Enrique Jorrín (December 25, 1926 – December 12, 1987) was a

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

n charanga violinist, composer and music director. He is considered the inventor of the '' cha-cha-chá'', a popular style of ballroom music derived from

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

Biography

Jorrín was born in Candelaria, Pinar del Río in 1926. At an early age, his family moved to the El Cerro neighborhood of Havana, where Jorrín was to live for the rest of his life. At the age of 12, he began to show a particular interest in music and decided to learn the violin. He then pursued musical studies at the Municipal Conservatory of Havana. He started out as a violinist in the orchestra of Cuba's National Institute of Music, under the direction of González Mántici. In 1941, he became a member of the '' danzonera'' Hermanos Contreras. It was here that he became interested in popular music. Next, he joined the renowned '' charanga'' Antonio Arcaño y sus Maravillas. In the early 1950s, while a member of Ninón Mondéjar's Orquesta América, he created a new genre of dance music which became known as the '' cha-cha-chá.'' He lived in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

from 1954 to 1958 after a tour with the América. He and Félix Reina, the other violinist in the group, decided to stay. In 1964, he toured Africa and Europe with his orchestra- Orquesta de Enrique Jorrín. From 1964 onwards, he recorded extensively for the Cuban record label EGREM. In 1974, he organized a new ''charanga'', which included singer Tito Gómez and pianist Rubén González. This orchestra is still active in Havana and includes many songs by Jorrín in their active repertoire. All his accomplishments were all fulfilled while raising his nephew Omar Jorrin Pineda, who grew up playing the piano for the orchestra as he got older. Omar Jorrin Pineda currently resides in a small Cuban community in New Jersey known to be Union City. Jorrín died in

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.La engañadora * El alardoso * El túnel * Nada para ti * Osiris * Me muero

Discography

* Orquesta de Enrique Jorrín; "Todo Chachacha"; Egrem CD-0044 * Orquesta Enrique Jorrín; "Por Siempre Jorrín"; Egrem CD-0644

References

* Orovio, Helio. 1981. Diccionario de la Música Cubana. La Habana, Editorial Letras Cubanas. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jorrin, Enrique Cuban violinists Male violinists Cuban male composers Cuban bandleaders Cuban charanga musicians Mambo musicians Cha-cha-cha musicians 1926 births 1987 deaths 20th-century violinists 20th-century Cuban composers 20th-century male musicians Cuban male musicians