La Sonora Matancera

This remarkable musical institution was founded on 12 January 1924 in the Cuban province of Matanzas by tres guitarist Valentín Cané. A horn-led string and percussion group, they were initially called Tuna Liberal and included guitarist/singer Rogelio Martínez (7 September 1905, Matanzas, Cuba), who became the band’s director, bass player Pablo Vázquez ‘Babú’ (d. 1969) and timbales player Jimagua. Following two name changes (Septeto Soprano and Estudiantina Matancera) and numerous personnel changes, they renamed themselves Septeto Sonora Matancera in late 1926 and relocated to Havana on 12 January 1927, where Caíto (b. Carlos Manuel Díaz Alonso, 8 November 1905, Matanzas, Cuba, d. 27 September 1990, New York, USA; maracas player/third vocalist) joined shortly after the group’s arrival in the capital. (Caíto’s falsetto voz de vieja ‘old woman’s voice’ in the chorus became one of the group’s unique ingredients.) They soon established themselves and performed at many of Havana’s prestigious venues, including the Alhambra Theatre, Galician Centre, Havana Sports Club and the fabled night meccas La Tropical and Marte Y Belona, as well as on several radio stations. Their pioneering use of uniforms was at first ridiculed, but soon became the trend. They were one of Cuba’s first co-operative bands, which helped underpin their internal cohesion and longevity, and have never felt the need for written contracts within their organization.

The group made their recording debut in mid-1928 on RCA - Victor Records. In 1932 they settled for the name La Sonora Matancera (The Matanzas Group). In 1929 timbalero José Rosario Chávez ‘Manteca’ replaced Jimagua. Between 1929 and 1932 they were frequently hired to perform by the Cuban ruler General Gerardo Machado Morales. In 1935, ex-Septeto Nacional member Calixto Leicea (b. 1910, Matanzas, Cuba; trumpeter/composer) replaced the deceased cornet player Ismael Goberna (an early member of the group) as the Sonora’s first trumpeter. Popular singer Bienvenido Granda (b. 30 August 1915, Cuba, d. 9 July 1983, Mexico) joined in the early 40s and remained until disagreements with Martínez obliged him to leave in 1951. Between 1937 and 1939 future mambo popularizer Pérez Prado played piano with the group. In 1942 the Sonora was joined by distinctive piano stylist, composer and arranger Lino Frías (d. April 1983, New York, USA), who retired from the band in July 1977 owing to arthritis; he was followed by the established New York salsa pianist, band leader, arranger, composer and producer Javier Vázquez (b. 8 April 1936, Matanzas, Cuba), a son of early group member Pablo Vázquez ‘Babú’. To compete with other groups (using three trumpets), the Sonora added second trumpeter Pedro Knight (b. 30 September 1921, Cuba, d. 3 February 2007, Los Angeles, California, USA) on 6 January 1944. Knight later married Celia Cruz (b. Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alonso, 21 October 1924, Santa Suarez district, Havana, Cuba, d. 16 July 2003, New Jersey, USA), singer with the group between 1950 and 1965, on 14 July 1962 in Mexico City and retired from the Sonora on 30 April 1967. In 1952 Raimundo Elpidio Vázquez replaced his father Babú on bass. In 1960, Papaíto took over as the Sonora’s timbalero after the death of Manteca. Between 1976 and 1980 Alfredo ‘Chocolate’ Armenteros joined on trumpet.

In addition to Granda and Cruz, over 60 singers (both Cuban and non-Cuban) have worked with them, including:- Daniel Santos (b. Daniel Doroteo de los Santos Betancur, 5 February 1916, Trastalleres, Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico, d. 27 November 1992, Ocala, Florida, USA), Myrta Silva (b. 11 September 1923, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, d. 2 December 1987, San Juan, Puerto Rico), Miguelito Valdés (b. 6 September 1910, Belén district, Havana, Cuba, d. 8 November 1978, Bogotá, Colombia), Bobby Capó (b. 1 January 1921, Coamo, Puerto Rico, d. 18 December 1989), Vicentico Valdés (b. 10 January 1921, Cayo Hueso district, Havana, Cuba), Nelson Pinedo (b. 10 February 1928, Barranquilla, Colombia), Alberto Beltrán (b. 5 May 1923, La Romana, Dominican Republic), Carlos Argentino (b. 23 June 1929, Buenos Aires, Argentina), Leo Marini (b. 23 August 1920, Mendoza, Argentina), Celio González (b. 29 January 1924, Camajuanillas, Las Villas, Cuba), Elliot Romero (b. San Juan, Puerto Rico, d. 1990), Justo Betancourt, Wuelfo Gutiérrez (b. Santiago de Las Vegas, Cuba), Yayo El Indio (b. Puerto Rico), Roberto Torres, Jorge Maldonado (b. 24 September 1950, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico), Cali Aleman (b. Nicaragua) and Ismael Miranda.

Their repertoire comprises various Cuban and other Latin rhythms; and over the decades they have possibly recorded about 4, 000 songs for a number of labels, including RCA-Victor, Panart, Seeco/Tropical, Ansonia, Orfeón, Barbaro (part of the Fania family) and Fania. During the 50s the Sonora enjoyed considerable pan-Caribbean and pan-Latin American prominence. In 1957 they went on a major tour of South America. On 15 June 1960 the band left Cuba to fulfil a four-week contract in Mexico, but remained nearly two years and never returned to Cuba. In 1962 they took up permanent residence in New York. The band made an appearance accompanying Celia Cruz in the BBC2 Arena film profile My Name Is Celia Cruz broadcast on 12 February 1988. In June 1989, 13 former lead singers reunited with the Sonora for a series of three concerts to celebrate their 65th anniversary; a recording of their 1 June 1989 concert was issued on the double album Live! From Carnegie Hall: 65th Anniversary Celebration. They made their extremely belated UK debut in November 1993.