Obdulio Morales
| Obdulio Morales | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Obdulio Morales Ríos |
| Born |
April 7, 1910 Havana, Cuba |
| Died | January 9, 1981 (aged 70) Havana, Cuba |
| Genres | Afro-Cuban music |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, bandleader, composer, ethnomusicologist |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1922–81 |
| Labels | Victor, Panart, Puchito, Montilla |
| Associated acts | Los Hermanos Martínez, Los Melódicos, Habana Jazz Band, Orquesta Elegante, Grupo Coral Folklórico de Cuba, Merceditas Valdés, Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba, Afrofónico |
Obdulio Morales Ríos (April 7, 1910 – January 9, 1981) was a Cuban pianist, conductor, composer and ethnomusicologist, an important figure in the late afrocubanismo movement. He championed Afro-Cuban music traditions and sponsored artists such as Merceditas Valdés.
Obdulio Morales Ríos was born in Havana on April 7, 1910. He learned piano from an American teacher and furthered his studies at the conservatory. At age 12 he began to play piano at the silent cinema, and a year later he was playing in private dance parties as a reserve pianist. Around the same time, while working as an apprentice for his father, who was a tailor, he began to attend black societies such as the Club Bohemio. In 1924 he joined the first lineup of Los Hermanos Martínez orchestra.
Composer Obdulio Morales represents a central figure in the dissemination of stylized Afrocuban religious music during the prerevolutionary years.
Morales worked for the radio since 1928, specializing in Afro-Cuban music. In 1938 he premiered Batamú in collaboration with musician Julio Chappottín (father of Félix Chappottín) and choreographer Armando Borroto. This show featured famous conguero Chano Pozo and managed to sell out the Teatro Martí. In 1938 he also founded the Grupo Coral Folklórico de Cuba, an ensemble including a symphonic orchestra, Afro-Cuban drums and güiros. The ensemble featured batá master Trinidad Torregrosa, flautist Roberto Ondina and singers such as Candita Batista, Merceditas Valdés and Alfredo León Jr. At the same time, Morales was part of several successful big bands such as the eleven-piece Los Melódicos, an orchestra that he directed by 1939 and also featured Chano Pozo on quinto. He also played in Habana Jazz band and in 1931 Orquesta Elegante, the backing band of danzonete singer Paulina Álvarez.
In 1942 the Grupo Coral Folklórico de Cuba became the Conjunto Coral Sinfónico Folklórico de Cuba, and together with Fernando Ortiz he began to give lectures about Afro-Cuban music at the Hispano-Cuban Culture Society and the Society for Afro-Cuban studies. Beginning in 1943, Morales conducted Afro-Cuban music performances on Sundays which were broadcast by Radio Cadena Suaritos.
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