Gilberto Oviedo la Portilla (9 February 1938 – 31 October 2017),''Papi Oviedo''
Article at EcuRed website. Retrieved on 26 November 2015. better known as Papi Oviedo, was a Cuban

tres Tres may refer to: * Tres (instrument), a Cuban musical instrument * Tres, Trentino, municipality in Italy * "Tres" (song) by Juanes * "Tres", a song by Líbido from their album ''Hembra'' * TrES, the ''Trans-Atlantic Exoplanet Survey'' * Templi R ...

player. Papi, the son of musician

Isaac Oviedo Isaac Oviedo (July 6, 1902 – June 16, 1992) was a Cuban Tres (musical instrument), tres player, singer and songwriter. He was the founder and leader of the Septeto Matancero for over 50 years, and the author of many famous ''son cubano, sones'' ...

,''Isaac Oviedo''
Article at EcuRed website. Retrieved on 26 November 2015. started playing the tres when he was about 15. A veteran of many bands, Papi was the tres player in Elio Revé's band for 13 years. He later toured with

Buena Vista Social Club Buena Vista Social Club is an ensemble of Cuban musicians established in 1996. The project was organized by World Circuit executive Nick Gold, produced by American guitarist Ry Cooder and directed by Juan de Marcos González. They named the g ...

, exposing the ''

son cubano Son cubano is a genre of music and dance that originated in the highlands of eastern Cuba during the late 19th century. It is a syncretic genre that blends elements of Spanish and African origin. Among its fundamental Hispanic components are th ...

'' genre to wider audiences.

Early life

Papi Oviedo was born Gilberto Oviedo La Portilla in 1938, son of tres player

(1902–1992). Papi Oviedo began playing tres in 1952 and worked his way up through local bands to be the primary tres player for singer Orlando Contreras. Between 1957 and 1969, he was the featured tresero for Conjunto Tipico Habanero,

Conjunto Chappottín Conjunto Chappottín, also known as Chappottín y sus Estrellas, is a Cuban son conjunto from Havana. It was founded in 1950 by trumpeter Félix Chappottín, pianist Lilí Martínez, singer Miguelito Cuní and other members of Arsenio Rodrígue ...

and

Estrellas de Chocolate Estrellas de Chocolate is a Cuban son conjunto founded by ''conguero'' Félix "Chocolate" Alfonso in 1959. Its original lineup featured Niño Rivera (tres), Agustín Cabrera (vocals, guitar), David Palomares (piano), Armando Albertini "El Gorila" ( ...

. Between 1980 and 1995, he teamed up with

Elio Revé Timba is a Cuban genre of music based on Cuban ''son'' with ''salsa'', American Funk/R&B and the strong influence of Afro-Cuban folkloric music. Timba rhythm sections differ from their salsa counterparts, because timba emphasizes the bass dr ...

in a re-formed version of charanga outfit

Orquesta Revé Timba is a Cuban genre of music based on Cuban ''son'' with ''salsa'', American Funk/R&B and the strong influence of Afro-Cuban folkloric music. Timba rhythm sections differ from their salsa counterparts, because timba emphasizes the bass dru ...

. In 1995, Papi left Orquesta Revé to record his debut solo album, ''Encuentro entre soneros'' (1997,

Tumi Music Tumi ( ''Quechua'' for 'Knife', ''variants'': 'Tome', 'Tume'), is a generic term encompassing the many kinds of sharp tools utilized in pre- and post-colonial eras of the Central Andes region, Tumis were employed for a diverse set of purposes s ...

).The Rough Guide to Cuban Music, By Phillip Sweeney, Page 328, In 2001, he released ''Bana Congo'', a collaborative album with Congolese guitarist Papa Noel.''Papa Noel and Papi Oviedo Bana Congo''.
Review by Maud Hand (2002), published at the BBC website. Retrieved on 26 November 2015.

Discography

;As a leader *1997: ''Encuentro entre soneros'' (Tumi) *2001: ''Bana Congo'' (Tumi) – with Papa Noel ;With

Jane Bunnett Mary Jane Bunnett, (born October 22, 1956) is a Canadian musician and educator. A soprano saxophonist, flautist and bandleader, she is especially known for performing Afro-Cuban jazz. She travels regularly to Cuba to perform with Cuban musicians. ...

*2002: ''Cuban Odyssey'' (Blue Note) ;With Rubén González *2000: ''

Chanchullo "Chanchullo" (; literally: "scam", "racket", "hustle") is a danzón-mambo composed by Cuban bassist Israel "Cachao" López. It was first released as a single in 1957 by Arcaño y sus Maravillas. It was the third single released on Cuban independe ...

'' (World Circuit) ;With

*1992: ''Routes of Rhythm Vol. 3'' (Rounder)

References

External links

Papi Oviedo at allmusic.com
* Giro Radamés (2007). ''Diccionario enciclopédico de la música en Cuba''. La Habana {{DEFAULTSORT:Oviedo, Papi 1938 births 2017 deaths Tres players Buena Vista Social Club Son cubano musicians Cuban guitarists Musicians from Havana