Orestes López
Encyclopedia
Orestes López was a Cuba
n musician and bandleader
, often credited with popularizing the musical form Mambo, together with his brother Israel "Cachao" Lopez
.
Lopez was born in Havana on August 29, 1908. As a pre-teenager he studied piano, cello, violin and the five-key ebony flute. In 1924, at age 16, he played cello with maestro Pedro San Juan's Philharmonic Orchestra. A few years later, he was playing bass for Miguel "El Moro" Vásquez's charanga
. In the 1930s he was the musical director of three dance orchestras--López-Barroso
, Orestes López and La Unión--before joining Antonio Arcaño y Sus Maravillas in 1937. López, a multi-instrumentalist, composed and orchestrated danzon
es, most notably Camina Juan Pescao, El Truco de Regatillo, Los Jóvenes De La Defensa and El Moro Eléctrico. For over 20 years he performed for Arcaño y Sus Maravillas on bass, cello and piano. In 1938 he composed and arranged Mambo. It launched a new style of danzón. Subsequently, the syncopated bass in the tune gave rise on the one hand to the dance genre known as mambo created by Pérez Prado
, and on the other to the cha-cha-chá
created by Enrique Jorrín
.
In the late 1930s, the danzón had three movements: the introduction; el paseo (the walk in a circle); and la comparsa (the main theme, in which dancers faced each other and danced). López's "Danzón de nuevo ritmo" changed the third movement when he substituted a montuno
(based on the syncopated beat of the son-playing treseros
from Oriente). López's montuno of two to four beats took on a special syncopated character and was given the generic name of mambo.
His brother ("Cachao") emigrated to the United States, and achieved considerable success, but Orestes remained in Cuba. He died in Havana in 1991.
López is also the father of bassist Orlando "Cachaito" López, who gained fame as the ever-present performer for the Buena Vista Social Club
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n musician and bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
, often credited with popularizing the musical form Mambo, together with his brother Israel "Cachao" Lopez
Cachao López
Israel "Cachao" López , often known as Cachao, was a Cuban musician and composer who helped popularize mambo in the United States in the early 1950s....
.
Lopez was born in Havana on August 29, 1908. As a pre-teenager he studied piano, cello, violin and the five-key ebony flute. In 1924, at age 16, he played cello with maestro Pedro San Juan's Philharmonic Orchestra. A few years later, he was playing bass for Miguel "El Moro" Vásquez's charanga
Charanga
Charanga is a term given to traditional ensembles of Cuban dance music. They made Cuban dance music popular in the 1940s and their music consisted of heavily son-influenced material, performed on European instruments such as violin and flute by a Charanga orchestra....
. In the 1930s he was the musical director of three dance orchestras--López-Barroso
Abelardo Barroso
The singer Abelardo Barroso Dargeles was the first sonero mayor to be recognized as such by the Cuban public. He was the lead singer of the Sexteto Habanero from 1925, recorded with the Sexteto Boloña in 1926, and joined the Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro in 1927...
, Orestes López and La Unión--before joining Antonio Arcaño y Sus Maravillas in 1937. López, a multi-instrumentalist, composed and orchestrated danzon
Danzón
Danzón is the official dance of Cuba. It is also an active musical form in Mexico and is still beloved in Puerto Rico where Verdeluz, a modern danzón by Puerto Rican composer Antonio Cabán Vale is considered the unofficial national anthem...
es, most notably Camina Juan Pescao, El Truco de Regatillo, Los Jóvenes De La Defensa and El Moro Eléctrico. For over 20 years he performed for Arcaño y Sus Maravillas on bass, cello and piano. In 1938 he composed and arranged Mambo. It launched a new style of danzón. Subsequently, the syncopated bass in the tune gave rise on the one hand to the dance genre known as mambo created by Pérez Prado
Perez Prado
Dámaso Pérez Prado was a Cuban bandleader, musician , and composer. He is often referred to as the 'King of the Mambo'.His orchestra was the most popular in mambo...
, and on the other to the cha-cha-chá
Cha-cha-cha (dance)
The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
created by Enrique Jorrín
Enrique Jorrín
Enrique Jorrín was a Cuban composer, violinist and band director. He is famous as the inventor of a style of Cuban dance music called cha-cha-chá.-Biography:...
.
In the late 1930s, the danzón had three movements: the introduction; el paseo (the walk in a circle); and la comparsa (the main theme, in which dancers faced each other and danced). López's "Danzón de nuevo ritmo" changed the third movement when he substituted a montuno
Montuno
Montuno has several meanings pertaining to Cuban music and its derivatives. Literally, montuno means 'comes from the mountain', and so Son montuno may refer to the older type of son played in the mountainous rural areas of Oriente...
(based on the syncopated beat of the son-playing treseros
Tres
The tres is a 3-course, 6-string chordophone which was created in Cuba. A tres player is called a tresero in Cuba and a tresista in Puerto Rico.-Cuban tres:In Cuba, the son was created as a song and a salon dance genre...
from Oriente). López's montuno of two to four beats took on a special syncopated character and was given the generic name of mambo.
His brother ("Cachao") emigrated to the United States, and achieved considerable success, but Orestes remained in Cuba. He died in Havana in 1991.
López is also the father of bassist Orlando "Cachaito" López, who gained fame as the ever-present performer for the Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
The Buena Vista Social Club was a members club in Havana, Cuba that held dances and musical activities, becoming a popular location for musicians to meet and play during the 1940s...
.
See also
- Cuban music