Enrique Raúl Planas Fernández (September 18, 1920 – February 28, 2001) was a popular Cuban singer and songwriter. He performed and recorded with many bands and musicians, including Carlos Barbería y su Orquesta Kubavana, Sonora Matancera,

Celia Cruz Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso (21 October 1925 – 16 July 2003), known as Celia Cruz, was a naturalized Cuban-American singer and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. Cruz rose to fame in Cuba during t ...

Conjunto Rumbavana Conjunto Rumbavana is a Cuban band founded in 1955, directed by pianist Joseíto González. Its repertoire included popular music like bolero, guaracha, chachachá, son montuno, conga, and danzón Danzón is the official musical genre and d ...

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 ...

Charanga Rubalcaba Guillermo Rubalcaba (January 10, 1927 – September 7, 2015) was a Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and orchestrator specialising in danzón and cha-cha-cha music genres.Orovio, Helio (2004). ''Cuban Music from A to Z-CL''. Duke Universit ...

, Rubén González, and the

Afro-Cuban All Stars Afro-Cuban All Stars is a Cuban band led by Juan de Marcos González (formerly Tres (instrument), tres player for Sierra Maestra (band), Sierra Maestra). Their music is a mix of all the styles of music of Cuba, Cuban music, including bolero, chac ...

Early life

Raúl Planas was born in Camajuaní, Villa Clara province, Cuba on September 18, 1920. At thirteen, he joined a number of '' son'' groups in his native town, such as Benito De Amas, Cervantes en Remedios and others, and developed into a prominent singer in both ''son'' and ''

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 ...

'' styles.

Career

During the 1940s, Planas moved to Havana, where he joined the Juanito Roger ensemble, the Ernesto Duarte orchestra, and Carlos Barbería´s Kubavana jazz-band as a singer. He toured extensively with Sonora Matancera and

, in both America and Europe, and made several recordings for the Puchito, Panart and

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 ...

record labels, including with Orquesta Ritmo y Melodía, directed by Roberto Puente, in 1959. In 1966, Planas joined the Rumbavana ensemble (founded in 1955), sharing vocals with Fernando González and Guido Soto. Under the direction of Joseíto González, the Rumbavana ensemble released a series of successful recordings by the EGREM label and a number of radio broadcasting studios. During this period and into the 1970s, Planas sang on many hits, such as "Te invito un momento" and "Te traigo mi son cubano". In 1982, he joined the Conjunto Tropicuba, sharing vocals at one point with

Felix Baloy Felix may refer to: * Felix (name), people and fictional characters with the name Places * Arabia Felix is the ancient Latin name of Yemen * Felix, Spain, a municipality of the province Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, ...

, and then the

. Later on, he became a member of the

Rubalcaba Rubalcaba is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: People *Alexis Rubalcaba (born 1972), Cuban amateur boxer, 1999 Pan American Games gold medalist * Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba (1951–2019), Deputy Prime Minister of Spain and Secretar ...

Orchestra. As a solo artist he released his first solo album, ''Señor del son'', in the 1980s through

Siboney Siboney may refer to: Arts * ''Siboney'' (film), a Mexican-Cuban drama film * "Siboney" (song), a 1929 song by Ernesto Lecuona * ''Siboney'', a 1985 album by Slim Gaillard Places * Siboney, Cuba, a town in eastern Cuba * Siboney, Oklahoma, a t ...

. In the early 1990s, he formed part of

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 ...

's charanga. After turning independent, he guested on recordings such as the CD entitled ''Pasaporte'' (winner of the EGREM Great Award in 1994), with Tata Güines and

Miguel "Angá" Díaz Miguel Aurelio "Angá" Díaz Zayas (June 15, 1961 – August 9, 2006) was a Cuban percussionist. He was a well-known '' conguero'' who also played the cajón, güiro and timbales. Life and career Miguel Aurelio Díaz Zayas was born in San Jua ...

. In 1994, Planas and

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 ...

announcer Eduardo Rosillo approached retired pianist Rubén González—with whom Planas had already recorded the album ''Dos Grandes'' five years earlier—with the idea of recording new versions of ten songs composed by fellow Cuban pianist

Lilí Martínez Luis Martínez Griñán (19 August 1915 – 26 August 1990), better known as Lilí Martínez, was a Cuban pianist, arranger and composer specializing in the son montuno style. He played in the Conjunto de Arsenio Rodríguez and Conjunto Chapp ...

.Rosillo, Eduardo (1999). Sleeve notes from ''Son Inconcluso'' (in Spanish). EGREM Records CD0334. (1999). The resulting album, ''Son Inconcluso'', featured a full band including bassist Orlando "Cachaíto" López and Arturo "Alambre dulce" Harvey (ex-''

tresero The tres ( Spanish for ''three'') is a three-course chordophone of Cuban origin. The most widespread variety of the instrument is the original Cuban tres with six strings. Its sound has become a defining characteristic of the Cuban son and it is ...

'' with

), among others, and was released in 1999 by EGREM. In 1996, Planas joined the

project directed by Juan de Marcos González, and participated in the recording of ''

A Toda Cuba le Gusta ''A Toda Cuba le Gusta'' is the first studio album by the Afro-Cuban All Stars, produced by Cuban bandleader and musician Juan de Marcos González and Nick Gold, and released on April 9, 1997 on World Circuit Records. This album was the first i ...

'', which was nominated for the 1997 Grammy Awards. This album again featured Rubén González and Orlando "Cachaíto" López, along with a big band of veteran Cuban musicians and singers such as Ibrahim Ferrer, Pío Leyva, Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea, and

Félix Baloy Félix Baloy (born November, 12, in 1944 in Mayari, Holguín, Cuba) is a Cuban singer, sonero, and percussionist. He has a Havana urban accent. He has been a vocalist with many groups, including Chappotin y Sus Estrellas, Revé, and Adalberto ...

. It was the first album recorded during the consecutive sessions that would also deliver the albums '' Buena Vista Social Club'' and '' Introducing...Rubén González''. Planas also wrote songs such as: "Baila Francisca",Sleeve notes from ''Te Invito Un Momento'', EGREM CD 0072. (1995). "Dicharachos Criollos", "Maria Del Carmen",Sleeve notes from ''Conjunto Rumbavana/Raúl Planas – Reencuentro Entre Soneros'', EGREM LP LD–349. (1987) "Me Voy a Poner Pa' Tí", "Que Buenas Son", "Quiéreme Mucho Caridad", "Se Me Fue Mi Negrita",Sleeve notes from ''Dos Grandes: Raúl Planas & Rubén González / Con la Orquesta Jorrín'', EGREM CD 0392. (2000). and "Sola Estás". Planas died at his home in Pueblo Nuevo, Havana on February 28, 2001..

Selected discography

As primary artist

* ''Señor del son'' (Siboney, 1980s) * ''Te Invito Un Momento'' (EGREM, 1995) * ''Para Todos Los Tiempos'' (Orun, 2002) – Recorded in 2000 * ''Tumbayaya'' (EGREM, 2004)Sleeve notes from ''Tumbayaya'', Havana Nites CD HN011. (2004). * ''La Vida Es Un Sueño'' (Connector, 2009)

With Carlos Barbería y su Orquesta Kubavana

* ''Que Tienes Titina?'' (Panart, 1950s) * ''A Toda Cuba Le Gusta'' (Caney CCD 505, 1995) – Recorded in 1958-1959. Planas sings on tracks 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 14, 16Sleeve notes from ''Orquesta Kubavana – A Toda Cuba Le Gusta'', Caney CCD 505. (1995). * ''Perlas Cubanas: Yo Soy Caguairán'' (Vintage Music, 2014)

With Orquesta Ritmo y Melodía

* ''Perlas Cubanas: Raúl Planas y Orquesta Ritmo y Melodía'' (Vintage Music, 2014)

With Conjunto Rumbavana

* ''Reencuentro Entre Soneros'' (EGREM, 1987)

With Charanga Rubalcaba

* ''Fundadores Del Sabor'' (1995) – Planas sings on tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12Sleeve notes from ''Fundadores Del Sabor'', DISCMEDI CD DM210CD. (1995).

With Tata Güines & Miguel "Angá" Díaz

* ''Pasaporte'' (Enja, 1994) – Planas sings on "Rumberos Del Ayer"Sleeve notes from ''Pasaporte'', Enja Enj–9019 2. (1994).

With Rubén González

* ''Dos Grandes: Raúl Planas & Rubén González / Con la Orquesta Jorrín'' (EGREM, 2000) – Recorded in 1989 * ''Son Inconcluso'' (EGREM, 1999) – Recorded in 1994; reissued as ''Trilogía De Boleros'' in 2002 on the Exotica labelSleeve notes from ''Trilogía De Boleros'' Exotica, EXTC018. (2002).

With Afro-Cuban All Stars

* ''

'' (World Circuit, 1997)

Compilations

* ''Son Del Mundo'' (EGREM, 2000) – Planas sings on "Como Siento Yo" and "Juancito Trucupey"Sleeve notes from ''Son Del Mundo'', EGREM CD 0393. (2000). * ''De Cuba Son: Roots of Buena Vista'' (EGREM, 2000) – Planas sings on "Rumberos Del Ayer" and "A Mi Manera"Sleeve notes from ''De Cuba Son: Roots of Buena Vista'', EGREM CD 0397. (2000). * ''Cuban Superstars'' (Direct Source, 2004) – Planas sings on "Rumberos Del Ayer"Sleeve notes from ''Cuban Superstars'', Direct Source. (2004). * ''Cuban All Stars - Volume 2'' (Connector, 2010) – Planas sings on "Los Herederos"Sleeve notes from ''Cuban All Stars - Volume 2'', Connector. (2010). * ''Th'is Cuba: Hot Cuban Music'' (Promo Sound, 2011) – Planas sings on "Rumberos Del Ayer"Sleeve notes from ''Th'is Cuba: Hot Cuban Music'', Promo Sound CD 6509/1. (2011). * ''Best of Buena Vista'' (Arc Music, 2012) – Planas sings on tracks 5, 9, 12, 17Sleeve notes from ''Best of Buena Vista'', Arc Music CD EUCD2410. (2012). * ''El Gran Tesoro de la Musica Cubana, Vol.1'' (2013) – Planas sings on "Soy Hijo del Siboney"