Sonora Matancera

All Music Guide:

Universally known as the King of the Mambo, Pérez Prado was the single most important musician involved in the hugely popular Latin dance craze. Whether he actually created the rhythm is somewhat disputed, but it's abundantly clear that Prado developed it into a bright, swinging style with massive appeal for dancers of all backgrounds and classes. Prado's mambo was filled with piercing high-register trumpets, undulating saxophone counterpoint, atmospheric organ (later on), and harmonic ideas borrowed from jazz. While his tight percussion arrangements allowed for little improvisation, they were dense and sharply focused, keeping the underlying syncopations easy for dancers to follow. Prado played the piano, but was often more in his element as the focal point of the audience's excitement; he leaped, kicked, danced, shouted, grunted, and exhorted his musicians with a dynamic stage presence that put many more sedate conductors and bandleaders to shame. With this blueprint, Prado brought mambo all the way into the pop mainstream, inspiring countless imitators and scoring two number one singles on the pop charts (albeit in a smoother vein than the fare that first made his name) as the fad snowballed. He was a star throughout most of the Western Hemisphere during the '50s, and even after his popularity waned in the United States, he remained a widely respected figure in many Latin countries, especially his adopted home of Mexico. Prado is often best remembered for his softer, more commercial work, which has an undeniable kitschiness that plays well with modern-day lounge-revival hipsters. Unfortunately, that has served to obscure his very real credentials in the realm of authentic, unadulterated Latin dance music, and to this day he remains somewhat underappreciated.

Damaso Pérez Prado was born in the heavily Afro-Cuban area of Matanzas, Cuba, on December 11, 1916 (though he habitually gave his birthdate as five years later). According to custom, he carried both his father's and mother's last name; his earliest recordings were issued under the name D. Pérez Prado, but the "D." was dropped on his American releases, and in 1955 he had his full name legally shortened to Pérez Prado. Starting in childhood, Prado studied classical piano, and by the time he finished school, he was good enough to play piano and organ professionally in local clubs and movie theaters. He moved to Havana around 1942 and freelanced for a number of smaller orchestras over the next year or so. Chiefly a pianist at this point, he also landed an arranging job with Gapar Roca de la Peer, which sometimes supplied material to the highly popular Orquesta Casino de la Playa. The orchestra's lead vocalist, Cascarita, liked Prado's work, and soon they hired him as arranger and pianist. This was the early platform Prado needed to develop his own arranging style, and after-hours jam sessions around Havana were already influencing his rhythmic concepts. Seeking to bring more excitement into the well-established rumba rhythm, Prado began to experiment with the hard swing of American jazz, influenced especially by the harmonically sophisticated big-band music of Stan Kenton. He also sought to build new Afro-Cuban-derived rhythms, including a pattern that was dubbed the mambo, whose early forms were traced back to Arsenio Rodriguez and Orestes Lopez.

Prado's innovations were greeted with outright hostility from Cuba's conservative musical establishment, which resisted the incursion of jazz on their native music. No longer able to find arranging work, he left Cuba in 1947 to try his luck in Puerto Rico. He eventually joined a touring group that swung through Argentina, Venezuela, Panama, and Mexico, and emerged as their star attraction. In 1948, he relocated to Mexico City and set about putting together his own orchestra, which featured a core membership of Cuban expatriates. One of those was singer Beny Moré, who performed and recorded with Prado (among several other bandleaders) through 1950; the association helped make Prado's orchestra a top draw in Mexico City, and set Moré on a path to becoming one of Cuba's best-loved singers. RCA's Mexican division signed Prado as an artist in his own right in 1949, and his first 78 rpm record, "Que Rico el Mambo" b/w "Mambo No. 5," was a hit across much of Latin America. In 1950, RCA reissued it in the U.S., with the A-side's title changed to "Mambo Jambo"; it had moderate success there too. Over 1950, Prado released numerous singles in Mexico; most of them were titled in tribute to a broad range of social classes and occupations, which helped make them wildly popular. Additionally, Prado appeared in several Mexican films, generally playing himself and spotlighting his stage act.

The early '50s were a busy time for Prado, who mounted a number of international tours as the mambo sound spread like wildfire. In Peru, Catholic authorities threatened to deny absolution for anyone who participated in mambo dancing, to little discernible effect. Prado's first U.S. tour came in 1951, with Beny Moré accompanying him; because of musicians' union rules, he was often forced to hire local musicians in place of his Mexican personnel, and train them rigorously in a very short period of time with little knowledge of English. The tour was a smashing success, however, especially on the West Coast, and RCA started releasing his records on their main RCA Victor imprint, rather than consigning them to a specialty subsidiary. In late 1953, Prado caused a stir when he was abruptly deported by Mexican officials to Havana; his sudden disappearance (he was arrested in a backstage dressing room) sparked rumors of kidnapping before he finally resurfaced to explain that he had forgotten to renew his visa.

Prado returned to the U.S. in 1954, embarking on another hugely successful tour of the West Coast. He then made his way to New York, where his orchestra played several upscale venues that helped make mambo all the rage among upper as well as lower classes. Spurred by mambo nights in clubs across the city, mambo was pushing its way into the pop mainstream, as traditional pop crooners and R&B/blues artists alike recorded Latin-flavored novelty items paying tribute to the emerging fad. Seeing that his music could cross over to the lucrative white market, Prado began to tailor it for mainstream consumption, scoring minor hits with covers of the theme from the Italian film Anna and the South African tune "Skokiaan," which signaled the beginning of a more polished studio sound. He finally scored a breakout pop hit in early 1955 with "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White," which was used as the theme to the Jane Russell film Underwater!. Ironically for the Cuban-born El Rey del Mambo, his first major hit was an adaptation of a French song ("Cerisier Rose et Pommier Blanc"), and its underlying rhythm was a cha-cha. Powered by a dramatic, swooping trumpet lead by Billy Regis, "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" spent an astounding ten weeks at number one on the pop charts, making it one of the biggest instrumental hits of all time. The accompanying album, Mambo Mania, was Prado's first full-length 12" LP, and mostly featured material he'd recorded during his time in Mexico.

Prado took advantage of his success to attempt more ambitious compositions during this period. His first effort in this vein was 1954's The Voodoo Suite, an impressionistic tone poem for Afro-Cuban big band that incorporated elements of jazz and exotica. West Coast trumpeter Shorty Rogers helped out on the arrangements, and the results often recalled Stan Kenton's progressive big-band mood music, albeit with a Latin sound. The 1956 album Havana 3 A.M. was a wilder excursion that ranked as probably the purest, most authentically Latin record of Prado's commercial period. Of course, there were many commercial projects too; the biggest was 1958's Prez, which fell just short of the Top 20 on the pop LP charts. That same year, Prado scored his second number one single with the self-composed "Patricia," a slinky if subdued instrumental spotlighting his organ playing. The tune was later used in a steamy, controversial sequence in director Federico Fellini's classic La Dolce Vita. The follow-up single, "Guaglione," just missed the Top 50.

Determined not to become a one-trick pony, Prado had begun to experiment with new rhythms and dance forms as early as 1954. A rhythm he called "La Culeta" was his answer to the cha-cha, adding violins to the required instrumentation. Several others -- the suby and the pau-pau (both mid-'50s), La Chunga and El Dengue (both early '60s) -- failed to catch fire with the public as mambo had. In the early '60s, Prado began to flirt with rock & roll dances, adding Twist-type rhythms and tempos to albums like 1961's Rockambo and 1962's The Twist Goes Latin (the latter featured Twist reworkings of his two chart-topping singles). However, he wasn't simply chasing trends during this period; 1962 brought another compositionally ambitious tone poem, The Exotic Suite of the Americas, which added strings and a movie-soundtrack feel to an Afro-Cuban big band. Unfortunately, Prado was running out of commercial steam, his early thunder largely stolen by rock & roll. His last American album for RCA, Dance Latino, was released in 1965, and by the early '70s, he had returned to Mexico City permanently.

Despite his declining fortunes in the U.S., Prado remained an icon in much of Latin America, and he continued to tour successfully in Mexico, South America, and Japan during the '70s. He also released records in those markets, and appeared frequently on Mexican television. In 1981, he appeared in a musical revue, Sun, that enjoyed a lengthy run in Mexico City. A false report surfaced in 1983 that Prado had died in Milan, Italy, but it was actually his younger brother, Pantaleón Pérez Prado, who had passed away; Prado had been forced to sue Pantaleón in 1956 for impersonating him and using the performing name Pérez Prado to draw audiences in Europe. Prado himself started grooming his son, Pérez Prado, Jr., to take over the reins of his orchestra in the mid-'80s. Prado returned to America for a final concert at the Hollywood Palladium in 1987; although age and ill health had taken its toll on his stage demeanor, the appearance was a sold-out success. He passed away in Mexico City on September 14, 1989, after suffering a stroke. Prado's music has lived on in popular culture in the years since his death: "Guaglione" was a near-number one hit in England in 1995 after being featured in a Guinness beer commercial; "Patricia" was adopted as the theme for the HBO documentary series Real Sex; and "Mambo No. 5" was adapted into the unnervingly catchy novelty hit "Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of...)" by Lou Bega in 1999. Prado Jr. continues to direct his father's orchestra in Mexico City.

Wikipedia:

Sonora Matancera is a Cuban/Afro-Cuban band that played Latin American urban popular dance music. Led for more than five decades by guitarist, vocalist, and composer Rogelio Martínez, nicknamed El Gallego, musicologists consider it an icon of this type of music. The Guinness Book of World Records calls La Sonora Matancera, "...the group with the longest duration."

Early History: The Founding of Tuna Liberal [edit]

The group was founded on January 12, 1924 in Barrio Ojo de Agua, a neighborhood in the city of Matanzas, capital of the province of the same name in west central Cuba. Culturally and demographically, this is the most African region of Cuba. It was initially named, for political reasons, Tuna Liberal. 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 (pailas, also known as timbales; the smaller size is referred to as pailitas or timbalitos), 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—irrespective of its popularity in Matanzas and the outlying area—playing primarily son, that most basic of Cuban/Afro-Cuban rhythms. The ensemble had not yet developed its own distinctive sound in relation to its interpretation of the various and sundry genres comprising the musical architecture of Cuba.

Early History: Personnel, Instrumentational, and Stylistic Changes in the 1920s [edit]

In 1926, several members joined and others left. The name of the band was changed to Septeto Soprano. One source claims this was due to the voice of supposed new vocalist Eugenio Pérez, though he left a few months later. A different source credits the new name to the vocal range of the singer and maracas player, Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso, who became a member the same year.

Additionally, Rogelio Martínez joined the group in 1926, after Caíto recommended him to Valentín Cané. Another source indicates that Rogelio recommended Caíto to Valentín Cané, and that Caíto and Rogelio became members in 1927. A third source posits that Caíto and Rogelio joined the collective in 1926. Be that as it may, they had recorded with the charanga francesa of the much-admired pianist Antonio María Romeu prior to joining Septeto Soprano.

The group lost the services of Domingo Medina, Julio Gobín, and Juan Bautista Llópis in the attempt to elaborate a more modern sound. The band experienced many more changes—in personnel, instrumentation, and musical styles—in their nearly eight decade history. Each change in personnel and instrumentation altered the group's sound.

In 1927, at the suggestion of Valentín Cané, the ensemble relocated to Havana, intending to stay one week. It remained for the next 33 years.

The move to La Habana proved to be consequential. In 1928, the collective made its first recordings (these were for RCA-Victor; eventually, the ensemble recorded for 13 different labels).

Havana was home to a thriving music scene in the 1920s. Septeto Soprano played their first engagements in La Habana at such popular nocturnal haunts as El Teatro Alhambra, El Centro Gallego, El Centro Asturiano, La Casa de los Médicos, El Club de los 20, El Club de los Anaranjados and other dance clubs. It competed for the public's attention, if not affection, with first-rate ensembles of the day, the likes of Sexteto Habanero, Sexteto Munamar, Sexteto Boloña, Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro (one source asserts that this ensemble was a sexteto, not a septeto, at this time), Sexteto Pinareño, and Sexteto Gloria Cubana being among these, alternating with said bands at these nightspots. At first the collective did not have an easy time of it due to the professionalism of the tríos, cuartetos, sextetos, and septetos active at this time. The quality and professionalism of its musicianship allowed Septeto Soprano to triumph, carving out a niche for itself in the Cuban capital.

The collective ended the decade on a high note. In 1929, it signed a contract to perform live on the airwaves of Radio Progreso Cubano (or, as it was familiarly called, Radio Progreso), making appearances at said station for many years. Septeto Soprano had arrived. The ensemble was no longer merely a provincial phenomenon.

Early History: Personnel, Instrumentational, and Stylistic Changes in the 1930s [edit]

Septeto Soprano began the decade by once again recording for RCA-Victor. This was the sole occasion over this span of time during which the group recorded. The band would not do so for many years afterwards.

The 1930s were momentous. Some of the individuals important to the group's success began their long association with the collective in that period.

The inclusion of piano in son ensembles broadened their contrapuntal and harmonic vocabulary. Similarly, replacing the cornet with the trumpet, and the addition of a second and even a third trumpet, changed the sound and structure. Owing to these evolutionary changes, sextetos and septetos were converted into conjuntos. Septeto Soprano was not adverse to these technical and structural advances. The band incorporated the piano into its instrumentational profile during this decade. The expansion of the brass section would have to wait until the 1940s.

In 1932, Rogelio Martínez was appointed co-director. He was influential in determining the destiny of the conjunto. Juan Bautista Llópis returned for a brief period, and a new percussionist, José "Manteca" Rosario Chávez, became a member. Three more sources say that Manteca joined in 1929 while one other source states that this happened in 1935. Manteca filled the vacancy created when Jimagua left.

The collective changed its name to Estudiantina Sonora Matancera in the early 1930s. Each change in the group's name was indicative of a change in instrumentation and its corresponding stylistic change.

In 1935, vocalist Manolo Barquín occasionally sang with the group. That year it adopted its definitive name, Conjunto Sonora Matancera. Furthermore, Calixto Leicea and Humberto Cané (son of Valentín Cané) became members in this same year. Another source claims Humberto Cané joined in 1929. Calixto Leicea replaced Ismael Goberna, who retired because of poor health and died a few months later. By then, Calixto had played and made his name with Sexteto Nacional (lead by Ignacio Piñeiro), Chaveo (or Chareo) y Su Grupo, Juventud Habanera, Sexteto Guarina and María Teresa Vera. As was common with musicians of his generation throughout Latin America, he had been a member of a government-sponsored municipal band, La Banda Municipal de Matanzas, prior to embarking on a career as a professional musician, getting a firm musical education in the process. Calixto Leicea was an excellent songwriter and arranger. The band recorded many of his compositions as well as arrangements. The collective's theme song "Traigo un tono" is a guaracha composed in 1947 by Calixto. It served as the conjunto's calling card on its frequent radio broadcasts and numerous live presentations.

Humberto Cané succeeded his father on tres and, en plus, sang. Valentín Cané, having ceded to his eldest son the tres chair, remained a valuable member of the collective, as he still sang, composed and—in a new role—played tumbadora. The departure of Humberto Cané in 1944 signaled the end of the tres as part of the permanent instrumentation of the conjunto. The ensemble did not use it for many years afterwards.

Dámaso Pérez Prado (later, in the 1950s, famous as El Rey del Mambo) was the group's first pianist and one of its earliest arrangers from 1936 to 1939. Severino "Refresquito" Ramos was the primary arranger, as well as pianist, from 1939 (but especially since 1942) to 1944 and, as such, principal architect of the sonic identity of this conjunto. After 1944, he limited himself to arranging and composing.

In this decade, La Sonora faced strong competition from such ensembles as Sexteto Guarina, Juventud Habanera de Joseíto Fernández, Sexteto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro, Sexteto Segundo Nacional, Trío Matamoros, Sexteto Casino (it would later become a conjunto), Sexteto María Teresa Vera, Conjunto Kubavana', Belisario López, and Orquesta Antonio María Romeu. Possibly, there are those who still recall the rivalry between Sexteto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro and Conjunto Sonora Matancera.

By the end of the decade the ensemble had terminated its long association with Radio Progreso. In 1939, it was signed to a contract by the ownership/management of Radio CMQ (or simply CMQ) for a series of live broadcasts.

Early History: Personnel, Instrumentational, and Stylistic Changes in the 1940s [edit]

Bienvenido Granda sang lead vocals from 1940 to 1954, the first truly important sonero to perform and record with the conjunto. Two more sources claim that he became the lead singer in 1942 while a like number of sources indicate that this occurred in 1944. Yet a six source says that Bienvenido joined in 1945. As previously mentioned, accessible data concerning the early history of this collective is uncertain. The Rashomon effect, insofar as information concerning said history, is easily discernible.

Bienvenido Granda began his professional career in the 1930s. He performed over the airwaves at such Cuban radio stations as Radio Cadena Azul, Radio Cadena Suaritos, Radio Progreso, Radio CMQ, and RHC Radio with the purpose in mind of gaining wider exposure. Bienvenido became quite popular with the Cuban dancing public through his innumerable appearances on one station in particular, Radio Progreso. As a young man, he sang with such major ensembles as Orquesta Riverside, Los Hermanos Castro, Conjunto Caney, and Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro. With the last-named group, Bienvenido Granda made his first recordings in 1936. Of these eleven songs, the majority were recordings of vocal duets. On only two sides did Bienvenido sing unaccompanied. He was the lead voice on the other nine—one with Marcelino Guerra, two with the future bandleader Cheo Marquetti, and six with Alfredito Valdés. Therefore, by the time he became the principal sonero with Conjunto Sonora Matancera the artist in question had acquired vast experience on the Cuban music scene. In 1941, Bienvenido Granda traveled to Puerto Rico where he recorded two successful sides with Cuarteto Marcano. His association with La Sonora Matancera made it famous throughout the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. No one recorded more tunes with the ensemble than Bienvenido, as he made either 205 or 217 recordings from 1944 or 1945 to 1954.

In 1942, La Sonora left CMQ. It would now broadcast—with Bienvenido Granda as sonero—over the airwaves of RHC Radio.

On the same day in 1944, Pedro Knight and Ezequiel "Lino" Frías joined, leaving the Arsenio Rodríguez conjunto. These two steered the collective towards a more modern sound. The one gave the brass section more heft while the other enhanced the rhythm section.

Pedro Knight was the second husband and eventual widower of Celia Cruz. Pedro was the last surviving member of the classic lineup of this ensemble when he died in 2007.

Pianist Lino Frías anchored Conjunto Sonora Matancera's rhythm section until 1976. His guajeos (alternatively called montunos or tumbaos) and the improvisational quality of the solos he derived from these repeated, syncopated vamp sections were elegant and percussive in equal measure, steeped as these were in Cuban/Afro-Cuban piano tradition. A guajeo is the typical Cuban/Afro-Cuban ostinato melody, a motif or phrase continually repeated in the same musical voice, usually consisting of arpeggiated chords in syncopated patterns. Guajeos are hybrids of the African and the European ostinato. Lino Frías was a superb composer and arranger. The band put on acetate several of his compositions and arrangements. He had this in common with Calixto Leicea.

Two other important developments occurred in 1944. The conjunto made its next-to-last recordings for RCA-Victor. It also was signed to a recording contract by the newly-established Panart Records.

Original director Valentín Cané led the group till an asthmatic condition forced him to retire in 1946. He continued to receive pay as if he were an active member of La Sonora Matancera till he died two years later. In 1946, in place of Valentín Cané, Tata Güines, who was a member of the groundbreaking ensemble led by Israel "Cachao" López in the late 1950s and the early 1960s, became the conguero for a short time. Carlos "Patato" Valdés followed him that very year for a few months.

Ironically, Valentín Cané did not enjoy the golden age of the ensemble he had co-founded and dedicated his professional life to. Nevertheless, he is chiefly responsible for the classic configuration of La Sonora. Rogelio Martínez became director when Valentín Cané died.

Ángel "Yiyo" Alfonso Furias took over the tumbadora chair in 1948 With the incorporation of Yiyo into the band under discussion, all the pieces of the puzzle finally fell together to create the collective's unmistakable style. It had taken over two decades to get to this point. The quintessential Conjunto Sonora Matancera lineup, from 1948 to 1954, consisted of:

La Sonora Matancera honed its skills over a generation—from the late 1920s to the late 1940s—in the academias de baile (a special type of dance hall), such as the famous Marte y Belona, where nightly La Sonora drew record crowds of the best dancers. Apart from this prestigious academia, other nightspots where Conjunto Sonora Matancera entertained the dancing public in the early 1940s were El Habana Sport, another academia de baile, Centro Castellano, La Tropical (one source lists a dance hall called La Cervecería Tropical; it is not at all clear if these two are one and the same), and Las Playitas. The collective during this time also made live broadcasts on Radio Progreso. Later that same decade La Sonora Matancera frequently played in such top dance venues as El Club Atlético Santiago de Las Vegas, Quibikán, Centro Gallego, El Edén Concert, Sans Souci, El Tropicana, and Centro Asturiano. At this time La Sonora always performed on the feast day of August 15, known as La Tutelar, at El Liceo Guanabacoa while Arsenio Rodríguez y Su Conjunto Orquestal Todos Estrellas and Antonio Arcaño y Sus Maravillas (Cachao and his brother Orestes López were members of this orchestra at the time) engaged in a musical mano a mano on the same day at El Manantial de la Cotorra. Its long tenure in the academias served Conjunto Sonora Matancera well as it transformed the ensemble into an excellent dance band.

In the 1940s, the conjunto more than held its own against such important groups as Orquesta Casino de La Playa, Arsenio Rodríguez, Orquesta Ideal, Cheo Belén Puig, Antonio Arcaño y Sus Maravillas, Conjunto Jóvenes del Cayo, and Orquesta Almendra. Together with this cooperative these bands made Cuba "El Paraíso Musical de las Américas" ("The Musical Paradise of the Americas").

From the mid-1940s till the end of the 1950s, the collective had a program as "artistas exclusivos" ("exclusive artists") on Radio CMQ called "Cascabeles Candado". It was one other means of making itself known to fans of Cuban/Afro-Cuban urban popular dance music.

As this decade drew to a close, La Sonora Matancera decided on a course of action that would become standard practice for the group. This was in essence a simple measure: the incorporation of non-Cuban lead singers into its ranks without, however, the exclusion of Cuban artists. The first two such vocalists were Puerto Rican, Daniel Santos, the esteemed singer/composer and Myrta Silva, the famous guarachera/songwriter.

Daniel Santos performed and recorded with the collective beginning in 1948. His five year stay with La Sonora helped it achieve world-wide fame. The cooperative returned to airing live broadcasts, according to one source, at Radio Progreso in 1948 with Daniel Santos as the featured lead vocalist.

Myrta Silva was the first female member of this musical cooperative, joining it in 1949. She was proclaimed the most popular foreign-born vocal artist in Cuba while at the same time becoming the most popular female artist, regardless of nationality, in that country. In 1950, the pre-Castro Cuban government named her "La Artista Más Popular" ("The Most Popular Artist"). Myrta Silva would remain with the collective for a short time. This is reflected in the fact that she made just four studio recordings with the conjunto. The live recordings made by Myrta number more than that.

The Golden Age: Late 1940s to Late 1950s [edit]

Conjunto Sonora Matancera's most successful period was from 1947 until 1959. By the early 1950s, the ensemble made live broadcasts from the studios of Radio Progreso, Radio CMBG and Radio CMQ. These stations broadcast on shortwave frequency bandwidth which helped to increase the collective's popularity in Latin America. During this decade, the conjunto—besides these regular bookings on Cuban radio—had its calendar filled with club dates, film and television appearances, and tours overseas. The majority of its recordings were made at this time. Over such an abbreviated period, these musicians and singers—with contributions by composers and arrangers—brought into being a memorable catalog.

A Significant, yet Temporary, Stylistic Change [edit]

Besides personnel and instrumentational changes, La Sonora Matancera, as already illustrated, underwent stylistic changes. An important example is the following. In 1950, the conjunto expanded to big band (orquesta) size, making a series of recordings with Daniel Santos. Though these met with approval, the orquesta reverted back to being a conjunto. Other, equally transitory, stylistic changes would follow in the 1960s and the 1980s.

Additional Personnel Changes [edit]

Celia Cruz succeeded Myrta Silva in 1950, performing and recording with the conjunto until 1965. Myrta returned to the ensemble for a brief spell during 1952. Fans of the collective at first did not accept Celia as a worthy replacement, for they viewed Myrta as an idol, rejecting anything new or different. Even the president of Seeco Records—with whom La Sonora recently had signed a recording contract—was disinclined to having Celia succeed Myrta. Rogelio Martínez, a shrewd judge of talent, an able impresario, and the consummate businessman, gave his unconditional support to her. Eventually, Celia was accepted by the dancing public. Rogelio's support was validated through dint of her prodigious ability and hard work.

One source, as regards their affiliation with Seeco Records, claims Conjunto Sonora Matancera was under contract from 1949 till 1966. A second source declares said contractual arrangement was in place from 1950 to 1965. Whatever the case may be, the fact remains that this label had an extensive distribution network, allowing it to ship its recordings of different artists, including La Sonora Matancera, throughout Latin America. This was an additional important factor in helping La Sonora attain recognition—and its concomitant fame—outside of Cuba.

The year 1954 saw two further changes in personnel. The first one concerned a change in instrumentalists while the second one involved a change in relation to soneros. Elpidio Vázquez, a son of Bubú, replaced him on contrabass. Estanislao "Laíto" Sureda succeeded Bienvenido Granda as male lead singer, at times singing coro with Rogelio and Caíto. Bienvenido left after a heated argument with Rogelio Martínez over money. He wanted higher pay than his colleagues. This was impossible because the band was a cooperative. All, including the director, received the same salary.

Conjunto Sonora Matancera made its first overseas tour in 1955. It performed in Panama, Colombia, and Costa Rica. Its reputation had been made by then.

Depending on the source, Manteca, who had been a mainstay of the rhythm section, left either in 1955 or in 1957, retiring as had other members through the years because of health matters. Simón Domingo "Minino" Esquijarroza then became the percussionist. As with many aspects of La Sonora Matancera's history, available information is uncertain.

Laíto remained with the ensemble till 1956. In that year, Celio González replaced Laíto on lead vocals (besides singing coro with Rogelio, Caíto, and Laíto and playing the güiro). He stayed until 1959.

Refresquito retired in 1957. Javier Vázquez, another son of Bubú, then became the principal arranger.

In 1959, La Sonora undertook another overseas tour. It played in Peru, Chile, and Uruguay. This year must be considered the high-water mark of the ensemble, for it was seen as being the most famous band in Cuba. For all that, major changes would in no time make their presence known.

Middle Period: The 1960s/Leaving Cuba and Its Aftermath: 1960-1962 [edit]

The collective began this decade with yet one more tour. It traveled to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Aruba, and Curacao. The circumstances of the cooperative's existence were about to radically change.

The political upheaval in Cuba at the dawn of the 1960s—and its socioeconomic consequences—affected Conjunto Sonora Matancera. The subsequent history of the band was a direct result of said upheaval.

Having signed a lucrative contract to perform in Mexico City, the group, accompanied by Celia Cruz, left Havana on June 15, 1960. Minino decided to stay. The conjunto never returned to Cuba. Presumably, this was due to its opposition to the recent Cuban Revolution.

On July 15 of that same year two new singers joined the group. These were Willy "El Baby" Rodríguez and Alberto Pérez Sierra.

From 1960 to 1969 eleven new vocalists were associated with La Sonora. Of these, only two remained for any appreciable amount of time, Willy "El Baby" Rodríguez and Justo "El Mulato" Betancourt.

In 1961, Mario "Papaíto" Muñoz joined the ensemble as the new timbalero/bongosero/campanero. Additionally, Celio González returned in this very year and continued as sonero and güiro player until 1965.

La Sonora Matancera remained in Mexico until 1962. A new challenge, greater than any ever presented by other Cuban/Afro-Cuban ensembles, had been faced by the ensemble ever since it left Cuba. How would the collective continue to cultivate the native rhythms of its homeland in a foreign setting? Said challenge was met head on and, into the bargain, successfully vanquished, for the cooperative, with minor detours, continued to play Cuban/Afro-Cuban urban popular dance music.

Middle Period: The 1960s/The Silver Age: 1962-1965 [edit]

The years 1962 to 1965 were a fleeting silver age in the history of the collective. 1962 was a consequential year for La Sonora. In that year Conjunto Sonora Matancera established itself in New York City. Its residency in New York would last for 39 years, longer than their stay in La Habana.

Major personnel changes were undergone in 1965. Celia, Celio and Willy all ended their affiliation with the cooperative.

In that same year, Caíto and Lino were among the vocalists and instrumentalists gathered by Dominican-born Johnny Pacheco for a classic studio recording. Obviously, the singers and musicians of La Sonora Matancera were highly respected by their peers; La Sonora was, to say the least, much admired. Cognoscenti view this album as one of the top ones in Latin jazz descargas and, quite possibly, the best recording produced by the Fania Records behemoth before its embrace of crass commercialism. Besides Caíto and Lino two other musicians associated with Conjunto Sonora Matancera played on this album. One was from the past (Patato) and one was a trumpeter who would be invited to participate in a 1981 recording session (Pedro "Puchi" Boulong).

Middle Period: The 1960s/A Time of Transition: 1966-1969 [edit]

Pedro Knight retired as a trumpeter in 1967 to be Celia Cruz's full-time manager. Ramón Emilio "Chiripa" Aracena became the new second trumpet chair that same year.

The latter half of the decade saw the emergence of two new musical genres, the boogaloo (also spelled "bugaloo") and the closely related shing-a-ling. These musical styles were born in New York City of the admixture of Latin—specifically Cuban/Afro-Cuban rhythms—and rhythm and blues in its incarnation as soul music. It was extremely popular for not too many years. Few were the New York-based groups that were not obligated by their record companies to get on the boogaloo/shing-a-ling bandwagon. La Sonora Matancera was no exception as it recorded an album with the word "boogaloo" in its title. This is so even though La Sonora was recording at this time for its own label. Its flirtation with the trendy boogaloo was not of long duration. Soon enough Conjunto Sonora Matancera went back to playing unadulterated Cuban/Afro-Cuban urban popular dance music.

At the end of this decade six of the nine members of La Sonora Matancera were mainstays of the glory days. The core of the collective was still in place.

Middle Period: Personnel, Instrumentational, and Stylistic Changes in the 1970s [edit]

Over the course of this decade, change was the one constant. Both soneros and instrumentalists came and went. Instrumentational and stylistic changes were the order of the day as well.

During this time, La Sonora continued to record (although not at the rate nor to the extent that it had done so from 1944 to 1965), perform at dance clubs and tour overseas. At the same time, it no longer made live radio broadcasts or film and television appearances. These avenues were closed to the ensemble.

In 1970, Justo Betancourt left, to be replaced by Gabriel Eladio "Yayo el Indio" Peguero. This is a significant change in lead singer, for Yayo remained with Conjunto Sonora Matancera for more than two decades. That being said, he recorded a mere 44 songs in all. This does not negate the fact that Yayo was the most important sonero to perform and record with the collective in its later years.

Change did not abate. In 1971, Chiripa ended his association with the ensemble. Saúl Torres entered in his stead. Interestingly, Carlos Argentino—a stalwart of the golden age—returned and recorded once again with La Sonora Matancera in this same year.

In 1972, Leo Marini, another veteran of the halcyon days, rejoined the cooperative. He would record a final album with the cooperative in this year.

Early in the 1970s the conjunto played at Carnegie Hall. Eventually, it would travel to Europe. The cooperative played in Spain, France, Germany, Finland, Italy, Austria, Sweden, and Norway. It also performed in Japan. By now, the ensemble, from its humble beginnings in provincial Cuba, had become a musical institution beloved world-wide.

Between 1973 and 1977 six different trumpeters comprised the brass section. Of these, the most prominent one was Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, a member of Arsenio Rodríguez's seminal conjunto in the 1940s.

For some time the individual members of the group had been seen by other artists as exemplars of their craft. In 1975, Caíto sang on one of the cuts at a recording session at CBS Studios in New York City. This recording session yielded a double album comprised of Cuban dance music and Afro-Cuban folkloric music, the first of a two album series. These two albums are considered to be among the best recordings of Cuban/Afro-Cuban music made in the 1970s. Chocolate was one of the instrumentalists assembled for this recording date. This was prior to his joining the collective.

In 1975, Seeco Records released a double album to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Conjunto Sonora Matancera. Said album was a compilation of recordings made by the group during its salad days. Calixto Leicea, in an addendum to the liner notes, informs the reader that La Sonora Matancera toured Colombia a few months prior to the release of this album. He mentions that nearly 1,000,000 persons were present at the various performances of the band. Calixto states that many of these individuals were young. La Sonora was received enthusiastically by young and old alike.

As this decade unfolds one thing becomes abundantly clear. The 1970s were witness to the unbridled popularity of salsa, a commercial derivative of authentic Cuban/Afro-Cuban urban popular dance music. Long-established vocalists and musicians now were billed as "salsa" performers. La Sonora, under contract to the Mexican company Orfeón Records from 1975 to 1980, reluctantly or not, followed suit. In this five year period Conjunto Sonora Matancera saw its music marketed as "salsa". Orfeón released eight albums with the word "salsa" as part of the title of each recording. One album, a reissue of a prior release, was packaged as "salsa afrocubana". In the opinion of its fans—and much to their chagrin—La Sonora Matancera fell victim, however temporary, to the exigencies of the marketplace.

After 32 years, Lino Frías and La Sonora parted ways in 1976. He did not abandon his musical calling. Rather, other opportunities beckoned. For example, Lino played on two albums recorded that same year by a collection of top singers and musicians under the aegis of Cachao. On each of these recordings he is the pianist on two of five cuts. Lino Frías was, as well, the pianist and musical director on the first album made by Armando Sánchez and his conjunto. Undoubtedly, he would have continued in this vein if not for poor health. These three albums were recorded by small, independent labels not controlled by the Fania Records colossus. There are those who argue that said labels positioned themselves as the antithesis to the ongoing commercialization of Cuban/Afro-Cuban "música típica" at the hands of Fania. At all events, Javier Vázquez followed Lino as pianist and in so doing assumed dual responsibilities with the cooperative.

In 1977, Miguelito Valdés, having recorded with Conjunto Sonora Matancera in 1951, did so once more. It would appear that the old guard was propping up the ensemble. Still and all, contemporary touches were added to the collective's instrumentation. Electronic piano, organ and/or electric guitar were employed at this session on two songs. Purists felt that such a step was taken as a means of keeping the conjunto relevant. From their point of view said move drew the band away from its acoustic roots.

Calixto Leicea stopped recording with the cooperative in 1978. Even so, he would accompany La Sonora Matancera wherever it performed.

The close of the decade saw five vocalists and musicians, stalwarts of the golden days, still active with La Sonora. The spirit of the classic edition of the band was very much alive.

After the 1970s decline inevitably reared its head as Conjunto Sonora Matancera entered into its extended twilight period. In any event, the quality of the singers and instrumentalists associated with the collective left nothing to be desired. The group, as a matter of course, continued to perform sterling dance music. Yet there was a palpable sense that time had overtaken the band. The perception existed among many individuals, rightly or wrongly, that the ensemble was passé. The glory years were shortly a thing of the past.

The conjunto weathered all doubts as to its viability. It revived the modus operandi followed over the generation spanning the late 1920s to the late 1940s, playing one night stands in small dance clubs. The cooperative, some two decades after having left Cuba, had survived. At any rate, it would experience many more personnel changes in the decades to come.

Late Period: Personnel, Instrumentational, and Stylistic Changes in the 1980s [edit]

The decade of the 1980s began with the departure of another veteran member of the group. In 1980, Yiyo and La Sonora Matancera, after 32 years, went their separate ways. He was replaced by Alberto Valdés. Chocolate also left in this year, being succeeded by Héctor "Bomberito" Zarzuela, a long-time member of Pacheco's conjuntos. This year saw the addition of a third trumpet and a third coro vocalist, bringing the number of instrumentalists and singers to twelve. Of these, four were active in the golden age. Therefore, it is safe to say that the essence of the band was still in force.

The year 1980 witnessed a development criticized by some. The contrabass and the piano were substituted by their electronic counterparts (in the case of the latter for the second time). Said development is seen by these critics as being emblematic of a loss of originality. For all that, it was a temporary attempt at being au courant. In this year Celia Cruz returned to record one more album. Further experimentation with electric instrumentational effects continued. Rhythm instruments, violins and organ can be heard on several of the recorded numbers. This was possibly an electronic illusion on the part of the pianist and not the actual instruments themselves. Of course, traditionalists were not pleased.

In 1981, La Sonora recorded an album for Bárbaro Records, a subsidiary of the Fania Records empire co-founded by Johnny Pacheco and Jerry Masucci. The artists on this recording, for the most part, had been specially invited for the recording date. On said album the tres made its return on one number in the person of Mario Hernández, the much-admired Puerto Rican tresero. If only for a little while, the tres was once again part and parcel of the ensemble's instrumentation. Elpidio Vázquez, Jr. also performed on this date as the substitute bass player on one song. He represented the third consecutive generation of his family to be a member of Conjunto Sonora Matancera. Justo Betancourt was the sonero.

The old guard continued to resurface. Celia recorded a final album with the ensemble in 1982.

In 1984, the cooperative recorded with the singer Ismael Miranda. He was for many years sonero with Larry Harlow's orchestra.

1985 was a year of change. Bomberito left, to be replaced by Ken Fradley. The last-named had been a charter member of Saoco, the short-lived but nevertheless important conjunto. Two artists constituted the coro on Saoco's first album, one of them a member of La Sonora Matancera (Yayo el Indio) and the other one a sonero who would record with La Sonora in the following decade (Adalberto Santiago). The individual members of Conjunto Sonora Matancera, even at this late date, were still held in high esteem. By the same token, the collective itself continued to be a magnet for top talent, vocalists and instrumentalists alike.

Tenerife, largest and most populous of the Canary Islands, hosts one of the world's largest carnivals. In 1986, La Sonora Matancera performed at the Carnival. Celia Cruz was the lead singer on this tour. La Sonora played for an audience of 240,000 spectators. In the process it set a record for any ensemble playing popular music in the Spanish language. Admittedly way past its prime, Conjunto Sonora Matancera was still, however, a star attraction for connoisseurs of Cuban/Afro-Cuban urban popular dance music.

In 1989, La Sonora Matancera celebrated its 65th anniversary of existence. This landmark achievement was commemorated by concerts in Central Park and Carnegie Hall. Their appearance at the last-named venue has been preserved on vinyl. Of the fourteen soneros on said recording nine were veterans of the gilded age. This would be the last occasion during which these artists would perform with the collective. Only one is still with us, namely, Nelson Pinedo. In this year Javier Vázquez left after 13 years as pianist and 32 years as chief arranger. José Luis Cruz became the new keyboardist.

Late Period: The 1990s [edit]

La Sonora commenced this decade by suffering an insurmountable loss. In 1990, Caíto, one of the primary architects of Conjunto Sonora Matancera's signature sound, passed away, ending a 63-year affiliation with the group. Fernando Lavoy was recruited to fill this vacancy.

The year 1993 saw La Sonora Matancera record an album in Mexico, De Nuevo, with Adalberto Santiago on lead vocals. In this same year Willy "El Baby" Rodríguez rejoined La Sonora.

Conjunto Sonora Matancera lost the services of Yayo el Indio in 1994. He retired as the singer with the longest continuous tenure with the ensemble.

At this time the personnel lineup consisted of nine members. Three of them were associated with the cooperative since at least the 1950s.

Later History: 2000 to 2009 [edit]

For traditionalists, the death of Rogelio Martínez on May 13, 2001 marked the demise of Conjunto Sonora Matancera. For all that, Javier Vázquez, with the blessing of Rogelio Martínez, Jr., leads a group in Las Vegas, Nevada called by this name. Some purists don't consider it the "real" Conjunto Sonora Matancera. They base their opinion on the fact that La Sonora Matancera was the product of a specific collective of instrumentalists, vocalists, songwriters, and arrangers as well as a particular socioeconomic environment. Accordingly, these traditionalists feel that their like will never be seen again. Still, this version of La Sonora is faithful to the sonic identity of the band's classic edition.

The present configuration of Conjunto Sonora Matancera, with its base in Las Vegas, has traveled to Bonaire, Mexico, and various cities in the United States. It has met with success on these tours. In 2009, this latest incarnation of La Sonora Matancera made its most recent recording entitled Hay Sonora pa' Rato. The lead singer was a young Puerto Rican vocalist by the name of Darío Rosado. La Sonora was still a presence on the music scene in the early years of the twenty-first century.

Characteristic Features [edit]

Conjunto Sonora Matancera is characterized by its melodic, yet propulsive, use of two trumpets. Quite often these were played in such tight unison that other than the solos taken by the first trumpet one could not differentiate between the two. Furthermore, contrabass, piano, pailitas, bongós, cencerro, and tumbadora are prominently featured.

La Sonora Matancera was also distinguished by its backup singers, or coro. It usually consisted of Rogelio Martínez and Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso, whose falsetto delivery was derived from a traditional singing style of the earliest soneros (called in Cuba voz de vieja).

Singers and Songwriters [edit]

Vocalists played a critical role in La Sonora's history. The ensemble adapted its unique sound to the particular style of each singer without, however, compromising its musical identity. Lead vocalists in the group, of different nationalities, included Eugenio Pérez, Manolo Barquín, Humberto Cané, Bienvenido Granda, Israel del Pino, Alfredito Valdés, Miguel de Gonzalo, Bienvenido León, Daniel Santos, Myrta Silva, Leo Marini, Miguelito Valdés, Gloria Díaz, Bobby Capó, Nelson Pinedo, Vicentico Valdés (brother of Alfredito Valdés), Olga Chorens, Tony Álvarez, Estanislao "Laíto" Sureda, Alberto Beltrán (Daniel Santos recommended him to Rogelio Martínez), Celio González, Carlos Argentino (he was the first husband of Celia Cruz), Carmen Delia Dipiní, Johnny López, Felipe "La Voz" Rodríguez, Víctor Piñero, Rey Caney, Caridad Cuervo, Toña la Negra, Elliot Romero, Justo Betancourt, Linda Leida, Eladio "Yayo el Indio" Peguero, Raúl Planas, Ismael Miranda, Adalberto Santiago and, the performer considered by some its greatest alumna, Celia Cruz. A number of these artists attained stardom because of their association with Conjunto Sonora Matancera. Humberto Cané, Celia Cruz, Nelson Pinedo, Alberto Beltrán, and Carlos Argentino are among the song stylists who owe their fame to the recordings they made with this collective. Most of the other performers were well known by the time they recorded with La Sonora Matancera.

Several singers performed with La Sonora without making any recordings, except for live recordings. These include Orlando Vallejo, Sarita Arceo, Tito Cortés (a successful imitator of Daniel Santos who never developed his own distinctive vocal personality), Caridad Cuervo, Polito Galíndez, and Roberto "El Caminante" Torres. Manolo Barquín, Pedro Vargas (known as "El Gran Tenor de las Américas") and Beny Moré (referred to as "El Bárbaro del Ritmo"; interestingly, he recorded with Humberto Cané's band in 1947) performed with the ensemble but did not make any recordings, either in the studio or live.

Conjunto Sonora Matancera recorded works by many well-regarded Cuban composers, among them Eliseo Grenet, Miguel Matamoros, Ignacio Piñeiro, Pablo Cairo, José Claro Fumero, Severino Ramos, Luis Reyes, Humberto Jauma, Walfrido Guevara, Luis Marquetti (brother of Cheo Marquetti), José Carbó Menéndez, Senén Suárez, Julio Blanco Leonard, Ñico Saquito, Rosendo Ruiz, Jr., Calixto Leicea, Lino Frías, José Antonio Méndez, Rodrigo Prats, José Casamar, Arsenio Rodríguez, Marcos Perdomo, Luis "Lilí" Martínez Griñán, Jesús Guerra Zayas, Evaristo Aparicio, Estanislao Serviá, Jesús Martínez Leonard, Agustín Ribot, Juan Bruno Tarraza, Julio Gutiérrez, Justi Barreto, Calixto Callava, Osvaldo Farrés, Javier Vázquez, Eduardo Davidson and Luciano "Chano" Pozo. Recordings of songs by non-Cuban songwriters were also made. Among these tunesmiths were the Mexican Agustín Lara, the Dominicans Luis María "Billo" Frómeta, Luis Kalaff Pérez and Joseíto Mateo, and the Puerto Ricans Pedro Flores, Rafael Hernández, Daniel Santos, Myrta Silva, Bobby Capó, Roberto Cole, Johnny Rodríguez (an older brother of the singer, band leader, and composer Tito Rodríguez), Moncho Usera, Margarita Rivera, Ismael Rivera (son of the preceding), Elliot Romero, Catalino "Tite" Curet Alonso (the house composer at Fania Records), and Ismael Miranda.

Recordings [edit]

La Sonora Matancera was prolific. Over the course of almost 70 years, it recorded a plethora of songs, some more than once, either by the same performer or by two different artists. One source believes the ensemble recorded 1,057 tunes while a second source claims the number of recordings are 1,063, all, according to said sources, originally committed to acetate by this collective. Such is not the case, for the ensemble recorded at least two instrumental tunes ("Cuban Pete" and the theme from the television series "Dragnet") and a handful of other numbers (for example, "Historia de un amor", "El que siembra su maíz" and "Desvelo de amor", to name just three of these) that were not first put on vinyl by this group. Regardless, many of its recordings are considered classics. The cooperative also made innumerable live recordings.

The impact of La Sonora is far-reaching, and many prominent Latin musicians re-recorded some of its original musical numbers. Such New York-based musicians include Machito y Su Orquesta (also billed as Machito y Sus Afrocubanos or Machito and His Afro-Cuban Orchestra, either Machito himself or his sister Graciela on lead vocals), José Curbelo y Su Orquesta, Miguelito Valdés and His Orchestra, Joe Loco, Tito Puente and His Orchestra, Tito Rodríguez and His Orchestra (alternatively called Tito Rodríguez y Su Orquesta), The Alegre All-Stars, Eddie Palmieri and His Conjunto La Perfecta, Pacheco y Su Viejo Tumbao (later succeeded by Pacheco y Su Tumbao Añejo), Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe, Conjunto Libre, Saoco (Henry Fiol, co-founder of this particular conjunto, sang lead on its first two albums; the band was known as William Millán y Su Saoco Original after he left the group), Ismael Miranda y Su Orquesta "Revelación", Súper Típica de Estrellas, (Gonzalo Fernández, director), Miguel Quintana y Los Soneros de Oriente, Tito Allen, and Willie Rodríguez. Some of these performers began their careers in Cuba and continued performing and recording in the United States. Such is the case with Machito, Graciela, José Curbelo and Miguelito Valdés. One artist—Tito Rodríguez—began his career not in Cuba, but in his native Puerto Rico, going on to perform and record in both Cuba and the United States.

In addition, bands from other countries have re-recorded songs first put on vinyl by Conjunto Sonora Matancera, including El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Tommy Olivencia y La Primerísima, La Sonora Ponceña, Willie Rosario y Su Orquesta, Óscar D'León and Alquimia (this conjunto is promoted as La Sonora del XXI, meaning "La Sonora of the 21st Century"). At least one tune was re-recorded on two separate occasions by the same performer. Several numbers were re-recorded by two artists or groups, with at least three songs each re-recorded by three different bands. Two tunes share the same title but were composed as different rhythms by different songwriters. All of these numbers are included in the Discography: A Representative Sampling section.

The group's records covered a myriad of themes—love and its consequences, the absurdities and struggles of life, the pleasure and pain of friendship, a philosophical approach to the art and science of living, political matters, and the joy of dance. Some recordings were humorous, some featured double entendres. Most recordings were in Cuban Spanish, which incorporates many Amerindian and African words. Some were partially or wholly in Abakuá (a secret language and its associated men's initiatory fraternity with roots in the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon; the language is Congolese in origin) or in Lucumí, the Cuban name for the Yoruba language of West Africa. One song was partially in English, another in Papiamento, and four were in Haitian Creole.

La Sonora Matancera played and recorded almost all the rhythms created in Cuba—particularly the guaracha. It played and recorded, as well, many boleros. In addition, rhythms from other Caribbean and Latin American countries are part and parcel of its repertoire.

Assessment [edit]

A Critique and Its Rebuttal [edit]

There are those who feel that the members of La Sonora were not the most important musicians in Cuba. Be that as it may, the fact remains that these performers created a musical camaraderie that gave rise to a distinctive style. This distinctive style is easily recognizable, the inimitable "...Sonora Beat..." serving as its lodestar. The conjunto closely adhered to "...the heart of the Cuban dance rhythm..." which was found in the "dancers beat" of this collective.

Influence and Importance [edit]

The two trumpet front line employed by Conjunto Sonora Matancera is a trademark sound that leads some musical purists to criticize any group with "sonora" in its name if it doesn't feature an all-trumpet brass section. The Puerto Rico-based band La Sonora Ponceña follows this unwritten rule. The combination of the brass section with contrabass, piano and percussion, in addition to the way these musicians played and the invaluable collaboration of acclaimed tunesmiths and accomplished arrangers, defined La Sonora Matancera's signature sound. This sound was an influential Hispanic-Antillean variant of the African Diaspora's many cultural manifestations.

Many Latin orchestras imitated the backup vocal style of La Sonora, most famously those directed by Venezuelan bandleader and vocalist Óscar D'León. Additionally, the conjuntos led by Pacheco in the mid-1960s and throughout the 1970s were modeled on the coro and other elements in the sonic arsenal of Conjunto Sonora Matancera.

La Sonora Matancera played a significant part in the evolution of the structure of Cuban/Afro-Cuban urban dance bands. It played a role in the development of the conjunto style, the celebrated estilo Sonora being one of the three incarnations of the conjunto format. The other two are the estilo Casino (based on the style of Conjunto Casino) and the estilo Arsenio (patterned after the first group fronted by the tres player/conguero/composer/innovator Arsenio Rodríguez). Conjunto Casino and Arsenio Rodríguez were La Sonora's chief rivals in the conjunto paradigm. The three conjunto styles—especially estilo Arsenio—formed the archetypes that led to contemporary "salsa". Though the estilo Sonora is the least prominent, many consider the band the greatest exponent of Cuban/Afro-Cuban urban popular dance music and the preeminent group in the history of Latin American dance music. The estilo Sonora was at the height of its influence and popularity in 1998. This can be attested to by the hit recording of the song Idilio, written by the Puerto Rican composer Alberto "Tití" Amadeo. It was recorded by Estanislao "Laíto" Sureda y Su Sonora.

The impact of Conjunto Sonora Matancera on the music scene was felt far overseas. For example, in the 1950s there was a Japanese group that was a carbon copy of La Sonora Matancera.

The group remains a revered musical and cultural influence—the unique product of a specific collective of musicians: instrumentalists, singers, composers, and arrangers. Conjunto Sonora Matancera elevated Cuban/Afro-Cuban urban dance music in popularity and cultural status.

Discography: A Representative Sampling [edit]

The lead singer, male or female, on medium tempo (guajira, guajira son) and up-tempo numbers (guaracha, guaguancó, mambo) was accompanied by a coro. On slow tempo songs (boleros) the coro did not perform.

A distinction has been made between live recordings and live radio broadcasts. Live recordings are those whose provenance is in doubt owing to the gaps in the available data; it cannot be determined if these tunes were recorded in a radio studio or by a fan at a cabaret. The origin of live radio broadcasts speaks for itself.

Unless otherwise indicated, the information on individual recordings (composer, rhythm and recording date) was gathered from the first source cited in the References section. Data for some numbers was incomplete. Information on re-recordings was gleaned from private music collections.

Studio Recordings [edit]

Lead Vocalist with and without Coro [edit]

Bienvenido Granda

Humberto Cané

Bienvenido Granda

Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso

Bienvenido Granda

Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso

Bienvenido Granda

Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso/Sonora Matancera as Conjunto Tropicavana

Bienvenido Granda/Sonora Matancera as Conjunto Tropicavana

Bienvenido Granda

Israel del Pino

Miguel de Gonzalo/Sonora Matancera as Conjunto Tropicavana

Daniel Santos

Daniel Santos/Conjunto Sonora Matancera as Orquesta Sonora Matancera

Daniel Santos

Myrta Silva

Celia Cruz

Miguelito Valdés

Leo Marini

Bobby Capó

Nelson Pinedo

Vicentico Valdés

Estanislao "Laíto" Sureda

Alberto Beltrán

Carmen Delia Dipiní

Carlos Argentino

Celio González

Vocal Duo [edit]

Rogelio Martínez and Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso

Rogelio Martínez and Bienvenido Granda

Bienvenido Granda and Bienvenido León

Bienvenido Granda and Rogelio Martínez

Celia Cruz and Bienvenido Granda

Celia Cruz and Martha Jean Claude

Estanislao "Laíto" Sureda and Rogelio Martínez

Celia Cruz and Estanislao "Laíto" Sureda

Alberto Beltrán and Celia Cruz

Estanislao "Laíto" Sureda and Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso

Celia Cruz and Nelson Pinedo

Celia Cruz and Celio González

Vocal Trio [edit]

Valentín Cané, Rogelio Martínez and Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso/Septeto Soprano

Valentín Cané, Rogelio Martínez and Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso/Estudiantina Sonora Matancera (?)

Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso, Bienvenido Granda and Rogelio Martínez

Instrumental Tunes [edit]

Live Recordings/Live Radio Broadcasts [edit]

Lead Vocalist with and without Coro [edit]

Bienvenido Granda

Daniel Santos

Myrta Silva

Celia Cruz

Miguelito Valdés

Leo Marini

Bobby Capó

Nelson Pinedo

Vicentico Valdés

Estanislao "Laíto" Sureda

Alberto Beltrán

Carlos Argentino

Celio González

Orlando Vallejo

Sarita Arceo

Tito Cortés

Caridad Cuervo

Polito Galíndez

Vocal Duo [edit]

Celia Cruz and Bienvenido Granda

Vocal Trio [edit]

Rogelio Martínez, Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso, and Celio González

Vocal Quartet [edit]

Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso, Celio González, Rogelio Martínez, and Carlos Argentino

Instrumental Tune [edit]

Recordings on Film [edit]

Vocal Duo [edit]

Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso and Rogelio Martínez

Vocal Trio [edit]

Humberto Cané, Rogelio Martínez and Carlos Manuel "Caíto" Díaz Alonso

A Selection of Albums, Cassette Tapes and Compact Discs [edit]

Data with respect to albums and compact discs, in addition to being garnered from the first source mentioned in the References section, were gathered from private recording collections as well. None of the sources used to prepare this essay had a listing of cassette tapes. As such, information was obtained from private music collections.

Albums [edit]

Cassette Tapes [edit]

Compact Discs [edit]

Filmography [edit]

Unless otherwise indicated, data on individual cinematographic works were found in the six source cited in the References section. Additionally, three other sources yielded information with regard to the titles of certain films, with one of these listing an alternate date for the year of production of one movie. The majority of these films were made in Mexico during the heyday of that country's cinema.

Published Works Concerning the History of Conjunto Sonora Matancera [edit]

In the first source mentioned in the References section, Cristóbal Díaz Ayala cites a book written by the well-known Puerto Rican radio personality Gilda Mirós. He does not, however, give any data other than the author's name. Neither does Díaz Ayala supply complete information on the third, fourth and fifth works listed. Be that as it may, he does credit Ramírez Bedoya's study with being the most comprehensive one to date. The final book listed is not, per se, about La Sonora Matancera. Nonetheless, it has been included because of two reasons. First, the band was under contract to Seeco Records for a decade and a half, its longest relationship with any record company. Second, La Sonora made the majority of its recordings for this label. Data on all these works, with the exception of the last one, were found in the first source cited in the References section.