" Vázquez Gobín (contrabass). The other original members were Manuel "Jimagua" Sánchez (timbales), Ismael Goberna (cornet/trumpet), Domingo Medina, José Manuel Valera, Julio Gobín, Juan Bautista Llópis (guitarists), and Eugenio Pérez, vocalist. One source believes Valera and Bautista Llópis were the vocalists while a second source holds to the position that Eugenio Pérez was the sole sonero. At this point, the band was just a commonplace group and had not yet developed its distinctive sound.
In 1925, Gerardo Machado, then Cuban President, invited Tuna Liberal to play at a party for his birthday. This marked a new acceptance for Afro-Cuban groups and a style of music that had previously been barred from certain restaurants and hotels.
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Wikipedia