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Puerto Rican-born pianist, bandleader and composer Noro Morales (1911-1964) is admired for his hip and groundbreaking piano and rhythm style. From a large musical family, he initially studied trombone and bass, but fared better on piano. In 1924 the Morales family were invited to become the official court orchestra for Venezuelan dictator President Juan Vicente Gómez. Noro took over leadership following his father’s death. The family orchestra disbanded after returning to Puerto Rico in 1930. After freelancing with Ralph Sánchez, The Midnight Serenaders, Carmelo Díaz Soler, Rafael Muñoz and others, Noro relocated to New York City in 1935. There he worked with Alberto Socarrás, Augusto Coen, Leo Marini and Johnny Rodríguez (Tito Rodríguez’s older brother). In 1937 he organised the successful Hermanos Morales Orchestra, including his brothers Esy (Ismael Morales, 1916-1951) on flute, drummer Humberto and Pepito (José Morales, a.k.a. "Gandinga") on baritone sax, and recorded for Columbia. The band was renamed Noro Morales and his Orchestra in 1938 and soon became the band of choice for East Harlem dance halls and Midtown supper clubs, including a five-year residency at the famous El Morocco.
He formed a big band in the early ’40s and became one of the top mid-’40s orchestras, rivalling Machito, Miguelito Valdés and Marcelino Guerra. His "Bim Bam Bum" (recorded in 1941 for Decca with vocals by Machito) was an early crossover hit, popularised in 1942 by Xavier Cugat, sung by Tito Rodríguez (included on the CD Xavier Cugat And His Orchestra 1940-42 ‘91 on Tumbao). His 1942 hit composition "Serenata Ritmica" became his theme and clinched popularity with non-Latinos: beginning that year his band was hired to play many times at the celebrated annual NY Daily News Harvest Moon Ball. Another well-known Morales tune was "Oye Negra". Noro developed a hip combo style during the ’40s, which copycats diluted. He also made commercial concessions, but the quintet for piano and percussion was highly regarded. Some of Noro’s most revered piano and rhythm sides for Gabriel Oller’s Coda label (formed 1945) are collected on the CD Rumba Rhapsody (Tumbao, 1994).
He took the arrival of the mambo during the ’40s in his stride. Fine examples of his big band work 1945-50 (including the classic 1949 MGM mambo cuts "Ponce" and "110th Street And 5th Avenue") are compiled on the 1993 Tumbao CD Rumbas And Mambo. His Piano And Rhythm (Ansonia, 1960; reissued 1991) includes his captivating "Maria Cervantes". He relocated back to Puerto Rico in 1961 and became one of the island’s major attractions as the resident band at the Hotel la Concha. He died from chronic diabetes, which had made him nearly blind. Noro employed various arrangers, including René Hernández, Joe Loco, Chico O’Farrill, Ray Santos, Ben Pickering and Charlie Diamond (a.k.a. Carlos Diamante). He worked especially closely with latter two, who transcribed his ideas. Numerous prominent Latin names passed through his band, including percussionists Tito Puente, Ray Romero, Sabú Martínez, Johnny "La Vaca" Rodríguez Sr. (father of Johnny "Dandy" Rodríguez), Manny Oquendo and Willie Rosario; singers Machito, Tito Rodríguez, Pellín Rodríguez, Vicentico Valdés, Dioris Valladares and Vitín Avilés; bassist Julio Andino; and Santos on sax. Jazz trumpeter Doc Severinsen was a sideman in 1950-1. Other worthwhile reissues include Recordando Los Exitos De Noro Morales, Vol. 1 ‘92 (recorded 1953-6) in the RCA Tropical Series, Mr. Babalú ‘93 (recorded 1949-51) on Tumbao, the latter with Miguelito Valdés, and Live Broadcasts & Transcriptions 1942-48 ‘96 on Harlequin. – John Child
Dear Mr. Child -
Many do not know that Noro Morales relocated to Los Angeles, CA in approx. 1958. He played a few gigs in the LA area but decided on renting a ballroom at the Hotel Alexandria in downtown LA for weekly Saturday night dances. I attended a few of the dances but the venture did not attract many people (my guess is that he was unknown to the LA crowd). The members of the LA band included Juancito Torres on trumpet, Joe Calderon on bass, Joe Torres on timbales, Vitin Aviles on vocals. Cannot remember who else was in the band. The weekly Saturday dances did not fare well financialy for Noro and after a few months he left California. However Joe Torres and Joe Calderon remained in LA. Another musician that attempted to relocate to LA was Jimmy Sabater, the timbalero and vocalist. Don’t know much about Jimmy but he could not make a go of it and left also. I was born in NYC and relocated to Los Angeles,CA with my parents in 1957 and never moved bact to NYC but have kept my musical roots and Puerto Rican culture all my life and like to share my musical experiences to keep the history on track. Love to read about the Latin bands and artists that interpret our Latin thing “Salsa” in your editorials. Keep on trucking.
Emilio
Comment by Emilio Melendez — April 29, 2011 @ 3:58 am
Hello Mr. Meléndez:
I hope that this message finds you doing very well. Thank you very much for your input because I was not aware of that piece of information — Noro Morales relocating to Los Angeles; and like you, I am Puerto Rican and fond of all Afro-Latin rhythms. By the way, along with Rafael Hernández, he was the first one to found an organized Latin band in NYC.
Wish everyone the very best.
Regards,
Arnaldo Casillas
Comment by Arnaldo Casillas — April 29, 2011 @ 6:35 am
Love the photo of my dad and mom on the album cover (one I do not have)
My dad would have turned 100 in 2 days, Jan. 4 2012.
Thanks for the comments.
Comment by Norina Morales — January 2, 2012 @ 5:59 pm