Sonora Matancera - Singers and Songwriters

Singers and Songwriters

Vocalists played a critical role in Conjunto Sonora Matancera'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, Toña la Negra, Elliot Romero, Justo Betancourt, Linda Leida, Eladio "Yayo el Indio" Peguero, Raúl Planas, Ismael Miranda and, the performer considered by some its greatest alumna, Celia Cruz. A number of these artists attained stardom because of their association with La Sonora Matancera. Humberto Cané, Bienvenido Granda, Nelson Pinedo, Estanislao "Laíto" Sureda, Alberto Beltrán, Carlos Argentino and Celia Cruz are among the song stylists who owe their fame to the recordings they made with this ensemble. Most of the other performers were well known by the time they recorded with La Sonora.

Myrta Silva, the famous Puerto Rican guarachera and songwriter, was the first female member of this musical cooperative, joining it in 1949. Celia Cruz succeeded her 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 Conjunto Sonora Matancera recently had signed a recording contract — was disinclined to having Celia as the successor to Myrta. Rogelio Martínez, a shrewd judge of talent 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.

Several singers performed with La Sonora Matancera 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) and Roberto "El Caminante" Torres. Manolo Barquín, Caridad Cuervo, Polito Galíndez, 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.

La Sonora 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 the sonero and bandleader 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, 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 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.