Ñico Saquito
Encyclopedia
Ñico Saquito was a Cuba
n musician. He was a trova
composer, guitarist and singer.
By the age of 15 he had already attracted attention for his songwriting, and abandoned a career in baseball
to start life as a trovador. He had his own group in the 1920s, and later joined the Cuarteto Castillo, spending much of the 1930s touring Cuba with the group. After this he returned to Santiago and founded Los Guaracheros de Oriente, with which performed throughout Cuba. They toured Puerto Rico
and Venezuela
in 1950. Ñico remained abroad until about 1960, when political conditions forced a decision as to whether or not to return to Cuba. Ñico returned, but the rest of the group did not.
His compositions are mostly guaracha
s with smart and spicy lyrics about personal life or current events, though his most famous number was a guajira
, "Al vaivén de mi carreta", a sentimental ballad about life in the countryside, but with complaints about life in Cuba tucked away inside it.
He seemed to collect nicknames: to some he was "El guarachero de Oriente" (because he led the group of that name) and to others "Compay gato" (from his number "Adios compay gato"). Later in his life Ñico played mostly in the bar-restaurant La Bodeguita del Medio
, in Havana
. In 1982 he was recorded by Egrem with the groups Cuarteto Patria
and El Duo Cubano. His greatest hits included "Cuidado compay gallo," "María Cristina," "Al vaivén de mi carreta," "Adios compay gato," and many more.
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. He was a trova
Trova
Trova is one of the great roots of the Cuban music tree. In the 19th century a group of itinerant musicians known as trovadores moved around Oriente, especially Santiago de Cuba, earning their living by singing and playing the guitar...
composer, guitarist and singer.
By the age of 15 he had already attracted attention for his songwriting, and abandoned a career in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
to start life as a trovador. He had his own group in the 1920s, and later joined the Cuarteto Castillo, spending much of the 1930s touring Cuba with the group. After this he returned to Santiago and founded Los Guaracheros de Oriente, with which performed throughout Cuba. They toured Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
in 1950. Ñico remained abroad until about 1960, when political conditions forced a decision as to whether or not to return to Cuba. Ñico returned, but the rest of the group did not.
His compositions are mostly guaracha
Guaracha
The guaracha is a genre of Cuban popular music, of rapid tempo and with 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 theatres and in low-class dance salons. They became an integral part of Bufo comic...
s with smart and spicy lyrics about personal life or current events, though his most famous number was a guajira
Guajira
Guajira may refer to:* Department of La Guajira, a department of Colombia which includes most of the Guajira Peninsula* La Guajira Desert, a desert which covers most of the Guajira Peninsula...
, "Al vaivén de mi carreta", a sentimental ballad about life in the countryside, but with complaints about life in Cuba tucked away inside it.
He seemed to collect nicknames: to some he was "El guarachero de Oriente" (because he led the group of that name) and to others "Compay gato" (from his number "Adios compay gato"). Later in his life Ñico played mostly in the bar-restaurant La Bodeguita del Medio
Bodeguita del medio
La Bodeguita del Medio is a typical restaurant-bar of Havana . It is very famous and touristy for the personalities that have patronized it: Salvador Allende, the poet Pablo Neruda, the writer Ernest Hemingway, the artist Josignacio and many others...
, in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
. In 1982 he was recorded by Egrem with the groups Cuarteto Patria
Cuarteto Patria
Cuarteto Patria is one of the leading musical groups in Santiago de Cuba. It was founded in 1939 by Francisco Cobas la O , director, with Emilia Gracia, Rigoberto Hechaverría and Rey Caney . The original style was traditional trova, with boleros and some música campesina...
and El Duo Cubano. His greatest hits included "Cuidado compay gallo," "María Cristina," "Al vaivén de mi carreta," "Adios compay gato," and many more.