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Juan Peña

Juan Peña
Distinguished cuatrista and composer from the town of Morovis

Notes by David Morales
Musical selections courtesy of the Antonio y David Morales Collection

Hailing from the musical town of Morovis, Juan Peña was one of the best Puerto Rican cuatristas. He was also a distinguished composer of instrumental music for the instrument.

Although we don't know very many details about his life or artistic career, we do know that he composed dozens of pieces for the cuatro and that his father was a cuatro-maker in Morovis.

Juan Peña recorded dozens of pieces on his cuatro during the 1940s and 1950s. The earliest Juan Peña recordings in our collection are dated 1948 and 1949, when he accompanies the great troubadour brothers Ramito, Moralito y Luisito, on the Ansonia, Verne and Colonial labels, respectively, with his own grouo. During this time Juan Peñas group was made up of his cousin Jaime Pena, on guitar and his brother Chin on güiro.

In those early recordings, Juan Peña style is eloquent and innovative. His recording “En Un Petate En El Suelo” where Luis (Luisito) Morales y Marta Cuadrado, are heard singing in controversia, display his extremely elegant technique. Also, on the tracks "Los Magos de Oriente" (with Luisito), "Tomo Para Olvidar" (with Moralito) y "Huerfano en el Mundo" with Ramito, Juan Peña demonstrates his skill and mastery of the instrument.

Juan Peña accompanies Luisito and Marta Cuadrado in "En un petate en el suelo" [On a straw mat upon the floor]

Juan Peña and his group perform their version of the national anthem "La Borinqueña" on the Ideal label, #1027

Juan Peña accompanies Moralito in the seis mapeyé "Tomo para olvidar" [I drink to forget]

Juan Peña plays cuatro in the seis mariendá Huerfano en el mundo; [Orphan in the world]. Ramito sings. Ansonia #5046

An interview with Nieves

The Cuatro Project interview with Nieves Quintero

Nieves Quintero in his apartment in Bayamón, PR, en 1996 Photo by Juan Sotomayor

Interviewed by Juan Sotomayor. Transcribed and edited by William Cumpiano

I was born in Corozal on the 18th of April, 1931.

I began playing the cuatro at the age of eight. I picked the cuatro because since my daddy played the cuatro, I was always taking it out and playing it and I liked its sound. Simply put, I liked the sound, and I watched my daddy playing and it would inspire me. But I ended up playing it on my own. I never had a teacher. No, I always created my own arrangements. I did everything on my own.

This has been cost me a lot of toil. The process (of learning); yes, imagine. In those times you had to show that you were good. Yes,... I experienced certain disappointments, but it was made up for later on. When I began to get to known and they found what I could do on the instrument ... I became, thanks to God, what I am today.

It happened that I had a little group in Corozal named, El Conjunto Ideal. We were playing a dance in Rio Piedras and when we finished, we went to a famous restaurant of Juan Roman's to eat. Then, in walks Ramito. Then Ramito...in those days, well, imagine ... what a name he had! He saw us, and we had our instruments with us ... and <he said> "you want to accompany me on guitar?" "Yes, why not!" Well, from there, I accompanied him on the guitar and he said to me, "Tomorrow, I'm going to go look to Corozal to look for you." I said to him, "No, well, you see, it's that I'm studying and I can't." That was about in '48. And then <he said> "no, no, tomorrow, I'm going to go pick you up. I need you, so you can work with me." And that's how it happened. He went to speak with my parents, and he pulled me out of school. I was sixteen years old. Ever since then, well, I continued working with Ramito.

I made a few programs with German Rosario as well...Ruth Fernandez, KBM, and Radio WITA, over here at La Hora del Volante <The Steering Wheel (Driving) Hour radio program>, as well ... we worked in Bayamon, where WENA was. We worked in Mayaguez, in Fiesta en el Batey <Backyard Party radio program> of WKJB for many years there. We played "La Caravana Real" <Royal Caravan radio program>

Then, during that time, about a year later, there was the trip to New York with Canario, around '50. Then, when we went to Teatro Puerto Rico, well, there Claudio {Ferrer} asked me if I wanted to stay with him. For certain, there was a discussion between Claudio and Manuel Jimenez Canario, because they were in-laws. Claudio's wife was Canario's sister. There was a discussion because Canario wanted me to stay and Claudio said: "yes, he's going to stay with me" and they had the discussion. And I, I wanted to stay there. I stayed and I worked at the radio <station> about nine or ten years in that group.

<Sotomayor: Well, I, in the <year> '53, would sit in front of the radio listening to you..>

Yes, during that time, we were playing at WWRS with Alicia de Cordova.

<Sotomayor: There was el Gran Junior also, and ... >
Yes, over there in New York, the most they used was the guitar. I used the cuatro for recordings, whenever we would go to play accompaniment for traditional music and in the theaters, when the jibaros came and you had to accompany them.
After '59, which was when I recorded <Nieves' hit polca Roll up the Barrel> El Barrilito, that's when the cuatro became more prominent, when I created a different style and it was then that the cuatro picked up a good response ... yes.

<Sotomayor: I love the chords you used...>
Yes, Because i'd give it a certain American feeling... I gave the cuatro another flavor. And I always said, in my mind that I would play the cuatro differently than the way Ladi and Archilla my cousin played. Well, I had that in my mind..yes, it's true, "I am going to create a style that sounds different." What inspired me was that I listened to a lot of American music over there. And I listened to lot of the guitarists and I liked what they were doing such that ... when I heard something ... that I would have played in a typical way, I'd remember something that they'd done, certain parts, you know..and I would include that style in there as well, yes, yes, that, for that era, I'd stick jazz and all those things and on guitar as well.

I own a cuatro that's about to be sixty-five years old. It belonged to my father. It's a relic and I keep it like new. It was the only <object of> value he left me. Well, I don't use it because I'm afraid of having it stolen or something .. sometimes one becomes careless...

I prefer a single-pieced cuatro, <Made of one single piece of wood> because it has more quality. It has more of a solid sound. Of course, the instruments made from separate pieces sound pretty, but in time, they warp because they have two separate plates and so forth... Now, the single-pieced cuatro will give you that special sound and also it will last forever. The cuatro made from separate pieces, sometimes, sounds more like a tres. <The sound of the single-piece cuatro> is much more typical. The instrument that I have which belonged to my father, which no one makes anymore, it has a top made from yagrumo hembra and the bridge was carved onto the same top <from the same piece of wood>, with no separate pieces. Nowadays, they fabricate it and they add the top and afterwards a bridge there. No, no, the other one comes all complete. He used to say: "to make a good cuatro, so it will last", you have carve the bridge onto the same top so that it would stay on forever.

To say, "cuatro" and this land of ours...is like saying "our country," because it is genuinely ours. Yes, yes, same ours as is The Danza. It's as jibaro as the coqui [native tiny tree frog] <laughs>. In the old days, the cuatro was known and it was given merit. But not as much as nowadays. But now the cuatro has arrived in the salón, where it ought to be. I was in New York, I was there for thirty years. But according to what I've heard, in Puerto Rico during those days there was no push given to traditional music...the radio stations didn't want to play it, and that scene decayed a lot. The cuatro was being used for other musics, and only during Christmas time...you could only hear it for a month out of the year.

I am a purist when it comes to traditional music. As long as it is being performed by someone who wants to preserve it. So, that this way it can reach the sentiments of the public, of what it is, and of what we own. Yes, the cuatro is going in a very good direction.

Indeed, in Hawaii, there are Filipinos playing cuatros. Filipino-Puertoricans! The music is all beautiful, and it all has its merit. I'm enchanted by it, and in fact I'm enchanted by American music. But the cuatro now travels...forget about it! The public everywhere already asks for cuatros and recognizes them.

Of the music I play, the public really likes the mazurkas, las danzas. Oh, yes, I have some very pretty joropos which are often requested. I have a bambuco like "Besame Morenita"... yes, I play styles like that.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

When I was in New York I worked a lot with Tito Puente*, Charlie Palmieri (may God keep him in his glory) who past away and Joe Coco, who also past away. I, yes, used to work with different musicians and I don't have a preference. I work with those that are better than I, thanks to God, I make the grade and here we are, yes.

My instrument is my life. It's my inspiration, all of it. Yes, The instrument is like my wife, imagine. I used it to work, I make a living from it. For me it's something, that I don't know how to tell you...it's something that lives in my heart. Oh yes!

Pepe Rodriguez

Pepe Rodríguez

Extraordinary composer in the traditional vein; extraordinary maestro of our national instrument

Foto cortesía Pepe Rodríguez

The following autobiography of Pepe Rodriguez arrived to us by the courtesy of his pupil,
Frank Santos

"At the age of 14 I made my own Puerto Rican cuatro, and on it I learned my first musical notes. At about 15 years of age, I made a guitar and on it I learned several chords. Two years later I was accompanying my brother, Baltasar Rodríguez. He was a professional musician. While he practiced on his guitar I followed him on my cuatro.

"At the age of 18 años my brother and I joined and created a group with two cuatros playing as a duo. The name of the group with “Los Hermanos Rodríguez”. Later, at 25, I traveled to New York. Two months after I arrived I recorded eight pieces with the singers Pompo, Chago Alvarado, Claudio Ferrer and others. On that occasion, Claudio Ferrer heard me play and right away he said, "let's make a trío". The trío was called “Claudio Ferrer y su Trío”. Our debut took place in the Triboro theatre at 125th street in Manhattan, the Hispano theatre, and the Puerto Rico theatre at 138th street in the Bronx.

I accompanied and recorded with Ladislao Martinez, the great “Maestro Ladi.” I participated in a trío with Sarrail Archilla and Polo Ocasio. The name of the trío was “Los Auténticos.” I accompanied my friend Archilla a lot.

I recorded many records with the singers Carmen Delia Dippini, Tony Pizarro, Corozo, Vitin Pérez, Rafita Martínez and others. I also participated in many recordings with Ramito, who I backed many times in theatres. Then I went to play in American hotels with Pepito Arvelo's orchestra.

In 1958 I became a member of Xavier Cugat's orchestra as guitar player. In that role I appeared on television on the Ed Sullivan Show.

In 1968 I returned to Puerto Rico to become a member of the La Playa Sextet, directed by Paul Alicea. Later I entered the Jorge Valle orchestra.

I played with many American and Brazilian groups and composed my pieces for the cuatro.

I'm now retired in the city of Orlando, but I always dream of the strings because, music is life!"

Listen to several pieces composed by Pepe Rodriguez, performed by the composer in a private recording (transferred from audio tape)
Notes by Frank Santos

Viernes Social
[Friday Social]

Raquel
"She was don Pepe's grand daughter."

Vals de la Novia
[The Bride's Waltz] "An inspiration he had while performing for a wedding."

Laura Rosa
"Laura Rosa is don Pepe's daughter."

Ivonne
"Ivonne is a grand daughter of don Pepe's."

La Durita
[The Little Hard One]"So called because it is dificult to play."

Carmela
"Don Pepe's mother"

Influencia Española
"Written in honor of Spain."

Pepe Rodriguez' compositions played by other noted musicians:

Cuatrista Sarrail Archilla and guitarist Polo Ocasio play Pepe Rodriguez' masurca Carmela

Now Sarriel and Polo play Pepe Rodriguez' joropo titled Marumba a Morovis. [Marumba for the town of Morovis]

Arturito Avilés plays cuatro, with his brother Manuel on guitar play Pepe Rodriguez' danza Fiesta Boricua

Special for the Cuatro Project:
Pepe Rodríguez compositions played for the Cuatro Project by Juan "Kacho" Montalvo and Ray Vázquez:

An interpretation of the Pepe Rodriguez composition, Alegría, with Kacho on guitar and Ray Vázquez on cuatro

Kacho and Ray now perform the beautiful Pepe Rodriguez composition, Carmela

More Pepe Rodriguez recordings below!

Three giants of Puerto Rican music: Pepe Rodriguez, Ramito, Ladislao Martínez at the Teatro Puerto Rico, 1954
Photo from the Pepe Rodriguez collection

Pepe Rodríguez with Los Auténticos: at his right is Arturito Avilés on cuatro; at his left, his brother Manuel Avilés on guitar. Photo from the Pepe Rodríguez collection

Listen to Los Autenticos playing the Pepe Rodríguez compositions Carmela and Lisette.

Pepe Rodriguez on stage. Below, during the same performance: Left to right, Francisco López Cruz, guitar; Jaime Peña, guitar; Pepe Rodríguez, cuatro; Juan Peña, cuatro; Juan Santana, cuatro.

(Left) Sarrail Archilla, Polo Ocasio and Pepe during the 60s, (Right) Pepe around 2000 with cuatro phenom Cristian Nieves.

Remembering/Remembering Yomo Toro

Remembering/Recordando Yomo Toro

Videoimagen de Lori Couret para el Proyecto del Cuatro, tomado durante filmación del video NUESTRO CUATRO Vol.2

Memories of Yomo from Chicago
by Carlos Flores
Chicago coordinator of the
Puerto Rican Cuatro Project

On Saturday, June 30th, 2012, Yomo Toro (Victor Guillermo Toro Vega Rodriguez Acosta) passed away. Yomo was a legendary virtuoso string-instrument player, who for decades entertained audiences throughout the world playing the cuatro, the "national instrument" of Puerto Rico. He played the role of a true ambassador by introducing the traditional Jíbaro music of Puerto Rico to audiences throughout the world. For over five decades he also contributed to the development of the great Afro-Cuban/ Afro-Latin music movement in New York City and around the world.
Every time Yomo took the stage his performances astonished old and new fans, and they truly admired his playing. His fan base in the Midwest Region always supported his presence, a fan base extending through Chicago, Illinois, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, etc.

I first caught my first glimpse of Yomo when he performed with the Fania All-Stars, in the Summer of 1973, at the Chicago’s International Amphitheater, no longer standing. I became an instant fan.
In 1998, I collaborated with the Puerto Rican Cuatro Project among others, to present the First Puerto Rican Cuatro Conference/Festival in Chicago. The festival/conference was held at Roberto Clemente Academy on November 8, 1998. Yomo was the main headliner, along with Edwin & Bill Colon Zayas, Alvin Medina, Chicago’s Puerto Rican Cuatro Orchestra, and others. Yomo’s performance (along with his jokes) was truly amazing, and it contributed to the creation of an annual Puerto Rican Cuatro Festival in Chicago. This festival continues to be held every November in Chicago.

My most vivid memory of Yomo took place in the year 2001 when we began planning the Third Puerto Rican Cuatro Festival in Chicago (the festival was not held in 1999). On February 4, 2001, the legendary Cuatro virtuoso, Tomas Rivera Morales (a.k.a. “Maso Rivera”) passed away. Organizers of the event decided to dedicate the festival to Maso, and given the great relationship between Maso & Yomo, it was only appropriate to invite Yomo to perform at this special event. The festival was schedule to be held on Friday, November 9th, 2001, at the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History.
     A preliminary agreement had been established with Yomo to participate in the event, and the program also included Prodigio Claudio, the Chicago Puerto Rican Cuatro Orchestra, and troubadour Jose “El Pollo de Naranjito” Ortiz. We began to advertise the event, and tickets began to sell. However, several weeks before the actual event we received word from Yomo that he had a scheduling conflict, and could not perform at the event. He had made a commitment to perform with Larry Harlow and the Latin Legends, on the same date and the same time of the Cuatro Festival event. The interesting thing about the Larry Harlow performance was that it was to be held in Chicago. We immediately replace Yomo with Edwin Colon Zayas. I know that Yomo was disappointed with the cancellation of his presentation, especially when his late friend (Maso Rivera) was being honored.
     At the event we had reproduced a large image banner (photograph) of Maso Rivera, and placed it above the stage. It was magical because it seemed and felt as if Maso was present. As the master of ceremony of the festival, I announced to the audience that unfortunately Yomo had over-booked himself, and will not be performing at tonight’s event. Many people were disappointed, but the show went on as schedule with some great performances by the invited artist.
     In memory of Maso Rivera, we presented a short video clip of an interview conducted by the Puerto Rican Cuatro Project in Maso’s home in Puerto Rico. That interview segment can be viewed in the DVD produced by the Puerto Rican Cuatro Project, entitled, “Nuestro Cuatro, Volume 2, Un Concierto Historico” ). The DVD also includes interviews with Yomo Toro, Nieves Quintero, Tuto Feliciano, Roque Navarro, and other cuatro greats.
     An incredible moment occurs in the video when Maso at the end of the interview waves good-bye and sends a message to Yomo: “Me le dan recuerdos a mi hermano Yomo” [Send my regards to my brother Yomo].
     I had finished presenting Edwin Colon Zayas (Yomo’s replacement at the festival), and I decided to take a breather outside of the museum, and all of a sudden I see Yomo himse, with his Cuatro case in his hand being accompanied by a young man who drove him to the museum: I was totally blown away! My instincts were that Yomo felt bad about canceling his presentation, and he was going to do whatever it took to say “PRESENTE”.
     As I lead Yomo to the performer’s waiting area, he wanted to take a peek at the audience, so I took him to the side of the stage while Edwin Colon Zayas was performing. All of a sudden Yomo decides to walk on stage with his coat and hat on, carrying his Cuatro case, during Edwin’s performance. The audience went wild, and Yomo made us all look like organizing geniuses. The audience truly felt that Yomo’s presence was all planned.
     For the last event performance we brought out Yomo, and sat him in a chair, right below Maso’s banner. To Yomo’s right was Prodigio Claudio, and to his left was Edwin Colon Zayas, and an incredible Cuatro performance summit took place. As I watched the performance I could not help noticing the symbolism that was taking place on stage: Maso Rivera looking down on Yomo sitting down on the throne as King of the Cuatro, along with the members of the Royal Cuatro Family standing alongside. It was truly an incredible moment!

The other incredible moment of the evening took place in the performer’s rest area, when Yomo was shown the video clip of Maso’s interview [ed. which he had missed]. When Yomo heard Maso’s personal message, he could not hold his emotion and began to weep. At that moment we all felt the love that was shared by these two enormous icons.

Yomo, thank you for the great memories, and you did a marvelous job entertaining countless generations of individuals who learned to appreciate you and the music you shared with them. May your soul and spirit rest in peace!

Carlos Flores
Puerto Rican Chicago

Yomo at the First Chicago Puerto Rican Cuatro Festival, Chicago, Illinois (November 8, 1998)

Yomo with the Fania All-Stars, Chicago, Illinois (August 1973)
(© Carlos Flores Photographs 2012)

The First Annual Puerto Rican Cuatro Festival held in Chicago's Roberto Clemente Academy, Chicago, Illinois November 8, 1998) Yomi Matos backs Yomo on segundo cuatro; Pucho Matos on electric bass, Roberto Rivera on guiro and Ruben Figueroa on segunda guitarra.
(© Carlos Flores Photographs 2012)

Yomo's second Chicago Cuatro Festival appearance:
Yomo performing at the Third Annual Puerto Rican Cuatro Festival, alongside Prodigio Claudio & Edwin Colon Zayas, with Ruben Figueroa and Pucho Matos backing them, in Chicago's Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois (November 9, 2001) (© Carlos Flores Photographs 2012)

Yomo weeps after seeing the video clip of Maso Rivera sending him his regards. Maso had passed away in February. Guitarist Ruben Figueroa and cuatrista Prodigio Claudio console him.
Chicago, Illinois (November 9, 2001). (© Carlos Flores Photographs 2012)

Línea cronologica: vida de Ladí

Línea Cronológica
de la vida y carrera del Maestro Ladí

Ladislao Martinez con Neri Orta, circa 1946

1898 - Nace de agricultores humildes junio 27 en el barrio Espinosa de Vega Alta. Su primer maestro Joaquin Rivera Gandía y Carlos Soriano.

1921 - Se muda con su hermano a San Juan, donde conoce a Patricio "Toribio" Rijos y juntos forman en grupo musical "Trio Ladí".

1922 - Con motivo de la inauguración de la primera estación de radio en Puerto Rico, WKAQ, Ladí toca el cuatro en un programa titulado Industrias Nativas. Era la primera vez que el pueblo puertorriqueño puede oir un cuatro en la radio.

1927 - Llega a conocer y se une con Felipe "Don Felo" Rosario Goyco y Claudio Ferrer. Los tres llaman su grupo Aurora. Leocadio Vizcarrondo también se destaca con ellos.

1934 - El grupo Aurora toca en dos programas, Jibaros de la Radio y Industrias Nativas. Cambian el nombre de su grupo a Conjunto Industrias Nativas, con el cantante Jesus "Chuíto de Bayamon" Sánchez Erazo y Juan Cotto como primera guitarra

1936 - se une al grupo el cantante de 13 años Tito Rodriguez y Leocadio Vizcarrondo. La agrupación estaba entonces compuesto por Ladí don Felo, Moncho Dávila y Toribio . A los fines de los 30, el grupo cambia su nombre a Conjunto Típico Ladí con Polo Ocasio en segunda guitarra, y Sarrail Archilla reemplaza a Juan Cotto en primera guitarra. Acompañan a varios cantantes, incluyendo Jesús Sánchez Erazo (Chuíto el de Bayamon), Jesus Ríos Robles (Chuíto el de Cayey), Felix Castrillón y Ramito.

1945 - Ladí se traslada a Nueva York, continuando con su grupo Conjunto Típico Ladi, pero con Neri Orta como su primer cuatrista. Pascual Meléndez toma su puesto en Puerto Rico como segundo cuatro en el grupo Industrias Nativas, con Iluminado Dávila como primer cuatro. En Nueva York, Ladí graba más de 150 canciones en los sellos Victor, Vergne y Sol de Borínquen. También aparece en el programa La Voz Hispana del Aire en Nueva York.

1965 - Regresa a Puerto Rico, luego de vivir en Nueva York por 16 años. Contínua destacándose con el grupo Conjunto Típico Ladí, con Sarrail Archilla y Polo Ocasio.

1979 - Muere en San Juan febrero 1.

Arturito toca seises

Muestras de Seises y Aguinaldos
interpretados por Arturito Avilés

Digitalizada de una grabación en cinta magnética de dos programas de Musica de la Campiña, programa semanal de WIPR radio durante 1981. Los integrantes fueron:

Digitized from original audio tape from Musica de la Campiña [Music of the Countryside], a weekly radio program heard in Puerto Rico on WIPR during 1981. The musicians are:

Luis Miranda, trovador
Arturito Avilés, cuatro
Paquito López Cruz, guitarra
Chente Figueroa, guiro

Seis Mapeye Con Arturito respaldándolo, Luis Miranda improvisa una jocosa décima con el tema Este Planeta Es El Mío		Seis Marienda Al son de un seis Marienda, Luis Miranda interpreta una décima de su inspiración con el tema Para Amar a una Mujer
Aguinaldo Orocoveño Un aguinaldo navideño con el tema Olvidar la Fiesta y Conseguir a Cristo		Seis Chorreao Sobre un gato que se fugó Por Tocar el Guiro en la Sala
Seis de Enramada Luis Miranda canta de su barrio Tomás de Castro de Caguas en que "vive como un millonario"		Seis Milonga Don Luis canta de su amor por su islita de Puerto Rico
Aguinaldo Cagueño Se quiere formar una nueva guerra... Nuestra sociedad caerá en un abismo Por los desaciertos de la humanidad. ¿Quién dijo que los aguinaldos eran todos alegres?		Seis Celinés Soñé que estaba junto, querida En la playa junto a tí.. Y un compromiso hicimos A la orillita del mar.
Seis Habanera Luis Miranda recuerda cómo aprendió a cantar la décima, ...y en eso yo se lo agradezco a Espinel y al viejo mío		Sueño de una Princesa No es ni aguinaldo ni seis, pero sí es un vals escrito por un jíbaro de Hatillo: José Antonio Monrozeau--interpretado por Arturito y Paquito a plena perfección.

Francisco Ortiz Piñeiro

Francisco Ortiz Piñeiro
...cuatrista for all times

Francisco Ortíz Piñeiro, known as Panchón (also nicknamed El Guayabo [Guava Tree], the name he gave to one of his most admired compositions), is seen above in an image captured from an educational movie by the Community Education Division of the Puerto Rican government during the mid 1950s.

Following are recordings of his appearance with the Trio Cialeño live on radio around 1955.

Panchón accompanies Chuíto el de Bayamón with the Trío Cialeño who sings El Madrugador [The Early Bird]	Panchón accompanies Chuíto el de Bayamón with the Trío Cialeño who sings En La Cárcel de tu Amor [In the Jailhouse of Your Love]
Panchón acompaña Chuíto el de Bayamón con el Trío Cialeño cantando Qué Lindo Cuando Amanece [How Beautiful is the Dawn]	Panchón accompanies Chuíto el de Bayamón with theTrío Cialeño in Siguen Los Tiempos Cambiando [Times Keep A-changin']
Panchón accompanies Chuíto el de Bayamón with the Trío Cialeño en Un Pitirre Pitirrea [The Kingbird Sings]	Panchón plays one of the many pieces he composed, El Guayabo [The Guava Tree]
Panchón accompanies Chuíto el de Bayamón with the Trío Cialeño in Un Pintor [A Painter]

Notas por su sobrino, Encarnación "Junior" Piñeiro, redactado por David Morales

Francisco Ortiz Piñeiro (Panchón) nació en el Barrio Jagua Sabana de Ciales, Puerto Rico, el 29 de enero de 1919.A la edad de 7 años comienza a ejecutar sus primeras notas en el cuatro. Uno de sus primeros maestros fue el cuatrista cialeño Manolo Otero.

Más tarde se une a sus hermanos Ramonita (en la guitarra) y Nin (al guiro), y de ahí nace el nombre Los Hermanos Piñeiro, los músicos de la Aldea de Ciales. Su hermana Ramonita contrae matrimonio y se despide del grupo, dejando al Trío con solo dos miembros originales – Pancho Y Nin.

Para la década de los años 40 llega a San Juan junto a su hermano Nin y al gran güirero Chévere Montalvo, donde se presentaron en el programa radial de don Rafael Quiñones Vidal, compitiendo profesionalmente y ganándose el aprecio y el cariño del público radio-oyente, quien a su vez, por medio de cartas y postales, le otorgan el Primer Premio. De ahí nace el nombre del Trío Cialeño – considerado para ese tiempo como uno de las mejores agrupaciones de Puerto Rico.

Para el 1948 se mudan a Bayamón por razones económicas y casi de inmediato son contratados para tocar en la estación de Radio WNEL. Bayamón le sirve de puente para conocer a varias figuras destacadas en el mundo musical tales como don Arturo Somohano y Chuíto el de Bayamón quien los contrata para que lo acompañaran en el 1948. El Trío Cialeño acompañó a Chuíto por mucho tiempo.

Ya en la farándula se presentan en diferentes teatros de Puerto Rico y viajan a Nueva York para el 1956 donde tienen un rotundo éxito. Se dice que Pancho fue el primer cuatrista que toca la canción “El Barrilito” usando un vaso. Después son escogidos para representar a Puerto Rico en el Festival del Caribe en la Universidad de Puerto Rico – donde se cuenta que causaron la muerte de un hombre por haberlo impresionado con su música.

Luego participa en la película de cine "El otro camino", y así va sonando el nombre de Pancho Ortiz Piñeiro y su Trío Cialeño. Para el 1963, el mundo de la música típica pierde a uno de sus mejores cuatristas de todos los tiempos.

Durante su trayectoria musical, Pancho compuso alrededor de 30 números típicos instrumentales. Con su estilo "bombardino" único hacía gala de su cuatro de una manera magistral y única.

Yomo Toro

Yomo Toro

...this giant raised the Puerto Rican cuatro onto the world stage!
Yomo Toro (1933-2012)

Image courtesy Ansonia Records

EXTRA: LISTEN TO YOMO TEACHING US A LESSON ON THE SEIS
EXTRA: Friends and admirers REMEMBERING YOMO
EXTRA: Yomo's autobiography in his own words; and his daughter Denise Toro's recollections
immediately below

Yomo in his requinto days, backing the troubador Victor Rolón Santiago, burning up his little requinto guitar in Por ser loco y no pensar [That's what you get for being crazy and thoughtless] (courtesy Antonio & David Morales collection)	Yomo back the great troubador/crooner Odilio González along with Maneco on guitar and Papi Andino on bongo in a scandalous Seis chorreao titled Fiesta en Villa Prades [Party in Villa Prades] (courtesy Antonio & David Morales collection)
Two titans together: Yomo Toro and Tuto Feliciano together back the the troubador/crooner Jose Miguel Class in a recording dated 1963, a bolero titled Ninguna como tú [None like you] (courtesy Antonio & David Morales collection)	A fragment displaying Yomo's subtle inventiveness within the smash hit piece Murga de Panamá with the Fania All-Stars
Again the two titans Yomo Toro and Tuto Feliciano backing Jose Miguel Class in the same 1963 recording, a romantic vals titled Niégalo [Deny it] (courtesy Antonio & David Morales collection)

El gran Yomo Toro
Yomo Toro in a Bronx recording studio in 1994 Photo by Juan Sotomayor

"My name is Yomo Toro".

In 1996, Yomo gave us a short autobiography summarizing his long life with the cuatro
[NOTE: Immediatly below read Denise Toro's notes on when her father introduced the cuatro into Salsa music!]

"My name is Yomo Toro. I was born in the southwestern part of Puerto Rico, in a village called Guánica, in a neighborhood called Ensenada where there was a sugar cane processing factory--one of the largest in the Antilles--actually, I think it was the second biggest (the biggest was in Cuba), the second largest in the Antilles. It was in Guánica. It was called the South Porto [sic] Rican Sugar Company. The neighborhood folks made their living there, they worked at the processing factory. Some did one thing, others did something else. My father was a "technician," in other words, he drove. He was a driver, he drove the machines that loaded the cane that arrived for the mill. There were four sugar mills.

Yomo Jóven con requinto      And there's where I came from. My whole name is: Víctor Guillermo Toro Vega Ramos Rodríguez Acosta. There: my whole family. Well then, I began when I was six years old. It all began with the fact that my uncles all worked at the sugar mill. And then on weekends they'd get together. They were called The Roosters, and they weren't professional but they played a little music. I had an uncle who played cuatro, another played the guitar, another the flute, another clarinet, each one in his own manner. And among them, the cuatrista was my father. And at six, when I was six years old, my musical restlessness began, and that was in Ensenada, Puerto Rico.
      When they went to play on weekends, little dances in homes here and there, well, I always went along. I remember that my father hung his cuatro from the wall. And I remember that I used to handle the cuatro--or better said, fondle the cuatro--and from that came my desire to learn how to play music, to do something musical with my life. And that's how I started, and when I was fifteen more or less, I played in school.
       And that's how I began--when I was fifteen years old more or less, I played for the school. And we were three kids who were students in the school and we were called "the school band."
      And in that way I played during all the school programs, and I became polished bit by bit until one day a señor from San Juan showed up who was looking for a lead guitar to put together a trio called Los Cuatro Ases de Puerto Rico [The Four Aces of Puerto Rico], which included the [famed singer and composer] Tito Lara. They had spoken to him about a kid in Ensenada which played requinto [a small lead guitar] and cuatro. So he went there and they came looking for me and I played the cuatro and the guitar for him, and he told me to sign a contract and he signed me onto a contract binding me for something like ten years.

Yomo with his requinto requinto guitar, along with his Grupo Los Príncipes.

Yomo Toro in Brooklyn, NY, circa 1954

So that was the first time I went to San Juan, Puerto Rico, to play and I remember I began to record with Bury Cabán and the Four Aces, and then [the famed singer] José Antonio Salamán. I also began to play with the Universitarios, El Trío Universitario [the University Trio] of San Juan. I played with the [famed trio] Los Antares, with Felipe Rodríguez, I played with Raimundo, and with everybody over there.
And the first time I came to New York City was in 1953, with the Cuatro Ases, to play in the Teatro Boricua [Boricua Theatre] which was at 108 Lexington Avenue. That's the first time I came to play in New York City. From there I returned to Puerto Rico again, and then I returned with José Antonio Salamán and with my compadre Polo Ocasio, a tremendous guitarist from Puerto Rico, among the very best-and we played in the Teatro Puerto Rico, and then I went to Puerto Rico in '56. I came to New York again to play and I remained there living every day till now..

Yomo backing the legendary crooner Daniel Santos in New York in 1960

I became part of the many little New York trios that played around New York City, playing with whatever little group asked me to. I began to make a living from the music. So I have always made a living from music. I don't live for anything else. If you asked me to do something else, I'd crash and burn, you know. But I've always lived off my music, and I have always done the same thing.
And then around 1970, in the seventies I began to record Salsa music. That was around the time when Willie Colón was hanging around with Héctor Lavoe and the Fania All Stars. He decided to do a Christmas LP, but they wanted to use an electric guitar--since Willie Colón wasn't so into the cuatro at the time, to Puerto Rico traditional music, for the simple reason that he was into Salsa, which was Salsa dance music played with an orchestra. But when they called me they said to show up with an electric guitar to record with Willie Colón and instead of an electric guitar, I brought a cuatro: I hung it over my back and went to the studio.

Yomo acompañando a Ruben Blades con una Gibson Les Paul, en un espectáculo de la Fania All-Stars

I remember when I entered the studio, Pacheco was directing the recording and when he saw me with the cuatro he said, "Ha! Who are you coming to record with, Ramito?" and I told him, "no, no, with Willie Colón, I'm doing the Christmas album." And they all kept quiet and didn't say anything. But when I started recording with them, recording the tracks, and we came to the end of the session, Willie Colón told me, "Never in my life have I had such a happy time as this. I think this will be a big hit." And sure enough it became one of Fania's greatest hits, so up to this day the recording Asalto Navideño, that I made with Willie Colón and Hector Lavoe, became and will always be a standard forever, because when people drop and break the record, they buy another one to replace it.
From then on I passed on to become one of the stars of Fania, and up to this very day I am still a Fania star. So I remained there living in New York City up to now, and I spend my time traveling around the world and thanks to God, music has been very good to me, and I've remained always in the musical struggle--as we like to say: in the musical battle. Thanks to God, I have no vices, I don't drink, I don't smoke any sort of cigarettes. Well, though, true, I've gotten fat, but it's no big deal, you can get over it, but if one drinks and smokes too much you can get heart disease, and get stuff that isn't very good for your musical career. But thanks to God, up to now I'm 64 years old, I'm no kid. And up to now I've been hanging out with a lot of cuatristas and those kids that have become virtuosos, the cuatro virtuosos like Edwin Colón Zayas, Pedrito Guzmán, Prodigio Claudio. I've had the opportunity to play next to them and spent so good times with them. If I happen to die right now, I'll be dying laughing, like this: [he flashes a wide toothy grin to the camera]"

WHEN YOMO TORO FIRST INTRODUCED THE CUATRO
INTO SALSA MUSIC
by Denise Toro

Yomo Toro and his old friend, the legendary Diómedes "Yomi" Matos rehearsing before a 1998 presentation at the Carmichael Hall of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, an event that the Cuatro Project helped put together. Photo by John Sotomayor.

       Growing up in Brooklyn during the 1960s, I remember picking up the phone to let Papi know Ramito was on the line. Many were the times I spoke with La Calandria, Blanca Iris Villafañe, Johnny Albino, Odilio González or any of the other superstars of Puerto Rican music during the sixties. When my father Yomo Toro and Miguelito Poventud were studio musicians for CBS records, they recorded on some of the best selling albums of the most famous group in the world at the time, the Trio Los Panchos, featuring Eydie Gorme and Steve Lawrence.
       My father never worked on a factory line. Instead he worked in the public relations company offices of Howard Rubenstein. By the time the 1970s arrived, my father had already become a star in his own right —featured weekly on New York television over channel 41, on his very own variety program, “The Yomo Toro Show”. Woody Allen even sought out Yomo Toro to include his music over the 1971 feature film, Bananas. So much for Willie Colón's claim that he discovered Yomo when he was playing in go-go bars and gave him his first big break!
      By the early ‘70s, my father Yomo was no stranger to Fania. It was his friend, the guitarist Roberto García, who called him to sub on Fania’s first Christmas album, Asalto Navideño. Yomo had already recorded with Larry Harlow over his Tribute To Arsenio Rodriguez album, so Yomo knew the studio and Johnny Pacheco, Fania's co-founder. But Pacheco had already booked Roberto Garcia and had requested an electric guitar which had become very popular within Latin music after Santana created a craze for it.
        But when my father heard that the album was to be about Christmas, he forgot about the guitar and by sheer instinct instead picked up his cuatro. When Hector LaVoe saw the ten-stringed national instrument of Puerto Rico, his face lit up. He started to improvise along Yomo’s rapid-fire cuatro lines. They clicked. The band followed. It was magical: like catching lightning in a bottle.
         There were no arrangements but that didn’t matter, since my father didn’t read music anyway. He was a true virtuoso and Hector responded to him like a man in a desert thirsty for water.
      Hector and Yomo made that historic recording at a time when Willie Colon’s band was promoted as a boogaloo group. Yomo brought in the “jibaro” element and since Hector hardly spoke English let alone sing it, the rest is musical history.
      My father Yomo Toro went on to perform with the Fania All-Stars. He played on the recordings of many of the salseros of that time. His cuatro playing so stood out in performances around the world that even Eric Clapton wanted to know who he was, after watching him in London.
          A statue of Yomo Toro is prominently displayed in his hometown of Ensenada, Puerto Rico. Yomo Toro, unequivocally brought the cuatro into the popular salsa world and made that sound his own. Fania followed up that first Asalto album with a supersized production that featured Daniel Santos along with a stable of the label’s best arrangers.
       As Yomo Toro’s only remaining child and the keeper of his legacy, I hold my fathers’ history with honor and dignity — two things that can never be taken from someone who gave so much to his family, his band mates and to Puerto Rico.

!Que Viva Yomo Toro, his life, his music and his legacy of bringing the cuatro and jibaro music to salsa and the world! —Denise Toro

Comentario por Ray

Ray Vázquez writes:

People important in my musical development:

God, the Almighty Father, Jesus & Mary: I know He Is, Was and always Will Be with me…I’m still here because despite the operation (9/11/2002), I’m still functioning at better levels musically than I was before the operation…He still wants me here…still things for me to do…I’m trying not to let Him down…trying not to waste His gift of life to me…trying to make Him proud of me…I asked Her for permission to play well…She’s given me more than I dreamed for…I’m trying to make Her proud of me, too…

Mom (Adjuntas) & Dad (Orocovis-Barranquitas): I’m a direct heir and extension of their love for PR music. Mom’s dad (grandfather I never met, died mid 1950’s), was the “known” musician of the family, although he never left Adjuntas, or liked his picture taken (Neri Orta knew him in his early years). My direct influence comes from dad, who loves to sing décimas, and plays a bit of cuatro and guitar himself. Mom & dad took my brother and me often to the Teatros Puerto Rico, Boulevard, Commodore, and other theatres, and there I watched with my own eyes the many celebrities and stars of Musica Popular Puertorriqueña and Musica Jibara , and how the crowds responded in awe and ecstasy, amidst laughter, tears, and drowning applauses. Dad and his brother Ramiro (my godfather) were the musical family group I grew up listening to as a little boy, dad on cuatro and tio Ramiro on guitar. Dad had recordings of Ramito, German Rosario, Trio Los Condes, Odilio Gonzalez, and many others which I was allowed to handle (I guess I memorized the albums by colors, before I could actually read the notes). They are the best example in my life of the PuertoRican who comes to America and gets ahead despite the language barriers and discrimination, without losing identity.

Sara: Mom’s oldest sister and my godmother. God claimed her at 49, but she left (a) a deep impression on me because of her “family bond” attitude, humility & determination, as well as (b) every worldly financial possession so that I “must finish college”. She also let me handle her records, and gave me my very own turntable when I was about 6 or so (a small one, but functional…I can still hear Tobita Medina singing “El Juicio Final” in my head!).

Father Francisco “Pachi” Anduaga, CRL: A wonderful spiritual adviser, and a consummate pianist and accordionist, he alone taught me how to decipher the “hieroglyphics” of reading music when I was 13.

Quique Otero: For his patience and confidence in my abilities at 14, to be his bassist (he played lead electric guitar and cuatro) , and along with a percussion section of timbales and congas, plus a singer, we played many, many Church dances, just the 5 of us. He fueled my initial enthusiasm for the cuatro with basic standard repertoire.

Iris: My aunt, and the person who, as a response to my new enthusiasm, gave me a gem of an LP as a present to “take wing” on my cuatro—“Danzas de Puerto Rico” by Nieves Quintero.

Juan A. “Tony” Nieves (“Moña”): Cousin to the great Modesto Nieves, cuatrista, guitarrista and excellent trombonist and arranger. After convincing my parents to let me, at 16 yrs old, stay out late under his protection, he took me to higher levels of involvement in the New York music scene, specifically in Salsa orchestras. His abilities on the cuatro made it possible for me to experience new and challenging repertorie, like the compositions of his cousin, Modesto, and other contemporary players such as Neftalí Ortíz and Edi Lopez.

Celeste Sanchez: Pianist: she gave me the first opportunity on my Ampeg “Baby Bass” in her orchestra, as well as an exquisite Seth Thomas metronome (I still have it, Celeste!). We played the themes which were current Salsa hits (1978-1981), as well as old standards.

Juan Gonzalez and Neri Orta: As I had already exhausted every possible instrumental recording available to me in NY, thanks to a meeting planned by Edi Lopez’s cousin, guitarist Victor Santana, we met in 1982, and it was as if I had met the legendary Maestro Ladí himself, a man who musically I am greatly influenced by. They selflessly opened up a glorious world of folkloric gems handed down to them by Maestro Ladí himself. I played extensively alongside Nerí and Juan, and they introduced me to other great cuatristas living in Puerto Rico and in the US, whom I eventually would meet and play with, such as Roque Navarro, Pepe Rodriguez, Sarrail Archilla, and Tito Baez. It was precisely Tito Baez who, at the Teatro Boulevard, introduced me to the other person to whom, musically speaking, I am deeply influenced by…the great Nieves Quintero (Tito Baez was his NY- based accompanist at the time).

Nieves Quintero: One of the greatest musical influences of my life, for whom I have great admiration for as musician and friend, and who I today have the honor of accompanying musically. His importance in my development as a cuatro player follows: Nieves Quintero is responsible for “setting the cuatro on fire”. He clearly and undisputedly expanded the harmonic, melodic and rhythmic propositions of the instrument, in all styles he executed, whether it be popular or folkloric, and especially in his jíbaro recordings alongside Claudio Ferrer and later Maneco Velazquez, with whom he formed a highly influential and notorious “binomio”, very danceable, and very progressive harmonically and rhythmically. Despite the obvious threats against the cuatro’s existence (the arrival of trio music, and subsequently pachanga, boogaloo and salsa), Nieves’ recordings were then, and are now, testimonials of an artist of the highest standards of musical excellence and which the likes had never been seen before, nor since (with all respects to today’s “big names”). Anyone playing a cuatro today is without doubt directly influenced by him

Yomo Toro: A warm, very friendly, very jovial human being. I very often go right back to his fiery arrangements for popular music sung by Odilio Gonzalez and José Miguel Class ”El Gallito de Manatí”, which still serve to me as part of the cornerstone of great cuatro arranging and execution. A stronghold of Puerto Rican music in the New York scene, and a much-in-demand instrumentalist, even to this day.

Sarrail Archilla and Polo Ocasio: The robust “macho” sound of Archilla’s cuatro resonates in my inner ear with a presence that will not leave me ever. Their exquisite arrangements for popular music, as well as international music reinforced in me the truth that the cuatro is a dignified instrument, capable of expressing all types of genres, and just as Maestro Ladí infused a great sense of class and respect in his musical endeavours with the cuatro, so did these two artists. They, as well as Neri and Juan, shared with me their experiences, and gave me much encouragement, even to this day when I have the opportunity to accompany Polo Ocasio on informal gatherings.

Modesto Nieves and Neftalí Ortíz: Their friendship is an inspiration for betterment as a musician and as a human being, selflessly sharing their experiences with me, as I with them. They are responsible for taking the cuatro to other levels of execution and expression, often incorporationg influences from classical music, South American folkloric music, as well as jazz and Brazilian themes. These are the most influential contemporary cuatro players of the new generation. They have influenced many recognized cuatro artists of today, and are the “binding tie” between now and the great masters of yesterday.

Arnaldo Martinez: For being the musical brother I needed next to me as I got used to living in Puerto Rico, and for introducing me to so many wonderful people…for sharing his experiences with me, a “forastero”, a newcomer to the Puerto Rico cuatro scene. He is a treasure of the 2nd cuatro tradition, and I dare to say that there are little or no cuatro players around today with his know-how for executing such a demanding role…a rightful heir to the Maestro Ladí tradition.

Nicanor Zayas: A “living legend” at 98 years of age, he was very influential to cuatro players of the mountainous regions of central Puerto Rico (Ciales- his native town, Morovis, Orocovis, Barranquitas, etc.). I would quickly reference him any day I am asked to produce cuatro music that sounds “authentically Puertorican”. His rapid triplet scales and punchy right hand execution is a very idiomatic style which I have incorporated into my “jíbaro-style” interpretations, which is also a trademark of Francisco”Pancho” Ortíz Piñeiro, his counterpart in the Musica Jíbara style (Don Nicanor leaned more toward instrumental and popular motives). He has shared with me a numerous amount of his compositions and advice, and I am honored by his friendship, as well as of his beautiful family.

Maso Rivera: The most “jibaro” personality of all cuatro players. His style of playing clearly reflects the Ciales tradition of “Pancho Ortíz Piñeiro and Nicanor Zayas, and with his tongue-in-cheek humor, instilled a very honest, grass-roots approach to the cuatro, with a very jibaro flavor. Maso gave the first recording “break” to many renowned trobadores of today. I treasure the times we spent together in his home going over his repertoire and listening to his anecdotes.

Eugenio Mendez, Angel “Wimbo” Rivera, Lucio Antonio Cordero, Ismael Santiago: For their patience in making for me the best cuatros they could, and for sharing their enthusiasm and ideas on creating a better instrument.