artists|Artists|Artistas | El Proyecto del Cuatro /The Cuatro Project

Young lions

Phenomenal talent on the horizon ...
Young lions (and lionesses) of the cuatro

Listed in alphabetic order

Héctor "Pucho" Alamo

Pucho brings his bright young talent and laid-back, confident style to match some of the most best cuatristas of the Big Apple. He currently backs the hot New York City jíbaro-fusion group Yerbabuena, who gives him ample berth and frequent solos.

Pucho Alamo started studying his instrument at a very early age with none less than Maso Rivera in Puerto Rico. After moving to New York and studying with Quique Ayala and others, he eventually underwent an intensive apprenticeship with the late Edgardo Miranda and was taken under Yomo Toro's wing. Out of appreciation, Yomo gave him his most recognized cuatro (which bears Yomo's name) and even refers to him as "Yomito." Pucho deserves a spot among his generation's most notable players.

Watch Pucho playing with Yerbabuena here

Emma Colón Zayas

Winner of numerous awards for her talent on the cuatro, as well as her amazing ability on the guiro, Emma began her artistic career at a young age, playing with her father and brothers Edwin and William in the group the Colón Zayas Family. Currently she is touring the world playing solo and together with her brothers in the group Taller Boricua.

Go to our page dedicated to Emma Colón Zayas here.

Communicate with Emma via e-mail

Maribel Delgado

Maribel Delgado was born in Camuy, Puerto Rico. She became interested in music at the age of nine, inspired by her grand father Toño Ramos and her father Jose Delgado. At age eleven, she became a member of the Rondalla Municipal de Hatillo, Puerto Rico and remained a member for a period of seven years.
She has entered a won numerous competitions in the Cuatro winning first prize in at least seven of them. Maribel was the first Puerto Rican women to record a CD as a Cuatro instrumental soloist when she produced “El Cuatro en Manos de Una Mujer” (The Cuatro in the Hands of a Woman).
She was a guest solo artist at the 50th anniversary of the Sonora Ponceña and a guest artist with the Mayaguez Symphony Orchestra. On May 28th of 2008, she made her debut performance with the Symphonic Orchestra of Puerto Rico, performing “Landscapes for Cuatro and Orchestra,” by Sonia Ivette Morales.
See our page dedicated to Maribel Delgado here
Contact Maribel Delgado here.

Quique Domenech

The ingenious cuatrista Quique Domenech is distinguished not only among the young stars of the day, but is known to the world of music as a recording engineer, television producer and musical arranger. Born in 1974, Quique Domenech began playing cuatro when he was six years old. Along with hundreds of other young Puerto Ricans he attended cuatro lessons at the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. He recorded his first solo album in 1997. He has participated in numerous other recordings with great musicians of world class, as well as live presentations at festivals around the island and in the United States. Read the brief biography by the Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular here. (Spanish only)

Follow Quique on Facebook and Twitter here.

Josean Feliberty

A very skilled cuatrista from Ciales who has recorded with the likes of the great singer and trovador Odilio González. We are currently looking for more data on this young player.

Listen to Josean backing up the great singer Odilio González

Mariano Jurado
Juradito

A marvelous Puerto Rican cuatrista that has performed to enthusiastic audiences in Spain, United States, Latin America and Puerto Rico puertorriqueño. He is musical director of his own group, "Juradito y su Jíbaro Son".

Alvin Medina
El Jibarito

Alvin Medina is undoubtedly the most exciting cuatrista of this new generation living in the United States today. Enjoy a sampling of his most recent work:

Alvin plays Bach in salsa!

See our page dedicated to Alvin Medina here ...
and visit Alvin Medina homepage here.

Javier Méndez

A marvelous cuatro player with a long history in the Chicago musical scene. Javier is the cuatro player always selected by the great traditional singer Odilio González whenever he does shows in the great city. Javier has shared the stage with the great cuatristas Maso Rivera and Nieves Quintero, and has backed the venerable troubadour Luis Miranda and the Bacardi-prize winning troubadour Hiram Martínez.

Javier's group, Uniendo Raíces, offers us a great version of Odilio González' tune, Un Jíbaro en Apuros [A Jíbaro in Trouble].

Visit Gabriel Muñoz' website
here

Gabriel Muñoz

The exciting and innovating cuatrista Gabriel Muñoz was born in Utuado, Puerto Rico, but his family moved to Trenton, New Jersey at an early age. His interest in the cuatro began at fifteen when he heard Alvin Medina play, who later mentored him for a full year towards his musical goals. He continued his practice until reaching the festival circuit, sharing stages with Iluminado Davila, Edwin Colon Zayas, Javier Alicea, Josean Filiberty, and Charlie Rodriguez, among others. With Trenton NJ as his home base, he keeps up his musical career in the northeast USA recording, composing and teaching the cuatro. The Cuatro Project congratulates Gabriel for his search for new horizons for the cuatro, and for creating ties between our traditional national genres and new and youthful modalities such as rap and hip hop. It is extremely hard to find a balance between the traditional and pop genres in a way that can please a wide audience. We feel Gabriel has succeeded. Listen:

Seis Villaran, fusion by Gabriel Muñoz

Deseo Verte, guaracha written by Gabriel Muñoz

Que Bonita Bandera, fusion by Gabriel Muñoz

Cristian Nieves

Heir to an extraordinary talent, descending from the master cuatrista Modesto Nieves, who led his son Cristian towards the instrument from the first days that he could hold it in his arms. He appears frequently with his very talented singer-guitarist sister Monica Nieves and as well with his famous father. But he has also launched his solo career featured in firecracker bands such as Rumba Caribe y backing international pop stars such as Ricky Martin. One of the first to bring the cuatro into Rock (and Rock into the cuatro), repeatedly being awarded prizes in that genre. His astounding skill and dexterity has taken him to far-off lands, where he invariably leaves behind a mesmerizing impression of not only his skill, but of the versatility of our national instrument.

Click here to Listen to Cris Nieves, during a presentation at the Field Museum in Chicago in 2000, accompanied by his father, Modesto Nieves.

Charlie Rodriguez
Charlie Rodriguez is an outstanding cuatrista who began his musical training in 1986 under the tutelage of the King of the Cuatro, Maso Rivera. Charlie demonstrated, from his first lessons with Maso, that he was born to play the Puerto Rican cuatro. Along with Maso, Charlie traveled to different towns in the island to teach the art of the cuatro and because of this Maso distinguished him as his star pupil. In his musical career has been involved with some of the best groups in Puerto Rico and has brought the cuatro to different locations around the world including Alaska in 1998. That same year he began producing and directing the radio program The Cuatro Without Frontiers achieving extraordinary success for the cuatro and our music.

His CD El Cuatro Sin Fronteras can be found here.

Manny Trinidad
Angel M. Trinidad (Manny), an exciting young instrumentalist was born in 1974 in Rio Piedras. His interest in Puerto Rican music began in 1981 when at 7 years of age, his father gave him his first guitar, soon to be replaced by the Puerto Rican cuatro.
     In 1982 he studied with Nieves Quintero and in 1987 he enrolled in the Escuela Libre de Música where, in 1992, he received a Music Studies Diploma and the Medalla del Cuatro. (the Cuatro Medal)
    Currently he is collaborating with his father, the Puerto Rican troubadour Miguel Trinidad, on the radio program "Añoranzas Borinqueña” (Longings Borinqueña. It was on this program that he began his career as a cuatrista, accompanying troubadours Luis Miranda, Victor Manuel Reyes, The Sanabria Brothers, Jose Miguel Villanueva, Juan Rodriguez Castro, Mariano Cotto and others at festivals and troubadour competitions.
    He has performed with the Puerto Rican Folkloric Ballet in Japan, Spain, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and the United States. He released his first album "Mi Primer Regalo” (My First Gift), dedicated to Puerto Rican Christmas music.

Manny recorded this piece Siempre Alegre, (Always Joyful)
just for us!

…and he gives us this selection, Triste Navidad, (Sad Christmas) from his CD, Mi Primer Regalo (My First Gift)

Tuto's home recordings

Selections from Tuto Feliciano's private home recordings Digitized by the Cuatro Project Notes by William Cumpiano with sources from the the Home of the Danza website. Can you help us to identify the names of unidentified selections? Send your contribution by clicking here.
El Vigoroso Pedro Hilario's Fox Trot. Compare that to the 1932 original version played by Heriberto Torres, and Pedro Padilla's version.	Impromptu Danza by Luis R. Miranda (1875-1949), renowned for its beautiful bombardino section, similar to the one in the Danza, Sara.
El Gallo, la Gallina y la Guinea Two-step (Pasodoble) composed by Maestro Ladi (Ladislao Martínez)	Bajo la Sombra de un Pino Nobody plays it better. Danza written in 1936 by Juan F. Acosta (1890-1968) allegedly under an old pine tree in the plaza of the town of Hatillo.
Complicación Tuto Feliciano’s original composition. As he describes “it’s named complication because in it I have a series of notes that stretch and shrink and this series of notes are not coupled to a single key, but to different keys, and therefore the name "Complicación".	No Me Toques Danza of Juan Morel Campos (1857-1896). The lyrics says, "No, no, Don’t touch me or I’ll light up with delight."
Recordando a Noro Morales (Remembering Noro Morales) Tuto offers us this wonderful seven-minute improvised composition inspired by Noro Morales' Maria Cervantes.	En Mi Niñez Joropo (a Venezuelan ballroom dance in quick triple meter) Tuto tells us: "This joropo, which despite the fact that it was recorded by Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico, still keeps a taste of Venezuela." The reader and cuatrista Rafael Rodriguez identified the piece from his home in Texas. He says he found the same piece on the CD "Tierra Tierra y Otros Cantares" ("Land, Land and Other Songs") of Haciendo Punto en Otro Son, performed on the cuatro by Silverio Perez and José "Paché" Cruz and identified as the song "En Mi Niñez" ("In My Childhood") written by Rafael Hernandez. Others have identified this piece as composed by Master Ladi. Who can verify where it came from?
Descarga A pastiche of themes, genres, styles - including guaracha, jazz, rock, Jíbaro and so on. Nearly seven minutes, and still leaves us wanting more.	Guaracha-Seis name unknown Tuto begins with a theme, perhaps of his own composition, and then he weaves a tapestry of variations in the form of a long impromptu medley, full of changes and technical sparkle. If you recognize the piece on which it is based, let us know.
El Zorzal pasodoble Eric Lamboy of Miamisburg, OH, identified this Pasodoble (Two-Step) as the Zorzal (Thrush -a medium-sized songbird) written by A. Anselm. The melody was closely identified with the singer Jose Miguel Class, "El Gallito de Manati." The lyrics in Spanish and mp3 can be found here We noticed that El Zorzal is played as a two-step, but in reality the author a colombian, originally composed it as an Argentine corrido.	Unibón A Danzón by Maestro Ladí. Arturito Avilés informs us that it was named in honor of the section in the town of Morovis named Unibón.
El Sesenta Foxtrot What is it with this Foxtrot? It sounds much like "De Mi Tierra" by Ladi, but Eric Lamboy identifies it as the Ladi's foxtrot El Sesenta (The Sixty).	Vals #3 name unknown Tuto touches us with another beautiful, slow waltz, Possibly of his own composition. But, what is its title?
Sueño de una Princesa, The anonymous reader has identified this beautiful waltz written by Jose Antonio Monrozeau.	A Lares foxtrot, identified by visitor The cuatrista Narciso Gomez identified the author as Maso Rivera and our correspondent Eric Lamboy wrote to us to provide the correct name. Thanks to both.
Lissi Another delicate danza by Maestro Ladi, performed to perfection by Tuto Feliciano. We learned the name of this piece by listening to the version that Arturito Avilés gave us. Compare the version of Lissi by Tuto with the one by Arturito Avilés	Mi Bohío pasodoble, identified I thought it was a foxtrot, but our correspondent Ruben Flores suggested that it was the pasodoble Barrio Nuevo with the arrangement originally done by Maso Rivera. However, our correspondent Blas Colón believes that it’s the pasodoble Mi Bohío as composed by the same Maso Rivera. Eric Lamboy confirms that indeed, it is My Bohio by Maso Rivera. Thank you all.
	Guaracha, unidentified. IDENTIFIED! Visitor Blas Colón writes: I had heard this tune often because it is used as an intro for the program, Atardecer Borincano heard on Radio Mia 1070am in Arecibo, but I never knew what it was called until I heard it covered by the North American mandolinista John Reischman. The tune is called La Arboleda [the forest] composed by the cuatrista Pedro Padilla.
Melancolía, We did not know the name of this beautiful waltz until the correspondent Ruben Flores identified it. He even sent us the written music in PDF.	Insaciable, bolero, identified The correspondent and cuatrista Narciso Gomez has identified this beautiful Bolero by Felipe Rodriguez

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Tuto Feliciano

Agustín (Tuto) Feliciano

Celebrated performer, consummate professional

"Tuto's playing was revolutionary. He was bold..." Yomo Toro

Tuto Feliciano was one of the best performers of the Puerto Rican Cuatro of modern times, often reaching the same musical plane and technical level of Ladi, Nieves Quintero Neri Orta, Francisco Ortiz Pineiro and Yomo Toro. He was also an expert player of the Puerto Rican tres.
In 2005, David Morales and William Cumpiano, members of the Cuatro Project, visited don Tuto in his home in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. The maestro agreed to several lengthy taped interviews, during which he discussed his life and his music. Throughout the years, Tuto generously gave his time to the Cuatro Project, providing numerous interviews and answering our phone calls requesting information from him on his recollections of the four-and eight-string cuatros he played as a youth in Yauco, Puerto Rico.
During the most recent visits we began to notice the cumulative effects and ravages of his battle against Parkinson's disease, during which he slowly lost his ability to be understood clearly and to play his beloved cuatro. We recall one visit when upon arriving at his home, we were surprised to see him tenaciously practicing his cuatro.He told us it was because he wanted to show us, despite his neurological shortcomings, a beautiful piece without pauses or errors.

On this special page dedicated to Tuto Feliciano, we provide photos, footage and interviews with this distinguished Puerto Rican artist.

Here is a wonderful piece that demonstrates the ingenuity and facility of two great heroes of our culture: Tuto playing lead cuatro for Ramito in a playful mix of a seis chorreao and danza. How delicious! Recorded in 1964, it’s called Que Se Rían (Let them laugh)

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT:
Tuto backed-up and recorded with Ramito on numerous occasions. Tuto was particularly proud of his contributions to the development of the sies llanero. He felt a bit ignored because all the credit for this historic arrangement was given to Ramito. In the first recording of this Seis Llanera, made at Ansonia Records, (Ramito: El Cantor de la Montaña (The Mountain Singer), Volume I) we can hear Tuto playing on the cuatro in his style the introduction and accompanyiment of the llanera Quererte Como Te Quiero. (To Love You As I Love You)
Tuto explained that, because the pace is distinctly that of a Venezuelan Llanera, he tried to imitate, with his cuatro, the sound of the Venezuelan harp, the Venezuelan folk instrument that gives the Llanera it’s flavor. If you hear this selection carefully you will hear the repeated arpeggios of a harp, made with special expertise by Tuto Feliciano on his cuatro.

Click here to hear Tuto Feliciano’s private tape recordings.
Digitized by the Puerto Rican Cuatro Project

Watch Tuto in a video from the Cuatro Project's DVD Nuestro Cuatro Vol. 2. recorded in Hartford, Connecticut in 1998.

Photos from Tuto Feliciano's personal album

Tuto was also an expert tresista. Above we see him at age 20
in his hometown of Yauco, with its own rustic tres.
Photo Tuto Feliciano collection

Tuto was for many years principal accompanist for the
legendary singer Flor Morales Ramos, "Ramito". Above we see
them together in the mid 1950s on stage at WKAQ-TV in San Juan.
Photo Tuto Feliciano collection

During the 60s and 70s Tuto appeared
frequently on television in New York and New Jersey,
at one time even hosting his own show.
Photo Tuto Feliciano collection

Photo of Tuto Feliciano by Juan Sotomayor

         After the news that our distinguished friend Tuto Feliciano had suffered a heart attack on October 2005, the folklorist John "Kacho" Montalvo wrote to us:
     "Tuto Feliciano was a cuatrista of great talent from Yauco, Puerto Rico. At the age of seventy-odd years he could still play Edwin Colon Zayas’ difficult pieces, and enjoyed playing them at the same speed as Colon Zayas could.
In the 1990s, when I was producing the field recordings of tiple players (Aguinaldo Viejo and Adoradores del Fuego) I shared time with him at his friend Puntilla’s house in Mayagüez, where always stayed when he was in Puerto Rico.
     He also played the Cuban tres. He loved to play for orchestras and was hired by merengue orchestras in New York and Florida, where he also occasionally recorded. He was a virtuoso cuatrista who accompanied Ramito on the radio in Mayaguez on the program Fiesta en el Batey during the 50s.
     It is important to know and recognize that the introduction of the Seis Llanera was Tuto's creation. The story arose that while waiting for Ramito to arrive in Esteban Romero’s (brother of the great troubadour Toñín Romero's) home--which was near the Ponce quarry, and birthplace of Cheo Feliciano, Pete Conde, etc., Esteban played some records of Venezuelan llaneras. The troubadours quickly began to adapt the melody to the decíma, which was quite similar. Tuto cleverly composed an intro that had the cadence, if you listen sharply, of the Venezuelan harp sound heard on llanera. Ramito, a very good businessman, later incorporated them with slight variations into his productions. That introduction (from Tuto’s Cuatro) became a standard that everyone plays today. "

Maso Rivera

Tomás Rivera Morales, Maso!
"..the cuatro lives in me. And I live in the cuatro."

Maso Rivera and his group circa 1950 Photo courtesy www.masorivera.com

One of our favorite compositions of Maso's: a aguinaldo in the form of a Quinto al Aire, Isla de Encanto [Isle of Enchantment] by Maso, accompanied by the voice of Cholo Rosario

Fragments from an interview with
Juan Sotomayor circa 1995
Edited by William Cumpiano

My name is Tomás Rivera Morales. Maso. Maso Rivera. I was born in the Alatea neighborhood of Toa Alta. On the 13th of November of 1927. My father's name, Ramón Rivera Nieves; my mother, Secundina Morales Rolón. There are about ten or twelve siblings. I can't remember them all. They're too many. And all funny-looking.

I began to play the cuatro at the age of five. The cuatro then was square-shaped. It had four strings. I took up the cuatro because that's all there was, there was nothing else to do. Besides, things were such, I used to take a string and tie it to a hook on the shed, over there, and [plucked] the string...and not a real string. Do you know what it was? A cord...made of leather. Before, strings were made of leather. Yes, of leather.

My motivation was...everybody's playing the cuatro except me. So what's my excuse? Get it? Right. When one starts coming of age, leaving childhood behind, one starts wising up, and starts to see that he who has talents gets paid. So then one tries to get paid, too. Get it? Even though the dances that I use to play didn't pay more than ten bucks. Nowadays, it's a gold mine. Indeed, an egg then cost a penny. But you had to lay an egg to get that penny. How about that?

If those moments could come back, back-- when I played in the velorios, that music: cuatro, guitar, and güiro. There was nothing else, not even trumpets, or flutes. And there were those who said that the cuatro would fade away because trumpets showed off better. But for the jÌbaro: never, never, never... The décima without a cuatro just doesn't make it, no matter if you got twenty trumpets or twenty flutes, or whatever. No offense intended to anyone. But each day that goes by my cuatro feels even more Puerto Rican.

Ah, I wish all that would return, but it won't. I can't go back and retrieve what I've left behind, 'cause I don't what happened to it...and spoiled it. So I just go on with what's mine. Puerto Rican as the coquÌ; wherever that leads me. I keep on being The Puerto Rican Maso of the Cuatro. The cuatro lives in me and I live in the cuatro. Understand?

Sello de Maso

For many years, a number of distinguished cuatro maker made a series of cuatros that were sold anonymously with a Maso Rivera label inside as shown above. Maso told us that he would receive the instruments, which were made to his specifications, and make all the final adjustments in their action and tone before selling them.

Maso(1995) photo: Juan Sotomayor

Maso circa 1965
Maso (1970) photo courtesy of German Velazquez

Young Maso.jpg (47759 bytes)
Maso (1955)
film, Div. Educacion de la Comunidad, Gov. PR

Maso Rivera, circa 1965 playing a gourd cuatro, made from gourds (higueras) such as the ones being carried by his countrymen. The photo appeared on the cover of the LP album "Maso Rivera y su Cuatro Higüera" photo courtesy Artilleria records

A segment of the Cuatro Project's video documentary Nuestro Cuatro Vol. 2

The great Maestro Ladí

Ladislao Martínez, "Maestro Ladí"
Legendary exponent of our national instrument

Perhaps the most distinguished figure in the history of the cuatro instrument, and as well, one of the most distinguished Puerto Rican musician of all times, was Ladislao Martínez Otero--known as Maestro Ladí. He created a new way of listening to the cuatro. He came to compose, especially for the cuatro, around 1,500 musical pieces, among them danzas, mazurcas, valses, South American genres, even rock and bossa nova. By choosing the ten-string cuatro as his preferred instrument--playing it on the radio and thus being heard around the Island up until the end of the 1930s--he is thought to have precipitated the decline and eventual disappearance of the old four and eight-string variants across the Island. Ladí inspired generations of master cuatristas who followed him, who consider him the "trunk of the tree of cuatro musicians."

The venerated Puerto Rican interpreter and composer was born in the Espinosa sector of Vega Alta on the 27th of June of 1898, the child of simple country-folk. He began his career playing the guitar with his brother, Encarnación. Jesús M. Rivera writes:

It was the time when Ladislao Martínez began to open a path for himself, a young composer, barely 21 years of age who began to play for dances in the picturesqe neighborhood where lived with his parents in Vega Alta. He was usually paid $1.50 and $2.00 for each dance that he performed in. It was hard to play an entire night and then refused payment that had been promised. There were times when his father had to intervene to demand for his son's payment.

His first teachers on the cuatro were Joaquín Rivera Gandía and Carlos Soriano.

In 1921 he arrives in San Juan, impeccably dressed in white from tip to toe, in search of his future in music, and establishes his residence there in Calle Luna. There, in the largest city on the Island, he forms his first important group, the Trio Ladi. He played cuatro in this early group with his brother Encarnación ("Cachón") accompanying him on the guitar and with the rhythms provided by the legendary guiro player Patricio Rijos, who would later become known across the Island as "Toribio". J.M Rivera writes:

Upon recluting Toribio for his first trio, he was already poised for success, because Toribio had previoulsy performed as percussion musician for the most famous orchestras and bands of San Juan that used to play the popular "retreta" performances in the Plaza de Armas of Old San Juan.

In the year 1922 radio begins on the Island with the inauguration of radio station WKAQ--the fifth in the world and second in Latin America. During the station's inaugural events, Ladí plays with his group, becoming the first cuatrista ever heard on the radio in Puerto Rico.

In 1927, Ladí decided to fuse his trio with the Grupo Aurora, made up of the great composer, singer and guitarist Felipe R. Goyco ("Don Felo"), Moncho Dávila, Juan Cotto, Yayo García, the great Claudio Ferrer (who then was just a kid from Bayamón who sang décimas and played the guiro, and who entered the group on Juan Cotto's recommendation) and Ernestico Mantilla. The groups was named after the Cruz de la Aurora festivals that were celebrated near Trolley Stop 21 in Santurce. Originally the Grupo Aurora was organized by the promoter don Ernesto Vigoreaux to advertise La Colectiva cigarettes.

Ladi's first recorded composition was "Mi vida" [My Life], recorded on the RCA label and sung by Fausto Delgado with the group of Manuel "Canario" Jiménez in 1930. Between 1930 and 1931 he records for the German label Brunswick, the following recordings: "En mi carro te espero", [I Await in my Car] by don Felo; "Alma boricua" [Boricua Soul], by Clodomiro Rodríguez; "Linda serrana" [Pretty mountain girl], by Don Felo; "Noche de algodón" [Cotton Night], of Julio Alvarado; "El seis dorado" [Seis of Dorado], by Ladi, and other.

Around 1934, Ladi brings together several members of the Grupo Aurora to play on two radio programs, "Jíbaros de la Radio", and later, "Industrias Nativas", naming the group Conjunto Industrias Nativas. The group is originally made up of Ladi, Don Felo, Toribio, and the cuatrista Juan Cotto [note that Ladi's later groups included a second and even a third cuatrista beside himself). Singers were Jesús Ríos Robles, "Chuíto el de Cayey," and later, the young Jesús Sánchez Erazo, known as "Chuíto el de Bayamón." Other musicians that played with the group over the years were the guitarist Virquín Rivera and the cuatristas Pascual Meléndez, Leocadio Vizcarrondo and Iluminado Dávila. When don Felo dies, the great guitarist Apolo Ocasio, Ladí's nephew, replaces him

In 1936, after Ladi's cuatrista Juan Cotto quit, an unknown public-auto driver named Sarrail Archilla was recluted as a replacement by the program's producer, William Colón. The entry of Archilla into Ladi's group is an historic event: their duo playing later caused the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture to name them "the greatest exponents of Puerto Rican folkloric music."

During the end of the 1930s and at the beginning of 1940, Ladi forms the Conjunto Típico Ladí with Sarrail Archilla on first cuatro and Apolo Ocasio on guitar. Singers for this group were Felix Castrillón, Jesús Rios Robles, "Chuíto el de Cayey", and Jesús Sánchez, "Chuíto el de Bayamón". Even the great Ramito came to sing with this group of Ladi's, creating together the first recording of his career in 1939.

In 1945 Ladí travels to and settles in New York City, becoming a vital part of the musical scene of those times. In New York he continues the Conjunto Típico Ladí concept, but with Neri Orta as his first cuatrista (Ladí always played second cuatro in his duos) and with several different guitarists.

He returned to Puerto Rico in 1965 and rejoined the old members of the Conjunto Típico, Sarrail Archilla and Polo Ocasio and in this configuration he continued playing until his death in San Juan on February 1, 1979.

After the great artist's death, Sarrail Archilla y Apolo Ocasio keep Ladi's legacy alive, keeping the Conjunto Ladi active with the induction of today's senior master, Modesto Nieves in 1983.

An interview with Ladí
Here is a transcription of a radio interview made in 1978 with Ladi and Abelardo Díaz Alfaro (not translated yet)

Ladi-from-film
Ladislao Martínez (1898-1979)

Photo courtesy of Ansonia Records

Foxtrot El Gallo, la Gallina, y la Guinea (The Rooster, the Chicken and the Guinea Hen--entire piece)

Ladi and Grupo Aurora

Ladi (center) with the Grupo Aurora with the great guitarist Felipe Goyco, "Don Felo" (behind him at his left) around 1930-31. The other musicians were: Ramón "Moncho" Dávila, Claudio Ferrer, Juan Cotto, Yayo García y Ernestico Mantilla. Listen to Grupo Aurora sing with Ladi soloing on the cuatro:

Guaracha Presentación (Presentation) Courtesy
Antonio and David Morales collection

Ladi and Conjunto Industrias Nativas

Grupo Ladi 1950s.jpg

Ladi's Conjunto Industrias Nativas, circa 1940. From left to right: Patricio "Toribio" Rijos, guiro; Felipe "Don Felo" Rosario Goyco, guitar; Sarrail Archilla, first cuatro; Ladislao "Ladi" Martínez, second cuatro; Jesús Ríos Robles, "Chuito el de Cayey", singer. Jesus Sánchez, "Chuíto el de Bayamón", later sang for the group and can be heard in the following examples:

Listen to the Conjunto Industrias Nativas :

Conjunto Industrias Nativas with Chuíto el de Bayamón: El Día de los Sorullos

Conjunto Industrias Nativas with Chuíto el de Bayamón: Para el Año Nuevo

Conjunto Típico Ladi

El Maestro Ladi y su Conjunto durante la década de 1950. De Izquierda a derecha: Felix Castrillon, cantante; Apolo Ocasio, guitarra; Sarrail Archilla, primer cuatro; El Maestro Ladi, 2do cuatro. Foto cortesia Discos Ansonia

Conjunto Típico Ladí play the valsAurora

Conjunto Típico Ladí play the vals Irisí (fragment)

Conjunto Típico Ladí with Chuíto el de Bayamón:
Hablan de Ti (fragment)
Courtesy of Antonio y David Morales Collection

Maestro Ladi with Sarrail Archilla and Polo Ocasio, with Pascual Meléndez playing third cuatro
Photo courtesy Sanz family of Toa Alta, PR

Conjunto Típico Ladí in New York

The Maestro in New York with Neri Ortaon first cuatro

Conjunto Típico Ladi with Neri Orta: Ser Boricua es un Honor
(fragment)

Conjunto Típico Ladí (final phase)

Ladi with Polo Ocasio and Sarriel Archilla back in Puerto Rico in his group's final configuration before his death in 1979.

The Conjunto Típico Ladi continues after the great Maestro Ladi passes away with the entry of the great Modesto Nieves as first cuatrista en 1983. The group finally disbands upon Sarrail Archilla's death in Archilla en 1995.

International superstars

...carrying the Puerto Rican cuatro to audiences around the world

The great international cuatro superstars

(presented in alphabetic order)
Michael Camarero ha compuesto cerca de 50 composiciones, entre ellas danzas, mazurcas, valses, pasillos, marumbas y dos estilos de seises: Seis de Naranjito y Seis Guadianés.	Michael Camarero Michael John Camarero Cruz nace el 2 de febrero de 1958 en Los Ángeles, California. A los 17 años conoce al gran músico y cuatrista Modesto Nieves, quien a su vez lo introduce en AREYTO Ballet Folclórico Nacional de PR. Durante los años que estuvo en AREYTO, viaja a Jerusalén en Israel, Roma, España, Marruecos al norte de África y Washington DC, Tennessee, Bogotá y Medellín en Colombia. Es también en 1978 que obtiene El Primer Premio Nacional del Certamen del Cuatro en el Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. En 1984 se retira de AREYTO y se convierte en el cuatrista de Andrés Jiménez, El Jíbaro. Viaja a Nueva York, Boston y Connecticut, y graba Soy Latinoamericano con Andrés. En noviembre de 1985 forma su primer grupo típico Taller Boricua junto a Arnaldo Martínez Zayas, segundo cuatro. Ese mismo año graba junto a Lucecita Benítez, Conjunto Mapeyé, El Topo, Roy Brown y Joaquín Mouliert. Taller Boricua es la primera agrupación típica en presentarse en la prestigiosa sala del Lincoln Center Hall de Nueva York el 6 de enero de 1987. Se presentaron en el Primer Festival Internacional del Folklore Hispanoamericano celebrado en Cancún México en el verano de 1988 con los trovadores Luis Miranda y Víctor M. Reyes. En el año 1989 graban su primero y único trabajo discográfico titulado Con la Orquesta de mi Tierra con el trovador Isidro Fernández de Aguas Buenas.
Foto William Cumpiano Hemos creado una página con Prodigio tocando distintos seises para el Proyecto del Cuatro aquí.	Eligio Claudio "Prodigio" Eligio "Prodigio" Claudio se encuentra entre los cuatristas más reconocidos del tiempo actual. Su asombroso dominio de la técnica del instrumento y su gran habilidad de poner muy a gusto a sus audiencias con su humor y soltura lo hacen muy solicitado en Puerto Rico tanto como en el extranjero. Estamos preparando una página dedicado al notable instrumentista. Hasta entonces, disfruten de esta corta muestra de la gracia de este maravilloso cuatrista, grabado en un hotel en Chicago mientras esperábamos el comienzo de un espectáculo (Juan Sotomayor lo acompaña en la guitarra):
foto Juan Sotomayor Edwin y su hermano Bill tocan la pieza Ternura durante una bella presentación en Long Beach, CA grabado por el Proyecto del Cuatro	Edwin Colón Zayas El gran cuatrista orocoveño procede de una familia musical, y se luce con un cuatro sobre la tarima desde una edad temprana. Aparece cuando joven acompañado en güiro de su hermana Emma en el programa semental de televisión de Rafael Quiñones Vidal. Desde ese premier hasta el día de hoy, el relucido artista, orgullo de nuestra nación, ha viajado por los teatros a través de los Estados Unidos, Europa, Sur América y Asia, creando un repertorio mundial para su instrumento. Su estilo de tocar cuatro ha inspirado una nueva generación de destacados artistas jóvenes, quienes siguen sus pasos fielmente. Creamos una página dedicada al distinguido maestro aquí.
	José Delgado Serrano José toca primer cuatro para el apremiado grupo, Ecos de Borinquen. Todavía por entrevistarse.
	Pedro Guzmán "Pedrito" El gran maestro Pedro Guzmán ha dedicado su distinguida carrera al descubrimiento de nuevas avenidas para su instrumento. Siguiendo los pasos del venerado innovador Nieves Quintero, proyectó el cuatro mas allá de las usuales barreras geográficas del cuatro, convirtiéndose en un orgullo nacional para el puertorriqueño. Nos contó que:"No soy folclorista per se, pero estoy enfocado hacia otra cosa, y quiero llegar el cuatro un poco mas allá de las cien por treinta y cinco de Puerto Rico. Y es difícil llevarlo con la música criolla, con la música original. Hay que modernizarla un poco. Estamos en unos tiempos electrónicos que van avanzando cada día y hay que adaptarlo a lo que está pasando en el día. Yo duermo a veces con el cuatro en la cama [ríe]. Yo puedo hacer lo que quiera con el cuatro, y él puede hacer lo que quiera conmigo". Visite nuestra página dedicada a Pedrito Guzman aquí
	Orlando Laureano Consumado músico multi-instrumentista puertorriqueño y maestro de conservatorio, quien se ha destacado cabalmente en el ámbito tradicional, en el popular--tanto como en el académico. Visite nuestra página dedicado al prominente instrumentista aquí
	Ediberto López Edi López Ediberto Lopez, oriundo de Naranjito, se nombra entre nuestros más destacados ejecutantes y compositores. Comenzó a tocar la guitarra a la edad de seis años. Eddie no tuvo aprendizaje musical formal, pero fue criado en un ambiente musical debido a que sus dos hermanos son músicos también. Se enseñó oyendo música en discos y en la radio. Se le puede tildar como niño prodigio, empezando a componer piezas originales a los nueve años de edad. Esta es la misma edad en que empieza a aprender el cuatro como segundo instrumento. A la edad de catorce años graba junto con Antonio Cabán Vale, "El Topo", dos de sus propias composiciones, la guaracha Ají Caballero (tocada aquí por Alvin Medina) y la samba Teresa. Esta grabación le abre la puerta a otras grabaciones y a juntarse con el Ballet Folklórico Areyto, con el cual viaja a Estados Unidos Inglaterra, España, y Italia. Forma parte del maravilloso Grupo Mapeyé por diez años. Graba con Lucesita Benítez, el Conjunto Ladí, Taller Boricua, Andrés Jiménez y Nieves Quintero. En 1980 se gradúa del programa de televisión de Rafael Quiñones Vidal. Se presentó en Nueva York en el Radio City Music Hall. Las composiciones de Edi inspiran a otros superestrellas del cuatro, como la siguiente pieza ...un Fox de Edi ejecutado durante una fiesta por el maravilloso cuatrista Ramón Vazquez.
	Neftalí Ortiz Uno de los más importantes cuatristas de nuestra época, tanto como en su defensa de la música tradicional pura como en la conquista de nuevos campos para el instrumento. Funda con Modesto Nieves en 1978 el seminal grupo Mapeyé. Estamos preparando una página dedicado exclusivamente al asombroso Neftalí Ortíz aquí. Hasta entonces, disfruten la pieza Obsesión, escrita por Pedro Flores que ofreció Neftalí para nuetros micrófonos del Proyecto del Cuatro, acompañado por el guitarrista-folklorista Ramón Vázquez
	Arnaldo Martínez Nuestro admirado amigo, el consumado cuatrista Arnaldo Martínez, actualmente toca segundo cuatro en el grupo Ecos de Borinquen, grupo que fué nominado para un premio Emmy. Estamos transcribiendo una larga entrevista con Arnaldo que hicimos, la cual montaremos aquí en un futuro cercano.
	Modesto Nieves Estamos preparando una página dedicada al gran Modesto Nieves aquí.
	Ángel Luis Pérez Güiso Ángel Luis Pérez Rodríguez nació en el barrio Palomas de Comerío, Puerto Rico en el 1946. Es un cuatrista con mucho camino andado. De niño escuchaba a su padre Ángel Pérez rasgar la guitarra.Aprendió "de oído", sin métodos y sin lecciones. Pasando el tiempo se encuentra con un grupo de trovadores que venían con fuerza levantando la trova jíbara. El grupo estaba compuesto por los trovadores Miguel Santiago y Wiso Morales, Eduardo Negrón era el cuatrista y Güiso Negrón, guitarrista en un programa radial. Posteriormente, se posesiona del cuatro y se hace un gran cuatrista. Funda el Grupo Típico Boricua y se convierte en uno de los preferidos por los trovadores para acompañarse en sus improvisaciones e interpretaciones. Viaja a festivales en Boston y Springfield en Massachussetts, Tampa, Florida , Méjico (Guadalajara, San Louis de Potosí y Guanajuato ) Islas Canarias en España (1992), New Jersey, Hartford, Connecticut, Caracas, Venezuela y a Cuba como representante de la música y la cultura puertorriqueña. Güiso Pérez fue integrante del Grupo Ecos de Borinquen de Miguel Santiago, en donde ejecutaba en ocasiones el cuatro y la guitarra.
	José Antonio Rivera Tony Mapeyé Tony nació en 1948 en el Barrio Cuchillas de Morovis. Gradóa con Bachillerato en Pedagogía de la UPR con concentración en Artes Plásticas. Adiestrado formalmente en las artes, ha trabajado como maestro, ilustrador, y fotógrafo, como también como promotor cultural para el Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. Fundó en 1978 el Grupo Mapeyé, grupo que promueve en gran parte una gran revitalización de la música tradicional en Puerto Rico y que se mantiene activo hasta el día de hoy. Tony también es compositor, artista gráfico, guitarrista, coleccionista, notable propulsor del cuatro puertorriqueño y representante cultural de nuestra música tradicional en México, Venezuela, Argentina, Islas Canarias, Cuba, y al frente de comunidades puertorriqueñas en los Estado Unidos. Cogimos prestado esta biografía de la carátula del reciente CD, Amigos del Tiple, producida por el distinguido cuatrista Edwin Colón Zayas.
	Luisito Rodriguez Sobresaliente cuatrista Yaucano muy activo en la escena musical Latina de Nueva York. Ha viajado por el mundo tocando su instrumento, desempeñándose con Johnny Pacheco, los Fania All-Stars, Henry Fiol, Héctor Casanova, Pete El Conde y últimamente con la orquesta de Dave Santiago.
	Orlando Santiago El Mostro Maravilloso cuatrista residente del estado de Ohio. Pedimos al público que nos aporten datos biográficos de este distinguido artista.
	Ramón Vázquez Ray Ramón Vázquez es un verdadero héroe de la cultura puertorrique-ña. Su conocimiento y compromiso a la música tradicional puertorriqueña no tiene rival. Maestro dominante del instrumento nacional, tanto como la guitarra, Ramón impresiona a todos que se le acercan por su gentileza y sensatez. Un verdadero tesoro nacional! Hemos dedicado una página a Ramón Vázquez aquí. Oigan a Ramón Vázquez, acompañado de Polo Ocasio, mostrándonos un Seis Cante Hondo de Vieques

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The old guard

The great Puerto Rican cuatristas who are the Old Guard of the traditions...
Today's great elder cuatro masters

Living links to a great legacy of the past (presented in no specific order)
	Manuel Quintero "Nieves Quintero" "My name is Manuel Quintero Maldonado, but I'm known as Nieves Quintero, which are my father's two last names." "I gave the cuatro a new flavor. And I always told myself that I was going to play the cuatro differently from the way Ladi and my cousin Archilla, played it. That's what was on my mind...yes, it's true, I thought, I'm going to create a style with a new sound." Our Nieves Quintero page can be found here
	Juan Montalvo
	Arturo Avilés "Arturito" To be sure, Arturito Avilés has been one of the most outstanding phenomenons of the Puerto Rican cuatros--of both yesterday and today. With his wonderful intros and innovative style, his deep knowledge of the music and the delicious way that he colored the seis with his cuatro, he inspired--and continues to inspire--musicians of following generations. Our page dedicated to Arturito Avilés can be found here.
	Iluminado Dávila "Well, if you had to play at a rosary rite and some verses were sung...that was a tradition we followe. There was no equipment, nothing, no electrical sound equipment. Nowadays, just try to play without any equipment--with all the racket! In times past the musicians were respected, you'd start to play and people would stop talking. But nowadays, you go to play and its like playing in a cock fight. Nobody pays attention to the fact that music is for listening..." Our Iluminado Dávila page can be found here
	José Rodríguez "Pepe" Noted to be among the best of the older cuatristas, Pepe Rodríguez was born in Morovis, Puerto Rico in 1921. Known among his peers to be a great player as well as an inspired composer of music for the cuatro in the traditional vein. Although all his masterpieces are unpublished, they are often heard in recordings played by the great modern players of the cuatro. Sadly, he has yet to receive his well-deserved recognition as one of the great artists of Puerto Rican culture. Our opinion is that his compositions are at a level with those of thel Maestro Ladi, with whom he played for years. Our Pepe Rodríguez page can be found here.
	Cristóbal Santiago Cristóbal Santiago is not only one of the great cuatro instrumentalists but also he is the author of one of the best and most comprehensive methods for learning the cuatro, the Método Audiovisual Práctico para el Cuatro [Practical Audiovisual Method for the Cuatro], published by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture over several decades. But perhaps he is known for managing a shop, school and recording studio in Carolina, PR, called La Casa del Cuatro Puertorriqueño for over forty years, which over the years has become a cultural institution that remains open to the public to this day. Santiago was repeatedly honored by the Institute for his mastery, which they featured in films, books and pamphlets. Particularly notewhorthy was the Institute commission for the creation of a Cuatro Family, that is the creation of a series of cuatros of different sizes: soprano, tenor, alto and bass, each performing the different roles of the instruments of the string section of a symphony orchestra. Our Cristóbal Santiago page can be found here.
	Emilio "Millito" Cruz Among the most famous and most versatile of the Puerto Rican cuatristas. We're preparing a page dedicated to this great master. In the meanwhile, enjoy these impromptu samples that Millito played for us solo, during our interviews with him: Millito offers us his arrangement of the Adagio for Strings by Albinioni Millito plays the melody part of the danza Impromptu by Morel Campos We asked Millto to play "something modern for us.
	Juan González Juan González was one of the several players that played with and were mentored by the great Ladislao Martínez. He also played with the late Neri Orta and Ray Vázquez. We are looking for more information on this noted player.
	Gaspar Casiano

Norberto Cales

Norberto Cales
Grandmaster of the eight-string cuatro...

"...and those were the musicians that inspired me in those times. During the forties. From Yauco, Puerto Rico, yes. In those days, the cuatristas from Yauco played Norberto Cales's melodies. Norberto Cales's compositions. They'd play them...and a whole lot of other things of Norberto Cales's, and I would say, "Ave María..." Then I became--even though I never met him--a great fan of his. And that's how my first musical yearnings began."
Yomo Toro

Listen to Norberto Cales and the Orquesta Filarmónica de Yauco [Yauco Philharmonic Orchestra] in his interpretation of a un Seis Chorreao

Norberto Cales Martínez was one of the greatest exponents of the eight-string cuatro, and a member of the great fraternity of venerated Yauco cuatristas that includes Heriberto Torres, Pedro Hilario y Tuto Feliciano.

He was born 1898 in the town of Yauco. His father was a farmer and his mother was a housewife. By 10 years of age, Norberto had a tiny requinto that he played often and with great dexterity. He played his first fiesta at twelve earning $1.00 for playing all night long. Thanks to those very same earnings he was able to purchase his first four-string cuatro for $1.50.

He continued to liven up dances with his cuatro, and gathering increasing fame in Yauco. Norberto became one of the great cuatristas of his times, even though it wasn't his main profession--just like with Pedro Hilario and Heriberto Torres. By 1932, Norberto recorded six pieces with the Orquesta Filarmónica Yaucana on the Brunswick label– Sara (danza), Ideal (Vals), Arturo (Paso Doble), Seis Chorreao, Donda (Jibara) and Aguinaldo de Navidad.

The eight-string cuatro owned by Norberto Cales made in Yauco by Juan Olivera. The instrument has been preserved by the Caraballo-Cales family of Yauco. Photo by Juan Sotomayor.

In the late 40s, Norberto suffers a tragic accident when an electric saw cuts off his index and middle finger, and part of the pinky on his left hand. After many long agonizing months, Norberto began to play the cuatro again with the aid of a prosthetic device made of leather, and he not only managed to overcome his disability, but in the end played better than he ever had before.

Norberto composed a multitude of pieces in various genres, among them the danzas Marisol, Bendito Amor, Preciosa, Dora, and the mazurcas, Juanita and Roselina.

Source: Revista del Instituto del Cuatro Puertorriqueno, No. 1. 1974, courtesy of Jose Enrique Ayoroa Santaliz, esq.

Joaquin RIvera, Lefty from Isabela

Who was "El Zurdo de Isabela" [Isabela Lefty]?

According to his daughter-in-law, this photo of Joaquín Rivera "El Zurdo de Isabela" ['Lefty' from Isabela] was taken in Arecibo around 1907 when the great cuatrista was around 25 years old. The ornate chair in the photograph belonged to his aunt. Arecibo was his birthplace, but he spent most of time on the Island in Isabela, hence his nickname. He was always well-dressed. He was a said to be a hard-drinker that was constantly surrounded by his many pals and girlfriends.
This is also the earliest photograph we have been able to find of the violin-shaped cuatro (the instrument's modern config- uration). The cuatro that Rivera holds was made by Miguel Hernández of Arecibo. Hernandez may have been one of the first makers to make cuatros with a violin shape--although the great Maestro Ladí affirmed that it was Rosario (Sayo) Otero of his hometown of Vega Alta. We have been able to ascertain that violins were being made in Arecibo at that time, therefore it was likely that both artisans were inspired by the ones that they may have seen there.
Photo courtesy Joaquín Rivera, jr.

Listen to Joaquín Rivera here in a 1916 Victor recording of the 19th century danza titled Ausencia [Absence] by Juan Morel Campos. What you hear most prominently is a mandolin and a curious plucked violin called a violarina, with Rivera's cuatro playing the third voice. Two guitars play rhythm and chords.

Joaquín Rivera and the Quinteto Borinquen

Joaquín Rivera, "Lefty from Isabela" is seen in the center of this photograph, surrounded by group members. Integrants were: (standing) Francisco Paniagua and Alberto Mitchell, guitars; Joaquín Rivera, cuatro; (seated) José López Rivera, mandolin; Felipe Rodriguez, violarina.
You may wonder why Lefty Rivera is holding his cuatro like a righty. We have a number of old photographs with a left-handed player holding his instrument righty. It seems that it was common for studio photographers to insist that all the instruments be pointing in the same direction, regardless!!

The tall, dark, 34-year old gentleman in the center of this photograph (taken in New York in 1916) playing with the Quinteto Borinquen (also called Estrellas de Borinquen) Joaquín Rivera, "El Zurdo de Isabela", one of the most distinguished Puerto Rican cuatristas of the early twentieth century, and probably the first to ever play the cuatro on a recording. Joaquín Rivera died in either Arecibo or Santurce in 1925.

We also learned about Joaquín Rivera from his son. Below, John Sotomayor, chief investigator of the Cuatro Project, examines octogenarian Joaquicito Rivera, Jr.'s (1910-1995) old cuatro.

Segundas guitarras: Los legendarios Los más admirados acompañantes de las épocas pasadas.
Felipe Rosario Goyco (1890-1954 ) Don Felo	Notas de un viejo folleto del ICPR Nació en el barrio Sebonuco de Santurce en 1894. Desde muy temprana edad mostró inclinación a la música, interés que Cecilio, su hermano, estimulaba fabricándole guitarras con latas de sardinas y cuerdas de alambre. Alimentaba su fantasía atizando en su espíritu melancólico. Él mismo construía sus instrumentos además de aprender música por su propia cuenta. Logró destacarse como uno de los mejores intérpretes de la guitarra popular de su época. Formó parte de los conjuntos Aurora,Conjunto Típico Ladí y Septeto Puerto Rico. A través de estos grupos que Don Felo se nos revela como un excelente compositor. Sus melodías así como sus letras reflejan una depurada sensibilidad y alma de poeta. En agosto de 1945 le escribe a su gran amigo Biriquín Rivera (compositor, guitarrista y director de orquesta que perteneció un tiempo al Conjunto Típico Ladí): "entre nosotros, las palabras casi no cuentan para comprendernos como seres humanos; son las notas y los arpegios combinados de la musa universal lo que nos une y los que nos hace comprensibles a través de todas las cosas y de todos los mundos". Murió Don Felo el 22 de julio de 1954 en el Barrio Obrero, a la edad de 60 años.
Yayito Maldonado	Yayito Maldonado se destacó en el ambiente musical boricua del Nueva York de los años 20 y 30, tocando la guitarra tanto como el cuatro. Allí formó parte del Trío Boricua, Cuarteto Machín, Quinteto La Plata, Sexteto de Pedro Flores, Manuel Jiménez (Canario) y su Grupo, y el Grupo Antilla.
Francisco López Cruz don Paquito	Paquito López Cruz (1907-1988) Oriundo de Naranjito, comenzó a tocar de oído el cuatro, la guitarra y el güiro desde los siete años y desde los diez años tomó lecciones con su tío, quien le dio también su primer empleo como músico, tocando para la exhibición de películas mudas en el cine del pueblo. Se destacó en Nueva York como segunda guitarra en el Cuarteto Victoria--conjunto que componía también Rafael Hernández--pero luego de la gira triunfal del Cuarteto a Puerto Rico en 1934, se aparta de la escena nuyorquina a vivir en la Isla. Recibe su Doctorado en Música en Madrid, y se dedica a grabar, componer y estudiar el folclor musical puertorriqueño, donde se compromete con Ricardo Alegría--quien en 1955 establece el Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña--a revivir la enseñanza formal del cuatro en la isla. Hacia dicho fin, en 1967 López Cruz publica un método para la enseñanza del cuatro puertorriqueño y en el 1972 funda el Instituto del Cuatro Puertorriqueño, junto a Tulio Kercadó, Mario Sharon, Carmelo Valencia y Luis Crespo. Con estudiantes graduados y activos forma una orquesta de cuatro y bordonúa, instrumento éste al que Paquito le dedica esfuerzos para la recuperación.
Claudio Ferrer
Adalbert Rivera Biriquín
Ángel Luis González Cosa buena
Compartan un video de Maneco tocando aquí.	Manuel (Maneco) Velázquez de León (1926-2008) nació en Humacao. Se enseñó a tocar cuatro cuando jóven, y se destacó con el instrumento en eventos escolares. En el 1950 se trasladó con su familia a Nueva York, donde trabajó en una fábrica mientras mantenía su interés en el cuatro y la guitarra. Allí se une a la unión de músicos, lo que le permite ganarse la vida tocando junto a Yomo Toro, Claudio Ferrer, Nieves Quintero y Ernestina Reyes, "La Calandria", entre otros. En 1970 regresa a Puerto Rico, grabando con el sello Ansonia, ganando premios y acompañando a Joaquín Mouliert, Lito Peña, Daniel Santos, Tito Lara, y muchos otros cantantes. Resumido de notas por Santiago Maunez Vizcarrondo
Nin Piñeiro
Jaime Peña
Juanchín Santana
José Díaz Armengol Mengol	Uno de los más importantes acompañantes en la historia de la música puertorriqueña, José Diáz Armengol, conocido como "Mengol" acompañó con su guitarra a los grupos y artistas más reconocidos de la historia, incluyendo a Rafael Hernández y su grupo Victoria, Manuel "Canario" Jiménez, Sexteto Pedro Flores, el Conjunto Típico Ladí, y respaldando Davilita, Johnny Rodriguez y Daniel Santos. Su carrera se proyecta a través de una larga trayectoria desde las décadas de 1920 - 1960.
Segundas guitarras: Los maestros mayores Su larga carrera artística sirve de inspiración a los guitarristas de una nueva generación (Aparecen en orden alfabético)
Arturo Avilés Arturito
Israel Berrios El indio	Israel Berríos Castro (1927- ), pionero defensor de la música puertorri- queña y el Son cubano. Es un tesoro nacional en vida de nuestra isla. Estamos construyendo una página dedicada al gran artista aquí. Israel Berríos en 1959
Diómedes Matos Yomi
Apolo Ocasio Polo
Pepe Rodríguez
Segundas guitarras: La Nueva Guarda Los más admirados acompañantes de la época actual. (Aparecen en orden alfabético)
William Colón Zayas Bill
Ramón Vázquez Ray	Hemos dedicado una página entera al destacado arreglista/guitarrista Ramón Vázquez. Pulse aquí para verla
Pedro González
Carlos Asael Martínez	El admirado y apreciado guitarrista Carlos Asael Martínez ha sido un integrante esencial del seminal grupo Mapeyé, la Orquesta Nacional Criolla, desde 1981. Hemos dedicado una página a Carlos Asael aquí.
Edgardo Santana

The great international cuatro superstars

Norberto Cales Grandmaster of the eight-string cuatro...

Norberto Cales
Grandmaster of the eight-string cuatro...