Puchito Records was Cuba's second independent record label. It was founded in 1954 during the

mambo Mambo most often refers to: *Mambo (music), a Cuban musical form *Mambo (dance), a dance corresponding to mambo music Mambo may also refer to: Music *Mambo section, a section in arrangements of some types of Afro-Caribbean music, particular ...

and cha-cha-chá explosion. Many of its recordings, produced by its founder Jesús Gorís, became instant hits.

History

Early career of Puchito's founder

The founder, Jesús Gorís ''(né'' Jesús Ramon Francisco Gorís Ballas; 12 April 1921

Havana, Cuba Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

– 16 Aug 2006

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

) had been a representative of

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...

, selling records from a separate counter at his father's hardware store, La Estrella. Eventually, the store became known as Gorís Shop. In 1952, Gorís invested in a single, "

Guantanamera "Guantanamera" (; Spanish: (the woman) from Guantánamo) is perhaps the best-known Cuban song and that country's most-noted patriotic song, especially when using a poem by the Cuban poet José Martí for the lyrics. The official writing credits ...

", composed by

Joseíto Fernández José Fernández Díaz (September 5, 1908 – October 11, 1979), commonly known as Joseíto Fernández, was a Cuban singer and songwriter. He is the writer of well-known songs, including "Elige tú, que canto yo", "Amor de madre", "Demuéstram ...

, which did well in jukeboxes. Gorís and two partners, Messrs. Alfredo Beltrán and Oliva, originally wanted to launch a series of children's records, so they chose the name Puchito, which, in this context, means "youngest child." In 1954, Gorís and his two partners produced an LP of

Olga Guillot Olga Guillot (October 9, 1922 – July 12, 2010) was a Cuban singer who was known as the "Queen of Bolero". She was a native of Santiago de Cuba. Biography Daughter of Catalan-Jewish immigrants who moved to Cuba, her father was a tailor and her ...

singing with The Castro Brothers Orchestra, one of Cuba's first jazz bands (no relation to

Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (; ; 13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 200 ...

). Although Guillot. "Mienteme" ("Lie to Me"), a

bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...

composed by Chamaco Domínguez ( es) (1921–1985), was one of the album's great successes. Puchito went on to produce Guillot on nine more albums, and a few singles, up until 1960. In 1958, Gorís hired pianist

René Touzet René Touzet y Monte (September 8, 1916 in Havana, Cuba – June 15, 2003 in Miami, Florida) was a Cuban-born American composer, pianist and bandleader. Career as bandleader Living in the city of Cojimar, he learned classical piano from the ag ...

(1916–2003) as musical director and orchestrator of Guillot's album, ''Intemidades'' (MLP-526), which gained reputation as having the most important works of her career, and several that cemented Touzet's reputation as an original composer: "La Noche de Anoche" ("The Night Last Night"), "Será Cuando Tú Quieras," "Estuve Pensando," and "No Te Importe Saber" ("Let Me Love You Tonight"). Guillot and Touzet, though never married, had a daughter together: Olga María Touzet-Guillot (born 1960). With the support of

Benny Moré Bartolomé Maximiliano Moré Gutiérrez (24 August 1919 – 19 February 1963), better known as Benny Moré (also spelled Beny Moré), was a Cuban singer, bandleader and songwriter. Due to his fluid tenor voice and his great expressivity, he was k ...

, Gorís spearheaded the rediscovery of a major

sonero 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 ...

artist from the 1920s,

Abelardo Barroso Abelardo Barroso Dargeles (21 September 1905 – 27 September 1972) was a Cuban bandleader and singer, the first sonero mayor (lead singer of the Son (music), son) to be recognized as such by the Cuban public. Born in Havana, Cuba, he was the ...

, who, back then, had sung with

Sexteto Habanero The Sexteto Habanero was a Cuban son sextet founded in 1920 in Havana. It played an important part in the early history of the genre, contributing to its popularization all around Cuba. In 1927, the band incorporated a cornet player becoming the S ...

. Gorís curated and, through Puchito, republished old photographs and produced Barroso with the Orquesta Sensación. In early July 1955, Barroso recorded a single, " La hija de Juan Simón" and "En Guantánamo" (Puchito 224,

78 rpm A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog signal, analog sound Recording medium, storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove ...

& 45 rpm), his first recording in over fifteen years, and apart from his solitary single in 1939, his first in over a quarter century. Rolando Valdés, founder of Orquesta Sensación, selected the songs for the session, both from Barroso's radio hits of the 1930s. The release became one of the greatest double-sided hits in the history of popular music. It became a Gold Record in 1956. In 1956, Puchito released 5 more singles featuring Barroso and Orquesta Sensación. ; Selected 1956 releases :* Puchito 262 (1956); :*: Side A: "

El Manisero "El manisero", known in English as "The Peanut Vendor", is a Cuban son-pregón composed by Moisés Simons. Together with "Guantanamera", it is arguably the most famous piece of music created by a Cuban musician. "The Peanut Vendor" has been recorde ...

" ("The Peanut Ventor") :*:

Moisés Simons Moisés Simons (born Moisés Simón Rodríguez; 24 August 1889 in Havana, Cuba – 28 June 1945 in Madrid, Spain),Coctel Para Dos" :*: Arthur Johnston (w&m) :*:

Sam Coslow Sam Coslow (December 27, 1902 – April 2, 1982) was an American songwriter, singer, film producer, publisher and market analyst. Coslow was born in New York City. He began writing songs as a teenager. He contributed songs to Broadway revues, ...

(w&m) :*: Side B: "Vuelve Navidad" ; Other Puchito hits by Barroso :* "El Panquelero" :* "Tiene sabor" :* "El Guajiro de Cunagua" :* "La Macorina" :* "Con sabor a bombón" :* "Bruca Maniguá" For the rest of the 1950s, Gorís produced several other highly successful records on the Puchito label. He produced Chapottin y sus Estrellas on with singer

Miguelito Cuní Miguelito may refer to: *Miguelito (artist) (born 1999), Puerto Rican reggaeton *Miguelito (footballer, born 1981), Portuguese football wingback *Miguelito (footballer, born March 1990), Portuguese football midfielder *Miguelito (footballer, born D ...

( es) (1917–1984), the

Orquesta Riverside Orquesta Riverside (known as Orquesta Havana Riverside between 1938 and 1941) was a highly successful Music of Cuba, Cuban big band that was amongst the most popular ensembles of the 1940s and 1950s. Founded in 1938, it was originally directed by l ...

with singer Tito Gomez (1920–2000) and

Roberto Faz Roberto Faz Monzón (September 18, 1914 – April 26, 1966) was a Cuban singer who reached the height of his popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. Like his contemporary Benny Moré, he specialized in many forms of Cuban music such as so ...

(1914–1966) and his

conjunto The term ''conjunto'' (, literally 'group', 'ensemble') refers to several types of small musical ensembles present in different Latin American musical traditions, mainly in Mexico and Cuba. While Mexican conjuntos play styles such as '' norteño' ...

for the label. Puchito manufactured its discs at

Panart Panart was one of the first and most successful independent record labels in Cuba, founded in 1944 by engineer Ramón Sabat. In 1961, its studios were seized by Fidel Castro's communist regime and the label was nationalized, becoming "Panart Nacio ...

's factory.

Puchito recording locals in Havana

At some point, Puchito recorded in the studios of

Radio Progreso Radio Progreso is a Cuban Spanish language radio station. Founded on 15 December 1929, it has provided musical and other cultural programmes ever since. Live performances are held in Studio 1 (Estudio Uno) which holds an audience of 300 people. Th ...

, built in 1950. Puchito also recorded in a private studio at Calle 10 n.52 in the

Vedado Vedado ( es, El Vedado, ) is a central business district and urban neighborhood in the city of Havana, Cuba. Bordered on the east by Calzada de Infanta and Central Havana, and on the west by the Alemendares River and Miramar / Playa distric ...

district of

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

. And for many years, Puchito recorded at Cuban Plastics & Record Corporation at San Miguel 410, between Campanario and Lealtad in Havana, with the factory outside of the city. San Miguel 410 was the home of

, founded and owned by

Ramón S. Sabat Ramón S. Sabat (1902 – March 15, 1986) was a musician and the Cuban founder of the pioneering record label Panart, which he established in 1944, eventually gaining international sale of its releases. He had studied music in the United States a ...

and his wife, Julia, both also founders of Cuban Plastics and Record Corporation.

1961 Cuban nationalization — National Press of Cuba

On May 29, 1961, during the process of enterprise nationalization started by the Revolutionary Government, the assets and management of several record companies were assumed by the Imprenta Nacional de Cuba (INC) (National Press of Cuba), an arts overseer created March 31, 1961. Companies included in the seizure included Puchito and

. Imprenta Nacional de Cuba acted as the only legal Cuban label until 1964. In 1964,

EGREM EGREM (Empresa de Grabaciones y Ediciones Musicales, Spanish for ''Enterprise of Recordings and Musical Editions'') is the national record label of Cuba. It is headquartered in Centro Habana, where its main record studios (''Estudios Areito'' 101 & ...

(Empresa de Grabaciones y Ediciones Musicales) became Cuba's national label. EGREM operated several imprints including Areito (for recordings made in the former Panart studios in Havana), Palma (for international distribution) and Siboney (for recordings made in Santiago de Cuba).

Puchito Record Mfg. Co. Inc. in Florida

In 1961, years after the end of the

Cuban Revolution The Cuban Revolution ( es, Revolución Cubana) was carried out after the 1952 Cuban coup d'état which placed Fulgencio Batista as head of state and the failed mass strike in opposition that followed. After failing to contest Batista in cou ...

, Gorís went into exile, immigrating to

, and was lawfully admitted in the United States for permanent residence on October 20, 1962. He began working at a

7-Eleven 7-Eleven, Inc., stylized as 7-ELEVE, is a multinational chain of retail convenience stores, headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The chain was founded in 1927 as an ice house storefront in Dallas. It was named Tote'm Stores between 1928 and 1946. A ...

, then became a top salesman for Equitable Life Insurance in Miami. While working in insurance, Gorís, with a partner, Giuseppe Pucci Storniolo (1929–1993), launched Puchito Record Mfg. Co. Inc. in 1963 as a Florida entity, initially located at 480 East 28 Street,

Hialeah Hialeah ( ; ) is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. With a population of 223,109 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Hialeah is the sixth-largest city in Florida. It is the second largest city by population in the Mi ...

. Puchito Record Mfg. Co. produced the recordings that Gorís brought with him from

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

. After a period of time, the new Puchito released those recordings on its newly created budget label, Adria. The new Puchito also started to distribute its newly created Krystal label. Gorís and his wife, Georgina Rita Gorís (1927–2012), became naturalized United States citizens on April 12, 1968. Jesús Gorís married Georgina around 1945, and remained married to her for the rest of his life. The company remained active until 1971. It somehow operated afterwards from the US, but seemed to have continued also in Cuba for a while after the revolution. Puchito Mfg. Co. Inc. (1969) : President & Head of A&R: Jesús Gorís : Vice President: Giuseppe Pucci Storniolo (1929–1993) : Labels: Puchito, Adria, Dardo Recordings, J. & G. Recordings J. & G. Recordings was a United States trademark of Puchito Record Mfg. Co. Inc., based in

Hialeah, Florida Hialeah ( ; ) is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. With a population of 223,109 as of the 2020 census, Hialeah is the sixth-largest city in Florida. It is the second largest city by population in the Miami metropolitan area ...

. The trademark was active ten years, from April 25, 1967, to April 25, 1977.

Armada and Rodriguez of Miami, Inc.

José Armada Sr. and Vicente Rodríguez, who had been in the record business together in Cuba, remain together when they arrived in New York in 1964. They recorded and distributed Puchito Records and set up

racks Rack or racks may refer to: Storage and installation * Amp rack, short for amplifier rack, a piece of furniture in which amplifiers are mounted * Bicycle rack, a frame for storing bicycles when not in use * Bustle rack, a type of storage bin ...

in New York and New Jersey. Fellow Cubans brought them to Miami in 1968, where they purchased the bankrupt Puchito label at an auction, picked up some other labels, and started a distributing business. In 1972 they opened a manufacturing plant —Armada and Rodriguez of Florida, Inc.— where they pressed LP's and 45's for their own labels: Gema Records, Velvet Records Inc., Continental Records, Aro Records, Funny Records, Regio Records, and Suave Records, and a number of custom labels. Their labels, Aro, Funny, Regio, and Suave are distributed all over the U.S. and Puerto Rico and for the most part are licensed works from Latin America. But, they also produced and recorded local artists, including The Antiques, Alexis Fari, Miriam ''(aka'' Myriam) and the Sons of Paraguay. Armada & Rodriquez distributed Gema throughout the U.S., and they owned their own distributing organization in New York and Antilla. They sold only to distributors, not to retail stores, but also owned a distributing company that sold to retail stores and serviced their

Re-release labels

* Southeastern Records,

(South-Eastern Records Manufacturing Corporation) *: Mateo San Martin, Opa Locka, Florida *: Roberto Rodreguez, Opa Locka, Florida * A company called "Adria" distributed for "Florida Puchito Records MFG. Co. Inc." see * Big World Distributors Inc. (Miami) * WCD ( World Circuit Distributors) * Antilla Records, Miami *: Antilla Record Distributors, Inc., was a company owned and operated by José Armada. Under the label, records were manufactured and distributed by Armada & Rodriguez of Florida, Inc., named after founders and co-presidents, José Armada, Sr., and Vicente Rodríguez of Miami. *: "Distributed by Armada & Rodriguez of Florida" *: "Manufactured and distributed by Armada & Rodriguez of Florida" *: José Armada, Sr., owned the Caribbean Records Mfg., Corp. *: Mangu Records and Parcha were trademarks owned jointly, or a separate times, by: *:# Platano Records, Inc, Miami, FL (José Armada) *:# Antilla Record Distributors, Inc, New York, NY (José Armada)

Subsidiaries, distributors, and successors

Sometime around 1955, Puchito Records became a subsidiary of Montilla Records, which was owned by Fernando Montilla ''(né'' Fernando José Montilla Ambrosiani; 1915–2014) and, from 1955 to 1959, managed by Harry Sultan (1904–1971), who, from about 1931 to about 1967, was owner of Sultan's Record Shop at 26, then 38 East 23rd Street, in the

Flatiron District The Flatiron District is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, named after the Flatiron Building at 23rd Street, Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Generally, the Flatiron District is bounded by 14th Street, Union Square and Green ...

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. In 1956, Montilla Records, set-up in a distributorship in his shop on 23rd Street to expand distribution of Puchito Records coast-to-coast. Armada & Rodriguez of Florida, Inc.,

(founded July 22, 1968 — dissolved September 24, 1999) * Platano Records, Inc., Miami, Florida Personnel * José Armada * Juan B. Fernandez * Elvira Treyne * José Armanda Antilla Records, Inc., Bronx, New York (founded on October 31, 1985, as a New York entity, and dissolved June 24, 1992) : Not to be confused with the above Antilla Records, another firm named Antilla Records was founded February 26, 1999, as a New York entity. It was renamed Sabor Records, Inc., on June 25, 1999, and dissolved March 2, 2004. Toreador Records were manufactured in the U.S. Talía Industria Manufacturera De Disco S.A., based in

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

, produced, manufactured, and distributed Puchito Records. Dardo Recording Corp. (Dardo Recordings), based in

, manufactured and distributed Puchito Records under the Dardo Recordings label.

Selected Puchito artists and groups

Individual artists *

Antonio Aguilar José Pascual Antonio Aguilar Márquez Barraza (17 May 191919 June 2007) was a Mexican singer, actor, songwriter, equestrian, film producer, and screenwriter with a dominating career in music. He recorded over 150 albums, which sold 25 mill ...

(1919–2007), singer, songwriter, actor *

Paulina Álvarez Raimunda Paula Peña Álvarez (June 29, 1912 – July 22, 1965), better known as Paulina Álvarez, was a renowned Cuban singer of danzonetes (sung danzones). She became the leading exponent of the genre during the 1930s, being nicknamed La Empera ...

(1912–1965), singer of danzonetes * Ataulfo Alves (pt) (1909–1969), guitarist, composer, singer * Cándido Antomattei, jazz singer, guitarist *

(1905–1972), career was revived by Jesús Gorís *

Cachao Israel López Valdés (September 14, 1918 – March 22, 2008), better known as Cachao ( ), was a Cuban double bassist and composer. Cachao is widely known as the co-creator of the mambo and a master of the descarga (improvised jam sessions). T ...

(1918–2008),

double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...

ist, composer *

Julio Cueva Julio Cueva (Trinidad, Cuba, 12 April 1897 – Havana, 25 December 1975) was a Cuban trumpeter, composer and band leader. He was an important figure in the spread of Cuban popular music in the 1930s. Life and career Cueva played cornet in the lo ...

(1897–1995), bandleader, trumpeter * Negrito Chapuseaux (de) (1911–1986), singer, composer *

(es) (1917–1984), singer * Damirón (es) (1908-1992), pianist, composer *

Wallace Davenport Wallace Foster Davenport (30 June 1925 – 18 March 2004) was an American jazz trumpeter. Davenport has been one of the few traditional jazz musicians of the 1930s who later branched out into swing and bop styles, as well as backing gospel an ...

(1925–2004), sideman, trumpeter * José Fajardo (1919–2001), charanga bandleader, flutist *

(1914–1966), singer *

(1908–1979) *

Leopoldo Fernández Leopoldo Fernández Ferreira (born 22 May 1952) is a Bolivian politician. A member of Social and Democratic Power (PODEMOS) Fernández was Prefect (Governor) of the northern Bolivian department of Pando from 2006 to 2008. Fernández was the f ...

(1904–1985), comedian *

Rosita Fornés Rosita Fornés (née Rosalía Lourdes Elisa Palet Bonavia; February 11, 1923June 10, 2020) was a Cuban-American singer and film actress. She was noted for her multifaceted career in the entertainment industry of Cuba. She worked in cinema, the t ...

(born 1923), singer *

Fredesvinda García Fredesvinda García Valdés, known always as ''Freddy'', (1935 in Camagüey – 31 July 1961 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) was a Cuban female singer of high quality. Biography She was born in Céspedes, a small village in the Camagüey Province ...

, aka "Freddy" (1935–1961), sometimes referred to as the 300-pound

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

, recorded her only album with Puchito before her untimely death * Amparo Garrido (es) * Tito Gómez (1920–2000), singer * Zoila Gómez (born 1927), singer, comedian, show writer *

Celina González Celina González Zamora (16 March 1929 – 4 February 2015) was a Cuban singer-songwriter, who specialized in "música campesina", traditional music of the Cuban countryside. She is best known for co-authoring ''A Santa Bárbara'' wi ...

(1929–2015), singer *

Celio González Celio González (January 29, 1924 – 2004) was a Cuban musician. He was a notable singer from the Sonora Matancera La Sonora Matancera is a Cuban band that played Latin American urban popular dance music. Founded in 1924 and led for mor ...

(1924–2004), singer * Cesar Gonzmart (1920–1992), violinist, entertainer *

Al Grey Al Grey (June 6, 1925 – March 24, 2000) was an American jazz trombonist who was a member of the Count Basie orchestra. He was known for his plunger mute technique and wrote an instructional book in 1987 called ''Plunger Techniques''. Care ...

(1925–2000), jazz trombonist *

Tata Güines Federico Arístides Soto Alejo (June 30, 1930 – February 4, 2008), better known as Tata Güines, was a Cuban percussionist, bandleader and arranger. He was widely regarded as a master of the conga drum, and alongside Carlos "Patato" Valdés, inf ...

(1931–2008), percussionist *

(1922–2010), vocalist who made a recording that became one of luckiest breaks for Puchito Records *

Rufus "Speedy" Jones Rufus "Speedy" Jones (May 27, 1936 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz drummer from Charleston, South Carolina. Starting out on trumpet, Jones switched to drums at the age of 13. He worked with Lionel Hampton in 1954 before being drafted. ...

(1936–1900), sideman,

drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one mem ...

Enrique Jorrín Enrique Jorrín ( Candelaria, Pinar del Río, December 25, 1926 - Havana, December 12, 1987) was a Cuban charanga violinist, composer and music director. He is considered the inventor of the '' cha-cha-chá'', a popular style of ballroom music der ...

(1926–1987), violinist, sideman violinist, composer, music director *

Ernesto Lecuona Ernesto Lecuona y Casado (; August 7, 1896 – November 29, 1963) was a Cuban composer and pianist, many of whose works have become standards of the Latin, jazz and classical repertoires. His over 600 compositions include songs and zarzuelas as ...

(1895–1963), composer, pianist *

Pío Leyva Pío Leiva (May 5, 1917 – March 22, 2006) was a Cuban singer and the author of the guaracha ''El Mentiroso'' ("The Liar"). Leyva was part of the Buena Vista Social Club, and composed some of Cuba’s best known standards. Biography Leyva was bor ...

(1917–2006), singer * Lucho Macedo ( es) (born 1930) * Anibal de Mar (1908-1980), comedian *

Cheo Marquetti José Marcelino Díaz Marquetti (April 26, 1909 – March 29, 1967), better known as Cheo Marquetti, was a renowned Cuban Son cubano, son vocalist and songwriter. Life and career Marquetti was born at 277 Velarde Street, Cerro, Havana, El Cerr ...

(1909-1967), singer *

Manolo Álvarez Mera Manolo Álvarez Mera ''(né'' Manuel Ernesto Álvarez-Mera 7 November 1923 Havana, Cuba – 16 October 1986 New York City) was a Cuban-born tenor who flourished as a bel canto during the late 1940s and 1950s. Despite having an operatic caliber v ...

(br) (1923–1986),

bel canto Bel canto (Italian for "beautiful singing" or "beautiful song", )—with several similar constructions (''bellezze del canto'', ''bell'arte del canto'')—is a term with several meanings that relate to Italian singing. The phrase was not associat ...

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

Rita Montaner Rita Aurelia Fulcida Montaner y Facenda (20 August 1900 – 17 April 1958), known as Rita Montaner, was a Cuban singer, pianist and actress. In Cuban parlance, she was a '' vedette'' (a star), and was well known in Mexico City, Paris, Miami and ...

(1900–1958), singer *

Bobby Plater Robert C. Plater (May 13, 1914, Newark, New Jersey - November 20, 1982, Lake Tahoe) was an American jazz alto saxophonist. Plater began playing alto sax at age 12, and played locally in Newark with Donald Lambert and the Savoy Dictators in the ...

(1914–1982), sideman, jazz saxophonist *

Rodrigo Prats Rodrigo Prats (February 7, 1909 – September 15, 1980) was a Cuban composer, arranger, violinist, pianist and orchestral director. Biography The son of a musician, Jaime Prats, Rodrigo began to study music at the age of nine. He studied ...

(1909–1980), composer, arranger, pianist, violinist *

Antonio María Romeu Antonio María Romeu Marrero (11 September 1876 – 18 January 1955) was a Cuban pianist, composer and bandleader. His orchestra was Cuba's leading Charanga (Cuba), charanga for over thirty years, specializing in the danzón. Throughout his ca ...

(1876–1955) *

Toña la Negra Antonia del Carmen Peregrino Álvarez (2 November 1912 – 19 November 1982), known by her stage name Toña la Negra (Toña the Black Woman), was a Mexican singer and actress of partial Haitian ancestry, known for her interpretation of boleros and ...

(1912–1982) * Marta Pérez (1924–2009),

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...

Carlos Puebla Carlos Manuel Puebla (; 11 September 1917, Manzanillo – 12 July 1989, Havana) was a Cuban singer, guitarist, and composer. He was a member of the old trova movement who specialized in boleros and patriotic songs. Biography Born into a mo ...

(1917–1989), singer, guitarist, composer * Cheo Belén Puig (br) (1908–1971), pianist, composer, music director *

Félix Reina Félix Rafael Herrera Altuna (May 21, 1921 – February 10, 1998), better known as Félix Reina, was a Cuban violinist, arranger, music director and composer. Since the mid-1940s, he was a member of many popular charangas, including Arcaño y sus M ...

( es) (1921–1998), composer, arranger, and bandleader *

Arsenio Rodríguez Arsenio Rodríguez (born Ignacio Arsenio Travieso Scull; 31 August 1911 – 30 December 1970)Giro, Radamés 2007. ''Diccionario enciclopédico de la música en Cuba''. La Habana, v. 4 p. 45 et seq. was a Cuban musician, composer and bandleader ...

(1911–1970), musician, composer, bandleader *

Wyatt Ruther Wyatt Robert "Bull" Ruther (February 5, 1923, Pittsburgh – October 31, 1999, San Francisco) was an American jazz double-bassist. Ruther played trombone in high school before picking up the double-bass. He studied at the San Francisco Conservat ...

, jazz

bassist A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a Bass (instrument), bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), synthbass, keyboar ...

, sideman *

Bola Sete Bola Sete (born Djalma de Andrade; July 16, 1923 – February 14, 1987) was a Brazilian guitarist who played jazz with Vince Guaraldi and Dizzy Gillespie. History Born Djama de Andrade in Rio de Janeiro, Sete was the only son of a family with ...

(1923–1987), jazz guitarist * Senén Suárez ( es) (1922–1913), composer, guitarist, arranger, writer *

(1916–2003), orchestra director *

Miguelito Valdés Miguelito Valdés (September 6, 1912 – November 9, 1978), also known as Mr. Babalú, was a renowned Cuban singer. His performances were characterized by a strong voice and a particular sense of ''cubanismo''. Life Miguelito Valdés was born ...

(1912–1978), singer * Rolando Valdés, vocalist orchestra leader (first signed with Puchito in 1953) *

María Teresa Vera María Teresa Vera (February 6, 1895 in Guanajay – December 17, 1965 in Havana) was a Cuban singer, guitarist and composer. She was an outstanding example of the Cuban trova movement. Career She started her career as a singer in 1911 in a the ...

(1895–1965), singer, guitarist, composer Groups *

Trío Calaveras Trío Calaveras is a Mexican guitar and vocal trio, notable for its performances and recordings with the pop singer Jorge Negrete. History ''Calaveras'', in Spanish, means "skulls". The original members of the trio in the 1930s were Guillermo ...

* Chappottín y sus Estrellas *

Conjunto Casino The term ''conjunto'' (, literally 'group', 'ensemble') refers to several types of small musical ensembles present in different Latin American musical traditions, mainly in Mexico and Cuba. While Mexican conjuntos play styles such as '' norteño' ...

(es) * Orquesta Estrellas Cubanas ::

(es) (1921–1998), director *

* Grupo Guaguancó Matancero, later known as

Los Muñequitos de Matanzas Los Muñequitos de Matanzas is a Cuban rumba ensemble from the city of Matanzas. The group was established in 1952 as Conjunto Guaguancó Matancero and released their first LP in 1956 through Puchito. Since then, Los Muñequitos have continued to p ...

* Orquesta Melodías Del 40 * Papín y sus Rumberos ''(aka'' Los Papines) (4 brothers) :: Alfredo Abreu (died 2001) (drums) :: Ricardo Abreu ("Papín") (died 2009) (director) :: Jesús Abreu :: Luis Abrea *

Adolfo Guzmán Adolfo Guzmán (May 13, 1920 – July 30, 1976) was a Cuban pianist, music director, arranger and composer. During his 40-year-long career he directed several important Cuban ensembles, including Orquesta Riverside and Los Modernistas, as well as ...

(1920-1976), director *

Orquesta Casino de la Playa Orquesta Casino de la Playa, founded in 1937 in Havana, Cuba, was a band that bridged Cuban popular music and the sound of American Jazz Big Bands. It was led by tres player Arsenio Rodríguez, and launched the career of many important musicians in ...

* Orquesta Sensación * Trío Servando Díaz (es) *

Septeto Nacional Septeto Nacional (National Septet), or the Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro, is a Cuban group credited with expanding the Son musical style before Arsenio Rodríguez. It added the trumpet to percussion, vocals, and strings. The group started as ...

Ignacio Piñeiro Ignacio Piñeiro Martínez (May 21, 1888 – March 12, 1969) was a Cuban musician, bandleader and composer whose career started in rumba and flowered in the rise of the son. He was one of the most important composers of son music; in total he w ...

(1888–1969), leader

Discography

Other selected early Cuban independent record labels

, founded in 1943 by Ramón S. Sabat, musician and engineer, was Cuba's first independent label * Cuban Plastic and Record Corporation, founded in 1943 by the Cuban engineer

* Kubaney was founded in 1955 by Alfonso "Puchi" Vásquez; Emusica purchased the Kubaney back catalog in 2005, and reissued many of its hits; in 2009, Kubaney's assets were bought by the investment firm, Signal Equity Partners, operating under the name Codigo Group. They also bought 14 other Latin catalogs from the same era, including West Side Latino and Fania. * Montilla was founded in 1955 by Fernándo J. Montilla (1915–2014), who, in 1965, moved to Puerto Rico; then in 1980, he moved to Miami * Gema was founded in 1957 by Guillermo Álvarez Guedes (1927–2013), his brother, Rafael Álvarez Guedes (1929–1966), and

Ernesto Duarte Brito Ernesto Duarte Brito (Jovellanos (Cuba), November 7, 1922 – Madrid, Spain, March 4, 1988) was a Cuban musician, author of the bolero ''Cómo fue'', whose performance by Benny Moré became very famous. There are many versions of this bolero all ...

(es) (1922–1988); after the

, Gema moved to

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

* Maype was founded in 1959 by Arturo Machado Díaz * Meca was founded in 1959 by Juan Manuel Tabares and Fernando Senra * Suaritos * Modiner * Rosell Record * Plátano Records Corporation, a Florida entity founded in 1992 * Southern Records — Post-

U.S. distributor * Mate Records * Armada & Rodriguez of Miami, Inc. — Post-

U.S. distributor * Velvet Records Inc., an inactive Florida entity, founded in 1965 and dissolved in 1985 ::Owned by the Page brothers: Roberto Page, President; Jose Page, Vice President * Kristal Records (re-issues of Velvet Records?) * Aro Records * Continental Records * Belter Records * Regal Records * Ser Records * Audio Latino Records Record Distributors * Discuba Records, founded in 1959 and owned by

, and headed by Jesús Humara; lasted until 1962 *

Musart Records Discos Musart is a Mexican record label founded in 1948. It is headquartered in Mexico City and remains one of the country's biggest labels, focusing on Mexican music, as well as international releases licensed from various labels around the world. ...

, Mexican *

Peerless Records Peerless Records was a record label based in Mexico. Peerless was founded in 1921 in Mexico City by E. Baptista. Early pressings of their gramophone record were made under contract by Gennett Records. By 1933, Peerless was pressing its own recor ...

, Mexican * Eco Records * Seida Records *

Codiscos Codiscos (which is short for ''Compañía Colombiana de Discos'', meaning "Colombian Record Company") is a record label headquartered in Medellín, Colombia. It was founded in 1950 by Alfredo Díez Montoya with the name Zeida Ltd, which is today th ...

, Colombian * RCA Records of Puerto Rico * Royal Records (Jaime Monserrat)

Notes

References

{{Authority control Cuban record labels Record labels established in 1954