Benny Moré

Nicknamed "El Bárbaro del Ritmo" (the wizard of rhythm) Benny Moré was one of the greatest singers ever to emerge from Cuba, and is regarded as the benchmark for all Cuban soneros (performers of the son). Moré, the eldest of eighteen children, was born Bartolomé Moré in 1919 in Santa Isabel de las Lajas in the province of Las Villas, and made his first instrument out of a board and string.

A self-taught guitarist, Benny began as a troubadour in Havana's café's during the 1940s, and had his first break winning a radio competition called "La Corte Suprema del Arte" (the Supreme Court of Art on radio station CMQ) before traveling to México with Miguel Matamoros' conjunto (founder of the Trío Matamoros and one of Cuba's early son pioneers). While in México he joined the orchestras of Mariano Mercerón and "Mambo King" Pérez Prado, remaining there several years and recording on the RCA Victor label before returning to Cuba in the early '50s. After a stint with the Bebo Valdés orchestra, Benny formed his Banda Gigante ("giant band"), delighting audiences with his charismatic directing as well as versatile singing style.

Although Moré could not read music, he is credited with many of the extraordinary arrangements played by his "giant band," as his gifted ear for music enabled him to dictate the specific notes for each instrument in the sometimes 40-piece ensemble! Reaching the peak of popularity in the mid-1950s, Benny's Banda Gigante toured throughout Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States, including an appearance at the Oscars. Moré was the composer of several classic boleros including "Dolor y Perdón" and mambos such as "Bonito y Sabroso" and "Locas Por el Mmambo." His death in 1963 was mourned by nearly the entire island of Cuba. —Rebeca Mauleon