Described as "one of the best flautists of this music of all time" by famed pianist Alfredo Rodríguez, José Antonio Fajardo (1919-2001) organised his first charanga band in September 1949. After initially struggling, his career really took-off with advent of cha cha chá craze in Cuba in 1953. Relocating to the USA in 1961, he went on to play a prominent role in the early ’60s charanga / pachanga craze and ’70s charanga revival. During the latter, he recorded four albums for Harvey Averne’s ill-fated Coco label. Then after playing on one track of Ray Barretto’s landmark Fania album Rican / Struction in 1979, he switched to Fania for four albums between 1980 and 1984. He was to record only one more solo album, La Flauta De Cuba (Tania, mid-1980s), but sessioned on various productions by the likes of Alfredo Valdés Jr., Israel López "Cachao", Fania All Stars, Graciela and Mario Bauzá, Louie Ramírez, Charanga Ranchera, Africando, Estrellas Caimán and Los Originales, among others, between 1982 and 2001. – John Child

Fajardo Discography

Notorious for her frenzied stage performances and admired by some as the epitome of camp, Cuban-born La Lupe (Lupe Victoria Yoli Raymond, 1939-1992) peaked in popularity in the second half of the 1960s.

From a poor background, she played truant from school to enter a radio singing contest and won first prize. She completed teacher training at her father’s insistence and worked as a schoolteacher in Havana. Meanwhile she performed with the Trio Los Tropicales at the El Roco nightclub, but was expelled from the group for wild behaviour. Her solo debut at Havana’s La Red nightclub in 1959 was a great success and she recorded several hit albums in the early ’60s, including Con El Diablo En El Cuerpo and La Lupe Is Back on Discuba, and Es Lupe on Kristal. However, her tempestuous stage act mixed with rock ‘n’ roll sung in Spanish so outraged the Castro government, that she was constrained to quit Cuba in early 1962.

Scandals returned to dog her career, including being banned from Puerto Rican TV for tearing off her clothing during a live broadcast. Her already rocky career is regarded to have sustained a crucial set back in the mid-’70s when Jerry Masucci (whose Fania empire had absorbed Tico) gave preference to progressing the career of another Tico signee: Celia Cruz. Despite issuing three LPs between 1977 and 1980, including La Pareja ‘78 with Puente, her career continued to dwindle until her retirement from performing in the early ’80s. She sank into poverty due to huge contributions to the Santería religion and enormous bills for her husband’s mental health treatment. She became paralysed following a domestic accident and was healed by an evangelical preacher. She converted to Evangelicalism and committed the rest of her life to religion until suffering a fatal heart attack in 1992. – John Child

La Lupe Discography

Nicknamed El Brujo, the Wizard, sonero, composer, arranger and producer Cuco Valoy hails from Santo Domingo. Rather than merengue, the predominant music of his native Quisqueya, Cuco’s steadfast love is Cuban music. After over 15 years performing in Los Ahijados, a Cuban style voice and guitar duo with his brother Martín, he expanded in the mid-’70s to a 12-piece band called both Los Virtuosos and La Tribu. It was a family affair including Martín on bass and sons Ramón Orlando (piano, musical director, arranger, composer, chorus singer) and Marcos Antonio Valoy occasionally on trombone. Between 1975 and 1983 the band made a string of 14 albums on the Discolor and Kubaney labels, featuring a mixture of salsa and merengue. Between 1983 and 1987, Valoy recorded for small companies, including his own CVR label, and then returned to Kubaney from 1988 to 1990. This was truly a golden era, during which he recorded many of his finest tracks. The 2010 Kubaney compilation Sonero Y Valor available on elWatusi.com is a good anthology of material from these two periods with the label. Cuco made a significant comeback in 1997 guesting on the smash hit cover of his ’70s hit "Juliana" by DLG from their album Swing On on Sony Tropical. "Juliana", from his 1978 album Salsa Con Coco on Discolor, is featured on Sonero Y Valor. Other albums represented on the collection are El Brujo (1976), Un Momento!…Llegaron (1977), La Tribu en New York (1978), Tremenda Salsa (1978; a.k.a. Cuco Valoy y su Tribu en Curazao), El Magnífico (1980), Tiza! (1980), Sin Comentarios… (1981), Chevere (1982), Bien Sobao (l982) and A Petición Popular…Salsa (1989). The other lead voice featured on Sonero Y Valor is the magnificent vocalist Henry García. After his second stint with Kubaney, Cuco went onto to release albums on J&N Records, AVL, Mr Imperio, RMM and Envidia before returning to the label in 2004 for Intacto. – John Child

Cuco Valoy Discography

The internationally famous Cuban sonero and composer Miguelito Valdés (1919-1978) was an acclaimed interpreter of Afro-Cuban songs, which both celebrated the heritage of Cuban blacks and highlighted their suffering. He acquired the nickname "Mr Babalú" because he recorded and performed the song so often. From the age of 10 he grew-up in Havana’s Cayo Hueso district listening to Santería (Afro-Cuban cult music) and classical music. He befriended Arsenio Rodríguez, Chano Pozo and Félix Chappottín. He started boxing in 1926 for the Cuban YMCA and became Cuba’s amateur welterweight champion in 1929 and sang songs during radio interviews. He switched to music full-time as a singer with Sexteto Habanero Juvenil. After two years guitar and singing tuition from singer, guitarist and composer María Teresa Vera (1895-1965), he joined her group Sexteto Occidente in 1929 as a chorus singer. He relocated to Panama in 1933 and became a major star there as the vocalist with Lucho Azcarraga orchestra.

Musical director Mario Bauzá invited him to return to NYC to reunite with the Machito orchestra on the 1963 LP Reunion on Tico, which he regarded as one of his best recordings. This re-established his career, leading to his own TV show (1966-76) and recording dates, including Mejico Yo Te Canto / I Sing Of Mexico (Tico, 1964), Canciones Mi Mama No Me Enseño / Spanish Songs Mama Never Taught Me ‘64 and Mas Canciones Mi Mama No Me Enseño / More Spanish Songs Mama Never Taught Me ‘65, both on Tico with Tito Puente, Machito, Graciela and Joe Cuba; Chico O’Farrill’s Married Well (Verve, 1967), providing lead vocals to "Manteca"; Inolvidables (Verve, 1967) arranged and conducted by O’Farrill; Miguelito Canta A Panama (Mericana, 1977) made in Panama; and Mister Babalú en Perú on IEMPSA (issued on LAD ‘80). He had a mild heart attack in Mexico in March 1978 and collapsed and died on stage during a performance at the Hotel Tequendama, Bogotá, Colombia, in November 1978. – John Child

Miguelito Valdés Discography

The remarkable smoky voice of Venezuelan-born sonero, composer and percussionist Tabaco (Carlos Quintana, 1943-1995) has been compared to Ismael Rivera. He joined Sexteto Juventud in 1963 following a recommendation from conguero Elio Pacheco to the leader and bassist Olinto Medina. (Pacheco was a founder member of Dimensión Latina and subsequently leader of La Magnifica and La Mafia Latina.) Tabaco initially played bongo with the group, then conga and later timbales. He went on to become their principal composer and lead vocalist recording in the region of 13 albums with the group between 1967 and 1973. At the suggestion of his friend, flautist, composer and arranger Naty (José Natividad Martínez), Tabaco formed his own sextet in 1975, debuting on the LAD label with El Sabor de Tabaco. Tabaco y su Sexteto made a further three albums in 1975 and 1976, including Mi Pueblo, Mi Burrito, Nostalgia (LAD, 1975) featuring the big hit "Mi Burrito", a quirky cumbia.

Tabaco dropped "Metales" to became Tabaco y su Orquesta for Cosa Linda (TH, 1983) and Homenaje a los Bravos! (TH, 1983), but resumed the title "Tabaco y sus Metales" for his 1984 TH finale El Timbalero produced, directed and arranged by Andy Duran. A live version of "Baranda" (from Homenaje a los Bravos!) was included in the double album Nicaragua ‘84 / Festival de Musica Popular Latinoamericana y del Caribe recorded in Managua in August 1984. His last offering, Tabaco y su Grupo Futuro, released on Velvet in 1988 featured the arranger Felix Suarez "Shakaito". Tabaco started recording an album with Naty in tribute to Ismael Rivera, but was unable to complete the project because he was hospitalized suffering from cancer. He died suddenly on May 30th, 1995. – John Child

Tabaco Discography

Puerto Rican-born Mon Rivera (1925-1978) was a pioneer of the trombone frontline in Latin music, some say he was the pioneer, whereas others maintain that Eddie Palmieri and Barry Rogers were the originators. But perhaps it’s their record producer at the time, Al Santiago (founder of Alegre Records), who deserves the credit. Whoever it was, the all-trombone sound influenced bandleaders like Willie Colón and others, and has been described as the symbol of urban salsa. Mon was known as "El Rey del Trabalengua" (The Tongue Twister King) because "his improvised quips would delight fans with his clear enunciation of rhymes and alliterations conjured up at bullet speed and perfectly weaved in the timing and circumstances of the music" (quote from Aurora Flores, 1978). Rivera was always closely associated with the plena and bomba forms of his island of birth. His father, Ramón Rivera Alers, wrote popular plenas. Mon began his professional career at the age of 16 and joined the band of William Manzano. He was also a professional baseball player and played with Los Indios in Mayagüez between 1943 and 1945.

Rivera’s 1975 collaboration with Willie Colón, There Goes The Neighborhood / Se Chavó El Vecindario (Vaya), helped connect him with the younger Latino audience. He arranged the hit track, the plena "Ya Llegó". An impressive line-up was congregated for the session, including Lewis Kahn and Jose Rodrigues, trombones; Papo Lucca, piano; Kako, timbales and conga; Rubén Blades and Héctor Lavoe, chorus. "Mon was not immortal and fell victim to the vices of life. But in his realization, he struggled and became free of the ‘monkey’ that sucked at his lifeline," wrote Aurora Flores, in that typically oblique manner found in accounts on Latin artists. He died, in his Manhattan residence on Sunday, March 12th, 1978, from a heart attack. The posthumously released Forever (Vaya), was produced by Johnny Pacheco. In addition to singing lead vocals and composing one track, Mon shared arranging chores with Colón and Ernie Agosto. – John Child

Mon Rivera Discography

Benny Moré and Generoso Jiménez

An outstanding singer, bandleader, composer, and arranger, the inimitable Benny Moré (1919-1963), nicknamed "El Barbaro del Ritmo" (The Barbarian of Rhythm), is still idolized and the subject of tributes half a century after his death. Author Miguel Barnet compared his voice to "a bamboo in the wind". He worked with various groups and trios before making a second attempt to strike it lucky in Havana in 1940. (His first effort to make it in the Cuban capital in 1936 was aborted after six months.) There he entered singing competitions (winning one), sang in a duo, joined Lázaro Cordero’s Sexteto Fígaro (with whom he made his radio debut), then Septeto Cauto (debuting with them on Radio Mil Diez in June 1944). He became first voice with Miguel Matamoros’ (1894-1971) eight-piece conjunto (formed in 1942) and journeyed with them to Mexico in June 1945. The collection Conjunto Matamoros with Benny Moré (Tumbao, 1992) includes eight tracks he recorded with them in Mexico in 1945.

Benny and Banda Gigante recorded and gigged prolifically, toured internationally and made TV and radio appearances. Benny Moré En Vivo (Discmedi, 1994) collects live ’50s and ’60s radio recordings broadcast on Cuba’s Radio Progreso and CMQ. The 4-CD box set Benny Moré y su Banda Gigante: Grabaciones Completas 1953-1960 (Tumbao, 2003) is a comprehensive anthology of Benny’s Banda Gigante recordings for RCA Victor. He remained in Cuba after the 1959 revolution. Notorious for his heavy drinking, he died from cirrhosis of the liver at age 44. A tradition of tributes exists, for example, Tito Puente’s three volumes of Homenaje A Benny (Tico, 1978, 1979 and 1985), three volumes of Charanga De La 4’s Recuerda a Benny Moré (SAR, 1981-3), the hit trilogy on Oscar D’León’s Autentico (TH-Rodven, 1991) and To "El Barabaro Del Ritmo" Live Vol. 1 (Regu Records, 2003) by the Tropicana All Stars. – John Child

Benny Moré Discography

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 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

Noro Morales Discography