Dámaso Pérez Prado (December 11, 1916 – September 14, 1989) was a Cuban bandleader, pianist, composer and arranger who popularized 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 ...

in the 1950s.''On Becoming Cuban: Identity, Nationality, and Culture'' Louis A. Pérez Jr. - 2012 "The origins of the new Cuban dance were variously attributed to Orestes López, Antonio Arcaño, Arsenio Rodríguez, and Israel “Cachao” López, but it was pianist Dámaso Pérez Prado's arrangements of the mambo, presented in a big, brassy ..." His

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

adaptation of the

danzón-mambo The danzón-mambo (also known as ''danzón de nuevo ritmo'') is a subgenre of Cuban dance music that marked the transition from the classical danzόn to the mambo and the cha-cha-chá. It was also in the context of the danzón-mambo that the Cub ...

proved to be a worldwide success with hits such as "

Mambo No. 5 "Mambo No. 5" is an instrumental mambo and jazz dance song originally composed and recorded by Cuban musician Dámaso Pérez Prado in 1949 and released the next year. German singer Lou Bega sampled the original for a new song released under th ...

", earning him the nickname "King of the Mambo". In 1955, Prado and his orchestra topped the charts in the US and UK with a mambo cover of

Louiguy Louis Guglielmi (3 April 1916 – 4 April 1991), known by his pen name Louiguy (), was a Spanish-born French musician of Italian descent. He wrote the melody for Édith Piaf's lyrics of "La Vie en Rose" and the Latin jazz composition "Ceris ...

's "

Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" or "Cerezo Rosa" or "Ciliegi Rosa" or "Gummy Mambo", is the English version of "Cerisiers Roses et Pommiers Blancs", a popular song with music by Louiguy written in 1950. French lyrics to the song by Jacq ...

". He frequently made brief appearances in films, primarily of the rumberas genre, and his music was featured in films such as ''

La Dolce Vita ''La Dolce Vita'' (; Italian for "the sweet life" or "the good life"Kezich, 203) is a 1960 satirical comedy-drama film directed and co-written (with Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli and Brunello Rondi) by Federico Fellini. The film stars Marcell ...

''. Pérez Prado began his career as pianist and arranger for the

Sonora Matancera La Sonora Matancera is a Cuban band that played Latin American urban popular dance music. Founded in 1924 and led for more than five decades by guitarist, vocalist, composer, and producer Rogelio Martínez, musicologists consider it an icon of ...

, an internationally successful dance music ensemble from his hometown of

Matanzas Matanzas (Cuban ) is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. Known for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore, it is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas (Spanish ''Bahia de Matanzas''), east ...

. He later established his own group and made several recordings in

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.

in 1946, including "Trompetiana", a self-penned mambo and one of the first examples arranged for big band. He then moved to Mexico where he developed this particular genre in multiple forms, including bolero-mambo (with

María Luisa Landín María Luisa Landín (9 October 1921 – 20 June 2014) was a Mexican singer. She sang bolero, Latin ballad and mariachi styles and was most noted for bolero. She began her career singing as a duo with her sister, but her most memorable works wer ...

), guaracha-mambo (with

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 ...

) and two forms of instrumental mambo he created: mambo batiri and mambo kaen. The success of his 1949 recordings landed him a contract with

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 ...

in the US, which led to a prolific career in the 1950s. His number 1 hit "Cherry Pink" was followed by other charting singles, such as a cover of "

Guaglione "Guaglione" is a Neapolitan song with music by Giuseppe Fanciulli and words by Nicola "Nisa" Salerno. This original version of the song was the winning song at the IV Festival di Napoli which was broadcast on radio in 1956. ''Guaglione'' () is N ...

" and his own "

Patricia Patricia is a female given name of Latin language, Latin origin. Derived from the Latin word ''Patrician (ancient Rome), patrician'', meaning "noble"; it is the feminine form of the masculine given name Patrick (given name), Patrick. The name Patr ...

", both released in 1958. In the 1960s, Pérez Prado's popularity waned with the advent of other Latin dance rhythms such as

pachanga Pachanga is a genre of music which is described as a mixture of son montuno and merengue and has an accompanying signature style of dance. This type of music has a festive, lively style and is marked by jocular, mischievous lyrics. Pachanga o ...

and, later,

boogaloo Boogaloo or bugalú (also: shing-a-ling, Latin boogaloo, Latin R&B) is a genre of Latin music and dance which was popular in the United States in the 1960s. Boogaloo originated in New York City mainly among teenage African Americans and Latinos ...

. Despite several innovative albums and a new form of mambo he called "dengue", Pérez Prado moved back to Mexico in the 1970s, where he became a naturalized citizen in 1980. He died there in 1989. His son, Pérez Jr., continues to direct the Pérez Prado Orchestra in

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

to this day.

Biography

Early life

Dámaso Pérez Prado was born in

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 ...

, on December 11, 1916; his mother Sara Prado was a school teacher, his father Pablo Pérez a journalist at ''

El Heraldo de Cuba ''El Heraldo de Cuba'' was a national newspaper in Cuba founded by future President of Cuba Manuel Márquez Sterling in 1913. In the early 20th century, the editor was Italian Cuban war hero, Secretary of State, and ambassador to the U.S., Ores ...

''. He studied classical

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

in his early childhood, and later played

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

and piano in local clubs. For a time, he was pianist and arranger for the

, Cuba's best-known musical group at the time. He also worked with casino orchestras in

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.

for most of the 1940s. He was nicknamed "El Cara de Foca" ("Seal Face") by his peers at the time. In 1949, Pérez Prado moved to Mexico where he formed his own band and signed a recording contract with the International division of

in Mexico City. He quickly specialized in

s, an upbeat adaptation of the Cuban

danzón Danzón is the official musical genre and dance of Cuba.Urfé, Odilio 1965. ''El danzón''. La Habana. It is also an active musical form in Mexico and Puerto Rico. Written in time, the danzón is a slow, formal partner dance, requiring se ...

. Pérez Prado's mambos stood out among the competition, with their fiery brass riffs and strong

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pr ...

counterpoints, and most of all, his trademark grunts (he actually says "''¡Dilo!'' ("Say it!") in many of the perceived grunts). In 1950, arranger

Sonny Burke Joseph Francis "Sonny" Burke (March 22, 1914 – May 31, 1980) was an American musical arranger, composer, Big Band leader and producer. In 1937, he graduated from Duke University, where he had formed and led the jazz big band known as the Duke ...

heard "Qué rico el mambo" while on vacation in Mexico and recorded it back in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The single was a hit, which led Pérez Prado to launch a US tour. He was to record the song again some years later under the title "Mambo Jambo". Pérez Prado's appearances in 1951 were sell-outs. RCA Victor record producers Herman Diaz Jr. and

Ethel Gabriel Ethel Nagy Gabriel (November 16, 1921 – March 23, 2021) was an American record producer and record executive with a four-decade career at RCA Victor. She produced over 2,500 music albums including 15 RIAA Certified Gold Records and hits by Elvis ...

signed Pérez Prado to RCA Victor in the US and produced his best-selling recording of "

Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" or "Cerezo Rosa" or "Ciliegi Rosa" or "Gummy Mambo", is the English version of "Cerisiers Roses et Pommiers Blancs", a popular song with music by Louiguy written in 1950. French lyrics to the song by Jacq ...

. Pérez Prado and his Orchestra performed at the famed tenth Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at

Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman's Chicago Wh ...

in Los Angeles which was produced by

Leon Hefflin, Sr. Leon Norman Hefflin, Sr. (August 17, 1898 – November 20, 1975) was a pioneering African-American producer, director, business owner, furniture manufacturer, and entrepreneur. After losing his large and successful manufacturing business in the ...

on June 20, 1954.

Famous pieces

Pérez Prado is the composer of such famous pieces as "

" (later a UK chart-topper for both

Lou Bega David Lubega Balemezi (born 13 April 1975), better known by his stage name Lou Bega, is a German singer. His 1999 song " Mambo No. 5", a remake of Pérez Prado's 1949 instrumental piece, reached number 1 in many European countries and was ...

in 1999 and animated character

Bob the Builder ''Bob the Builder'' is a British animated children's television series created by Keith Chapman for HIT Entertainment and Hot Animation. The series follows the adventures of Bob, a building contractor, specialising in masonry, along with hi ...

in 2001) and "Mambo No. 8". The mambo craze peaked in the US in 1955, when Pérez Prado hit the American

charts A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a graphical representation for data visualization, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart". A chart can represent tabul ...

at number one with a cha-cha-chá version of "

" (composed by French composer

). This arrangement, featuring trumpeter Billy Regis, held the spot for 10 consecutive weeks, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a

gold disc Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

. The song also went to number one in the UK and in Germany. Pérez Prado had first recorded this title for the movie ''

Underwater! ''Underwater!'' is a 1955 adventure film directed by John Sturges and starring Jane Russell and Richard Egan (actor), Richard Egan. Plot synopsis Johnny and his wife Theresa, along with mercenary Dominic Quesada, priest Father Cannon and Gloria ...

'' in 1954, where

Jane Russell Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell (June 21, 1921 – February 28, 2011) was an American actress, singer, and model. She was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s. She starred in more than 20 films. Russell moved from th ...

can be seen dancing to "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)". In 1958 one of Pérez Prado's own compositions, "

", became the last record to ascend to No. 1 on the Jockeys and Top 100 charts, both of which gave way the following week to the then newly introduced ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, where in its first week had the song at #2 behind

Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician, songwriter and actor. From age eight he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. In 1957, he bega ...

's "

Poor Little Fool "Poor Little Fool" is a song written by Sharon Sheeley and first recorded by Ricky Nelson in 1958. Background Sheeley wrote the song when she was 15 years old. She had met Elvis Presley, and he encouraged her to write. It was based on her disapp ...

." The song also went to number one in Germany, and in the UK it reached number eight. The Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini chose to play "Patricia" twice in his 1960 masterpiece, ''

'', in the restaurant on the beach and during the striptease scene.

International popularity

Pérez Prado's popularity in the United States matched the peak of the first wave of interest in

Latin music Latin music (Portuguese language, Portuguese and es, música latina) is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all category for various styles of music from Ibero-America (including Music of Spain, Spain and Portuguese music, Portugal) ...

outside the

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

and

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

communities during the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s. He also performed in films in the United States and Europe, as well as in

Mexican cinema Mexican cinema dates to the late nineteenth century during the rule of President Porfirio Díaz. Seeing a demonstration of short films in 1896, Díaz immediately saw the importance of documenting his presidency in order to present an ideal ...

(

Rumberas film The Rumberas film (in Spanish, Cine de rumberas) was a film genre that flourished in Mexico, in the so-called Golden Age of Mexican cinema in the 1940s and 1950s. Its main stars were the so-called '' rumberas'', dancers of Afro-Caribbean musical rh ...

), always with his trademark

goatee A goatee is a style of facial hair incorporating hair on one's chin but not the cheeks. The exact nature of the style has varied according to time and culture. Description Until the late 20th century, the term ''goatee'' was used to refer solel ...

and turtle-neck sweaters and

vest A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit), or vest ( US and Canada), is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear. ...

s. Pérez Prado's popularity in the United States began to wane by 1960, with the new decade giving way to new rhythms, such as

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...

and changing trends in

pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...

. His association with RCA Victor ended in the mid 1960s, and afterward his recorded output was mainly limited to smaller labels with limited distribution mostly in

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

and recycled Latin-style anthologies.

Later life

In the early 1970s, Pérez Prado retired to his spacious apartment off

's grand

Paseo de la Reforma Paseo de la Reforma (translated as "Promenade of the Reform") is a wide avenue that runs diagonally across the heart of Mexico City. It was designed at the behest of Emperor Maximilian by Ferdinand von Rosenzweig during the era of the Secon ...

to live with his wife and two children, son Dámaso Pérez Salinas (known as Pérez Prado Jr.) and daughter María Engracia. While his career in the US had declined, his popularity in Latin America was still strong, and he toured and continued to record material released in Mexico, Central and South America, as well as Japan, where he was still revered as one of the reigning giants of the music industry. Prado was a regular performer on Mexican radio and television; a live concert recording from his 1973 tour was released by RCA in Japan on LP in

Quadraphonic Quadraphonic (or quadrophonic and sometimes quadrasonic) sound – equivalent to what is now called 4.0 surround sound – uses four audio channels in which speakers are positioned at the four corners of a listening space. The system allows for th ...

sound. In 1981, Pérez Prado was featured in a musical revue entitled ''Sun'', which enjoyed a long run in Mexico City. In 1983, his brother Pantaleón Pérez Prado, a musician who was also known professionally as Pérez Prado, died, and the press erroneously reported Dámaso's death. His final appearance in the US was in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

on September 12, 1987, when he played to a packed house. This was also the year of his final recording. Persistent ill health plagued him for the next two years, and he died of complications from a stroke in

on September 14, 1989, at age 72.

Legacy

Although he did not create the genre—

Orestes López Orestes López Valdés (August 28, 1908 – January 26, 1991), nicknamed Macho, was a Cuban multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader. As a double bassist he was a founding member of the Havana Philharmonic Orchestra, and later a member of th ...

and his brother

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 ...

did in 1937—Pérez Prado has been recognized as a key figure in the refinement and popularization of mambo and Cuban dance music in general across the world in the 1950s. His success came from his adaptation of the fast mambo rhythm to the American-style

s of the 1940s and away from the quieter Cuban charanga. He also worked with a variety of musicians who would go on to have successful careers. In 1946, he worked with

guaracha The guaracha () is a genre of music that originated in Cuba, of rapid tempo and comic or picaresque lyrics. The word had been used in this sense at least since the late 18th and early 19th century. Guarachas were played and sung in musical thea ...

singer Orlando Guerra "

Cascarita Orlando Guerra (''gayr'-rah''; September 14, 1920 – March 20, 1973), better known as Cascarita, was a popular Cuban singer who specialized in guaracha and son montuno. He became one of Cuba's most famous vocalists as a member of Julio Cueva' ...

", who became one of the leading exponents of the genre. In Mexico, he helped launch the career of

Beny Moré Beny or Bény may refer to: Given name * Beny Alagem (born 1953), Israeli-American businessman * Beny Parnes (born 1959), Brazilian economist * Beny Primm (1928–2015), American physician and HIV/AIDS researcher * Beny Steinmetz (born 1956), Is ...

in 1949, with hits such as " Anabacoa". In America, he worked with West-Coast trumpeters such as

Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served ...

Pete Candoli Pete Candoli (born Walter Joseph Candoli; June 28, 1923 – January 11, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played with the big bands of Woody Herman and Stan Kenton and worked in the studios of the recording and television industries. Car ...

and

Ollie Mitchell Oliver Edward Mitchell (April 8, 1927 – May 11, 2013) was an American musician and bandleader. He was the son of Harold Mitchell, lead trumpeter for MGM Studios, who also taught Ollie to play the trumpet. Career Mitchell would go on to play in ...

(featured on "Flight of the Bumble Bee"), trombonist-vocalist

Ray Vasquez Ray Vasquez (12 February 1924 – 25 January 2019), also known as Ray Victor, was an American singer, musician, trombonist and actor, and a significant influence on the Latin jazz scene from 1940 through 2019. Early life Ray Moreno Vasquez was ...

, and a variety of percussionists, including

Armando Peraza Armando Peraza (May 30, 1924 – April 14, 2014) was a Latin jazz percussionist and a member of the rock band Santana. Peraza played congas, bongos, and timbales. Biography Early life Born in Lawton Batista, Havana, Cuba in 1924 (although the b ...

Mongo Santamaría Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría Rodríguez (April 7, 1917 – February 1, 2003) was a Cuban percussionist and bandleader who spent most of his career in the United States. Primarily a conga drummer, Santamaría was a leading figure in the pachanga and ...

and

Alex Acuña Alejandro Neciosup Acuña (born December 12, 1944), known professionally as Alex Acuña, is a Peruvian-American drummer and percussionist. Background Born in Pativilca, Peru, Acuña played in local bands such as La Orquesta de los Hermanos Neci ...

. In 1999, Pérez Prado was posthumously inducted into the

International Latin Music Hall of Fame The International Latin Music Hall of Fame (ILMHF) was an annual event established in 1999 and held in New York City to honor artists who have largely contributed to the Latin music (genre), Latin music genre. In addition to the induction into th ...

In popular culture

Pérez Prado's mambo records and the joyous dancing they caused, are described in a later chapter of Jack Kerouac's seminal novel ''

On the Road ''On the Road'' is a 1957 novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across the United States. It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations, with its protagonis ...

'' (1957). Many of Prado's recordings have been featured in film soundtracks. "

" was included in ''

'' (1960), ''

Goodbye, Columbus ''Goodbye, Columbus'' is a 1959 collection of fiction by the American novelist Philip Roth, comprising the title novella "Goodbye, Columbus"—which first appeared in ''The Paris Review''—and five short stories. It was his first book and was ...

'' (1969) and ''Space Cowboys'' (2000), as well as the episode "

Some Enchanted Evening "Some Enchanted Evening" is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical '' South Pacific''. It has been described as "the single biggest popular hit to come out of any Rodgers and Hammerstein show." Mast, Gerald''Can't Help Singin' ...

" (1990) of the

animated Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...

''. His songs "Caballo Negro", "Lupita", and "Mambo no. 8" featured in the film ''

Santa Sangre ''Santa Sangre'' ( en, Holy Blood, italic=yes) is a 1989 avant-garde surreal horror film directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky and written by Jodorowsky along with Claudio Argento and Roberto Leoni. It stars Axel Jodorowsky, Adán Jodorowsky, Teo J ...

'' (1989) by

Alejandro Jodorowsky Alejandro Jodorowsky Prullansky (; born 17 February 1929) is a Chilean-French avant-garde filmmaker. Best known for his 1970s films '' El Topo'' and '' The Holy Mountain'', Jodorowsky has been "venerated by cult cinema enthusiasts" for his wor ...

. His recording of "

" featured in the films ''

Deal of the Century ''Deal of the Century'' is a 1983 American comedy film directed by William Friedkin and starring Chevy Chase, Gregory Hines, and Sigourney Weaver. The film follows the adventures of several arms dealers that compete to sell weapons to a South A ...

'' (1983), ''

Cookie A cookie is a baked or cooked snack or dessert that is typically small, flat and sweet. It usually contains flour, sugar, egg, and some type of oil, fat, or butter. It may include other ingredients such as raisins, oats, chocolate chips, n ...

'' (1989) and ''

Parents A parent is a caregiver of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is the caretaker of a child (where "child" refers to offspring, not necessarily age). A ''biological parent'' is a person whose gamete resulted in a child, a male t ...

'' (1989), and his recording of "Que Rico Mambo" was featured in ''

The Irishman ''The Irishman'' (subtitled onscreen as ''I Heard You Paint Houses'') is a 2019 American epic gangster film directed and produced by Martin Scorsese and written by Steven Zaillian, based on the 2004 nonfiction book '' I Heard You Paint Hou ...

'' (2019). In the decade after his death, the popularity of Pérez Prado's music was on the rise again. CD reissues of his RCA recordings continue to sell steadily. "

" peaked at number 2 in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in 1995 and reached number 1 in the Irish singles chart, following its use in the

Guinness Guinness () is an Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin, Ireland, in 1759. It is one of the most successful alcohol brands worldwide, brewed in almost 50 countries, and available in ove ...

television commercial ''

Anticipation Anticipation is an emotion involving pleasure or anxiety in considering or awaiting an expected event. Anticipatory emotions include fear, anxiety, hope and trust. When the anticipated event fails to occur, it results in disappointment (if posi ...

''. "Mambo No. 5" was featured in another Guinness commercial, '' Swimblack'', in 1998 (the year before

took his

sampled Sample or samples may refer to: Base meaning * Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set * Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal * Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of so ...

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

of that same song to the top of the UK chart). The soundtrack to the 1997 action thriller ''

Mean Guns ''Mean Guns'' is a 1997 action film starring Ice-T, Christopher Lambert, Michael Halsey, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, Kimberly Warren, and Hunter Doughty. It was directed by Albert Pyun. Plot Vincent Moon ( Ice-T) is a member of a crime syndica ...

'' heavily features the music of Pérez Prado, as it is the favorite choice of Ice T's character in the film. The soundtrack to the 1999 movie ''

Office Space ''Office Space'' is a 1999 American black comedy film written and directed by Mike Judge. It satirizes the worklife of a typical 1990s software company, focusing on a handful of individuals weary of their jobs. It stars Ron Livingston, Jennifer ...

'' featured two of his performances, "Mambo No. 8" and "The Peanut Vendor". The soundtrack to the 2004 movie '' Diarios de Motocicleta'' featured Pérez Prado's "Qué rico el mambo", more commonly known as "Mambo Jambo". Avant-garde musician Nurse With Wound recorded a tribute, ''Funeral Music for Perez Prado'', exceeding 30 minutes in length. Pérez Prado's song "La Chunga" has been used as the theme music for several versions of ''

The Spud Goodman Show The Spud Goodman Show is a radio program heard on several terrestrial radio and internet radio stations in North America and Europe. It began as a cable TV talk show in the Puget Sound area in the state of Washington, USA, and later transitione ...

''.

Discography

Singles

*" April in Portugal" *"Ballin' The Jack" *"

" *"Chicago Dengue" *"La Chula Linda" *"Claudia" *"Concierto para Bongó" *"Fantasia" *"A Go Go Mambo" *"

" *"The High and Mighty" *"Lupita" *"

" *"Mambo No. 8" *"Mambo a la Kenton" *"Mambo del Politécnico" *"Mambo del Ruletero" *"Mambo en Sax" *"Mambo del Taconazo" *"Mambo en trompeta" *"Mambo Universitario" *"Marilyn Monroe Mambo" *"La Niña Popoff" * "Paris" *"

" *"Que Rico el Mambo" (aka ''Mambo Jambo'') * "St. Louis Blues Mambo" *"Tico, Tico, Tico" *"Tomando Café"

Albums

All albums,

. *''Pérez Prado Plays Mucho Mambo For Dancing'' (1951) *''Voodoo Suite'' (1955) *''Mambo By The King'' (1955) *''Mambo Mania'' (1955) *''Havana 3 A.M.'' (1956) *''Latin Satin'' (1957) *''Mambo Happy!'' (1958) *''Dilo (Ugh!)'' (1958) *''"Prez"'' (1958) - Pérez Prado's only US Top 40 album, reaching the No. 22 spot in May 1959Joel Whitburn, "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Albums" (1991), p. 208. *''Pops and Prado'' (1959) *''

A Touch of Tabasco ''A Touch of Tabasco'' is a 1959 studio album released by RCA Victor featuring the American jazz singer Rosemary Clooney and the Cuban band leader Perez Prado. This was the only album that Clooney and Prado recorded together; the album was pro ...

'' with

Rosemary Clooney Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 – June 29, 2002) was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song "Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers such as " Botch-a-Me", " Mambo Italiano", ...

(1959) *''Big Hits By Prado'' (1960) *''Perez Prado's Rockambo'' (1961) *''Latino! (1961) *''La Chunga'' (1961) *''Exotic Suite of the Americas'' (1962) *''Now! Twist Goes Latin'' (1962) *''Our Man In Latin America'' (1963) *''Dance Latino'' (1965) *''The Best Of Perez Prado'' (1967) Reissue of ''Big Hits By Prado'' *''This Is Perez Prado'' (1971) *''Perez Prado - Pure Gold'' (1976) Another reissue of ''Big Hits By Prado''

Filmography

* ''

Serenade in Acapulco Santiago Eduardo Urueta Sierra (24 February 1904 – 23 March 1979), more commonly known as Chano Urueta, was a Mexican film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Filmography Director *1928: '' El Destino'' *1933: '' Profanación'' *193 ...

'' (1951) * ''

'' (1955) * ''

Cha-Cha-Cha Boom! ''Cha-Cha-Cha Boom!'' is a 1956 American musical film starring Dámaso Pérez Prado, Stephen Dunne, the Mary Kaye Trio, Helen Grayco, Luis Arcaraz and his Orchestra, Lucerto Bárcenas, and Manny López and his Orchestra. It was produced by Sa ...

'' (1956) * ''

Girls for the Mambo-Bar ''Girls for the Mambo-Bar'' (german: Mädchen für die Mambo-Bar) is a 1959 West German crime film directed by Wolfgang Glück and starring Kai Fischer, Gerlinde Locker and Jimmy Makulis.Lembach p.323 The film's sets were designed by the art ...

'' (1959)

Notes

References

External links

Pérez Prado
– complete discography * * *

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perez Prado, Damaso Mambo musicians Cuban bandleaders Cuban composers Male composers Cuban pianists 1916 births 1989 deaths Big band bandleaders Cuban emigrants to Mexico Naturalized citizens of Mexico Musicians from Mexico City People from Matanzas RCA Victor artists 20th-century composers 20th-century pianists Cuban male musicians