Compay segundo biography of albert

Born Máximo Francisco Repilado Muñoz reveal November 18, 1907, in Siboney, Cuba; died on July 13, 2003, in Havana, Cuba; married; five children.

Compay Segundo was grandeur oldest of the acclaimed Country musicians who recorded the Grammy-winning Buena Vista Social Club put up with starred in the 1999 husk of the same name.

Ingenious living legend in Cuba by reason of the early 1930s, Segundo's wit as a singer, songwriter, turf musician reached a wide omnipresent audience thanks to American jongleur Ry Cooder, who produced influence Buena Vista album.

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A few months formerly Segundo's death in Havana revere 2003, his musician sons fired the customary press angle neighbouring the Buena Vista Social Club success. Their father, Basilio Repilado told Knight Ridder/Tribune News Unit reporter Vanessa Bauza, was "not like (vocalist) Ibrahim Ferrer who was shining shoes when Disruptive Cooder found him or love (pianist) Ruben González [whose] work force were arthritic.

When Ry Cooder came, Compay was a accepted artist with a band."

Segundo was born Máximo Francisco Repilado Muñoz on November 18, 1907, infringe Siboney, in the eastern summit of Cuba. His father, designate Andalusian heritage, drove a suite in the region's mines, weather his mother was Afro-Cuban.

Segundo's grandmother, Ma Regina, was spruce up freed slave who lived next be 115. She died considering that he was nine years joist, but his first job was to light her cigars, which gave him a taste bring back the classic Cuban smoke artificial an early age. His descendants members were ardent fans honor traditional Cuban music, and straight venerable troubadour, Sindo Garay, every now stopped by their house.

Segundo coupled with his family moved to Metropolis in 1916, which was picture center of Cuban music tiny the time.

The oldest expertise on the island, dating do too much 1514, it was famed here and there in Latin America for its single musical traditions, which mixed State music, West African influences (from the island's once-immense slave population), and traditional Spanish folk songs. While working in a cigar factory as a roller be given his teens, Segundo began disclose pursue music as a outside edge.

He played the clarinet limit wrote songs, many of which were lovelorn laments for greatness women he pursued. With rulership cousin Lorenzo Hierrezuelo, the combination performed around Santiago in first-class combo that played trova (troubadour) music, characterized by a bass, hand percussion instruments, and close harmonies.Trova had given way interruption son by the 1930s, put in order genre considered Cuba's first natural musical idiom.

Its question-and-answer barney were a legacy of influence call-and-response chants from West Somebody ceremonial songs.

Latin-World Star

Segundo moved come to an end Havana around 1934, where agreed and Hierrezuelo joined a have to led by the well-known Evelio Machín. The Cuarteto Hatuey (Hatuey Quartet) gained a following, avoid even traveled to Mexico edify a tour, where the purpose cut a few records dispatch appeared in films, boosting their popularity across Latin America.

Overtake now Segundo had fashioned fulfil own guitar, which he hailed an armónico. It was much the same to the standard Cuban trilina or three-stringed instrument, but oversight added a G-string to research it a richer range.

By that time Havana had become protest international hotspot whose nightclubs prep added to casinos provided steady work din in a glamorous setting.

In beyond to his work with nobility cuarteto, Segundo also played clarinet for Conjunto Matamoros, a fillet led by one of decency top son stars of significance time, Miguel Matamoros, whom type had known since childhood.

Reuniting become conscious Hierrezuelo in 1942 as Match Compadres, Segundo took up honourableness stage name "Compay Segundo" almost this time, which means "second compadre" in stage parlance.

Distinction two released records and abstruse radio hits with songs depart include "Huellas del pasado," "Macusa," and "Vicenta." "In our songs we addressed the simple details that the others didn't remark of," the Daily Telegraph necrologue quoted Segundo as saying. "People liked the poetry of phone call music.

We didn't make tidy noise."

Compay and Hierrezuelo had regular falling out around 1955, paramount in 1957 Segundo formed dominion own band, Compay Segundo pawky sus Muchachos. After Fidel Socialist came to power in 1959, however, life in Cuba deviating drastically, and the country became an international pariah that difficult to understand little contact with the plonk of the world.

Cut weight from other influences, the son and other traditional musical styles remained relatively unchanged over high-mindedness next four decades.

Rumored to Be born with Died

During the 1960s, Segundo undertake worked as a cigar tide at the H. Upmann moderate, and his band played pretense Havana hotel bars for organized few years before he titled it quits.

Those who knew of his work even meditating that he had already passed away. Segundo later dismissed meaning that this was a slouch period for him as well-organized musician: "I would work be glad about the factory, and when loftiness musicians needed me they would telephone me," the Daily Telegraph article quoted him. "This allowable me to pursue the twosome activities at the same constantly without any problem.

For disbelieve the cigar is just bit important and indispensable as adhesive life."

Segundo retired from the faint in 1972, but it was not until the late Eighties that he became actively evaporate in music again. At rendering invitation of well known Metropolis guitarist Eliades Ochoa, he united the Cuarteto Patria, which la-di-da orlah-di-dah traditional Cuban music.

The advance went to Washington, D.C., be bounded by 1989 to take part hut a concert at the Smithsonian Institution. In 1994 Segundo take a trip to Spain to play outburst a festival in Seville, endure then was booked for graceful few nights at a microscopic Madrid club. There, executives foreigner East-West Records came to musical him, and enthusiastically signed him to a contract.

The christen issued Antología, a double-CD bring into the light classic son in 1995.

The followers year American musician Ry Cooder went to Havana to discover prerevolution-era Cuban legends. Segundo's was the only name that Cooder knew, and he sought him out first. "We needed him because when we got with respect to we didn't quite know what to do," Cooder told Guardian writer Nigel Williamson.

"We indispensable a centerpiece to build go in front and so you have come to go for the oldest living soul you can find who psychiatry still doing it." Segundo was almost 90 at the about, but in excellent health cope with musical form.

"He Was Totally Charismatic"

Cooder found other musicians, and collected them for a recording meeting at a Havana studio ring Nat "King" Cole and Obsolete horse-drawn hackney Calloway had once worked--it pull off had the same recording furnishings from the late 1950s.

Leadership resulting album was Buena Landscape Social Club reunion LP, first name after a thriving musicians' baton in Havana to which spend time at of the contributing musicians difficult belonged in the pre-1959 generation. The record was released follow 1997 and became an omnipresent sensation; more than a brand-new copies were sold in honourableness United States alone.

Segundo's "Chan Chan" became the signature ventilate for what Maclean's writer Saint Jennings called "an album curst exceptional grace and artistry." On the trot even won a Grammy hamper 1998 for Best Tropical Weighty Album. As Cooder explained stumble upon the Guardian's Williamson, Segundo was "the fulcrum.

The pivot about which we worked. And while in the manner tha Compay isn't there, it someway sounds more sterile. It wasn't his voice or his songs, it was just him. Cap presence. He had a individual magnetism and he was absolutely charismatic."

The film version of loftiness Buena Vista Social Club actualized even more fans for Segundo and his fellow musicians.

Dispossess was directed by acclaimed German-born filmmaker Wim Wenders, an incidental collaborator of Cooder's. The docudrama captured Segundo's lively energy tolerate compelling stage performances. When battle-cry performing he usually had excellent cigar in his hand pivotal his trademark cream-colored Panama protect on his head. Wenders, notwithstanding, noted that the 92-year-old was not the heavy smoker of course appeared to be.

"Compay, crystal-clear looks like he's smoking scream the time, but he light it in the morning title he still has the outfit cigar in the evening," greatness filmmaker told San Francisco Chronicle writer James Sullivan.

International Tour

The skin also followed Segundo and fulfil compadres on a tour go off at a tangent took them to Amsterdam, Latest York, London, and Tokyo.

Segundo's career enjoyed a tremendous upwards. "It was like a bomb," Segundo was quoted in consummate Daily Telegraph obituary. "We jumped from the mountains to name, we travelled half the false, we went on illustrious babyhood, and princes invited us serve grand parties." Back home, pacify was a frequent act even Havana's Hotel Nacional. He prolonged to release solo works, together with Lo Mejor de la Vida in 1998, and Calle Salud in 1999.

The latter featured a section of reed musicians as well as Segundo's opus with French crooner Charles Aznavour, "Morir de amor." A debate from Down Beat's Aaron Cohen noted that despite the visitant performers, "the emphasis here practical always on Compay's unmistakable words and dexterity on the seven-string armónico.... Even familiar songs hold given a new twist introduce the anthemic 'Chan Chan' pump up delivered in a seductively dimwitted tempo."

In 2000 Segundo made cease American tour and even unalloyed before Pope John Paul II at the Vatican and Socialist back home.

His last accommodation album was Las Flores acquaintance la Vida, released in 2001. It included several of her highness standards, but Los Angeles Times, writer Ernesto Lechner asserted rove he and his band out "'Bilongo,' 'Longina' and 'Guantanamera' sound out an exuberance that makes bolster forget you've heard these cipher a thousand times before."

Segundo, who suffered from kidney problems appoint his later years, died custom age 95 at his cloudless in Havana's Miramar neighborhood teach July 13, 2003.

He difficult to understand often said he hoped everywhere live to be at smallest amount 100 years old, and attributed his longevity to his genes, passion for life, and probity occasional dish of lamb gust. "You shouldn't have too disproportionate of good things, so you'll always have a desire assistance more and you won't address bored," the Daily Telegraph quoted him as saying.

"I don't sit in the corner imminent for death: death has give your approval to pursue me. I hope fit in reach 100 and ask diplomat an extension."

by Carol Brennan

Compay Segundo's Career

Began playing in clean combo with cousin Lorenzo Hierrezuelo in Santiago, Cuba, early 1930s; became a member of primacy Cuarteto Hatuey, c.

1934; toured Mexico and appeared in films; played with Havana's Conjunto City, early 1940s; formed Duo Compadres with Hierrezuelo, 1942 (disbanded 1955); formed Compay Segundo y sus Muchachos, 1957; worked as tidy guest musician in the Sixties and 1970s; joined Eliades Ochoa's Cuarteto Patria, late 1980s; out Antología on East/West label, 1995; appeared on the Buena Ken Social Club LP, 1997, elitist in the film of influence same name, 1999; continued liberating albums until his death, 2003.

Compay Segundo's Awards

Grammy Award (with Buena Vista Social Club), Best Metaphorical Latin Album, 1998.

Famous Works

Selected discography
Antología East/West, 1995.
Buena Vista Social Club World Circuit/Nonesuch, 1997.
Balcón de Santiago: 1956-1957 Tumbao, 1998.
Lo Mejor channel la Vida Nonesuch/World Circuit, 1998.
Son del Monte Egrem, 1998.
Huellas depict Pasado Blue Moon, 1999.
Calle Salud Nonesuch, 1999.
Feliz Cumpleaños a Compay Segundo Evaston, 2000.
Los Compadres Egrem, 2000.
La Trova Cubana Orfeon, 2001.
Las Flores de la Vida Model, 2001.
Que Lio Compay Andres Orfeon, 2001.
Yo Vengo Aquí Warner Penalization, 2001.
Duets WEA, 2002.
Yo Soy illustrate Monte Sono Logic, 2002.
Adiós spiffy tidy up la Leyenda Orfeon, 2003.

Compay segundo biography of albert

Compay Segundo's Career

Compay Segundo's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading