Biography
This remarkable musical institution was founded on 12 January 1924 in the Cuban province of Matanzas by tres guitarist Valentín Cané. A horn-led string and percussion group, they were initially called Tuna Liberal and included guitarist/singer Rogelio Martínez (7 September 1905, Matanzas, Cuba), who became the band’s director, bass player Pablo Vázquez ‘Babú’ (d. 1969) and timbales player Jimagua. Following two name changes (Septeto Soprano and Estudiantina Matancera) and numerous personnel changes, they renamed themselves Septeto Sonora Matancera in late 1926 and relocated to Havana on 12 January 1927, where Caíto (b. Carlos Manuel Díaz Alonso, 8 November 1905, Matanzas, Cuba, d. 27 September 1990, New York, USA; maracas player/third vocalist) joined shortly after the group’s arrival in the capital. (Caíto’s falsetto voz de vieja ‘old woman’s voice’ in the chorus became...
Read the Full Biography of La Sonora Matancera
|
OLDIES.com on
|
