HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

The Cuban Son & Early Salsa of Ignacio Piñeiro

Latin Music/Recording: The Caribbean: Ignacio Pineiro

Ignacio Piñeiro

Born in Havana on 21 May 1888, bandleader and composer, Ignacio Piñeiro Martinez, is credited with the first mention of "salsa" on a recording, 'Echale Salsita' in 1933 [Harris] which he composed for a street vendor [Varela]. It's thought that Piñeiro's use of "salsita" translated to "danceable". He sometimes shouted "Salsa!" to indicate increase of tempo. Vocalist, Beny Moré, shouted the term to appreciate a certain performance or describe some facet of Latin American culture. It's thought the term came into wide usage thanks, in part, to Venezuelan DJ, Phidias Danilo Escalona. It later came to generally describe Cuban music mixed with whatever else, such as jazz, popular or rock.

Piñeiro is thought to have begun his career as a vocalist in 1903. The first of his 327 compositions is thought to have been his 1916 tango, 'Lo Típico de Cuba'. Listed as rumba, it was recorded by the group, Terceto Nano that year.

Being taught to play the double bass by guitarist and vocalist, Maria Teresa Vera (1895-1965), it was 1926 when Piñeiro joined Vera's group, the Sexteto Occidente, which that November traveled to New York City to make what would be Piñeiro's first determinable recordings as the Sexteto Nacional: 'Meniet Suave', 'Cabo de Guardia', 'Aurora', 'Tienes Que Llorar', 'La Sangre Me Liama', 'Adriana', 'Tus Ojos' and 'Perdonala Señor'. Later that month Piñeiro made his first name recording apart from Vera titled 'El Genio de la Fiesta'. In 1927 Piñeiro expanded the Sexteto Nacional into the Septeto Nacional. Other than himself on double bass, Piñeiro had Alberto Villalón at guitar, Francisco González Solares (Panchito Chevrolet) on tres and vocals, Juan de la Cruz (tenor) at claves, Bienvenido León (baritone) on maracas and José Incharte (El Chino) at bongo to which he significantly added a seventh player important to the young sound of salsa, Lázaro Herrera (1903-2000) at cornet or trumpet. Piñeiro took his Septeto Nacional to Seville, Spain, for few months in 1929. The group did their recording in Havana with the exception of a trip to Chicago in 1933. Personnel listed herein is mostly from DAHR. A bit further below is a track by El Cuarteto Machín to which Piñeiro supplied the composition, 'Mentira Salomé', but wasn't a member. El Cuarteto Machín was formed in New York City in 1932 by Antonio Machin (1903-77) who had moved from Cuba to New York City in 1930. In 1935 he left the United States for Europe where he worked in London, Paris and finally Madrid until his death in 1977.

'Esas No Son Cubanas' Ignacio Piñeiro (string bass) and the Sexteto Nacional

'Those Are Not Cubans'

Recorded 20 Oct 1927 in NYC Matrix W95935 Columbia 2791-X

Guitar: Alberto Villalón Morales Tres: Francisco González Solares

Claves / vocals: Abelardo Barroso Maracas / vocals: Bienvenido León (baritone)

Bongos: José Mañuel Incharte Vocals: Juan De la Cruz (tenor)

Composition: Pineiro

'Contestación a Aurora' Ignacio Piñeiro (string bass) and the Sexteto Nacional

'Reply to Aurora'

Recorded Oct 1927 in NYC Matrix W95944 Columbia 3203-X

Guitar: Alberto Villalón Morales Tres: Francisco González Solares

Claves / vocals: Abelardo Barroso Maracas / vocals: Bienvenido León (baritone)

Bongos: José Mañuel Incharte Vocals: Juan De la Cruz (tenor)

Composition: Solares

'Mamá, Se quema la Maya' Ignacio Piñeiro (string bass) and the Sexteto Nacional

'Mama, Maya Is Burning'

Recorded Oct 1927 in NYC Matrix W95950 Columbia 2825-X

Guitar: Alberto Villalón Morales Tres: Francisco González Solares

Claves / vocals: Abelardo Barroso Maracas / vocals: Bienvenido León (baritone)

Bongos: José Mañuel Incharte Vocals: Juan De la Cruz (tenor)

Composition: ?

'Viva el Bongo' Ignacio Piñeiro (string bass)

Sexteto Nacional issued as the Septeto Nacional

Recorded sometime 1927 in Havana Matrix S96236 Columbia 2968-X

Composition: M. Serrano

'Sierra Morena' Ignacio Piñeiro (string bass) and the Sexteto Nacional

Recorded July 1928 in NYC Matrix W96641 Columbia 3200-X

Cornet: Lázaro Herrera Díaz Guitar: Alberto Villalón Morales

Tres: Francisco González Solares Claves / vocals: Abelardo Barroso

Maracas / vocals: Bienvenido León (baritone) Bongos: José Mañuel Incharte

Composition: N. Sucarichi

'El que siembra su maíz' Ignacio Piñeiro (string bass) and the Septeto Nacional

'He Who Sows His Corn'

Recorded 3 Oct 1929 in Madrid Matrix BJ 2564 Disco Gramofono AE 2845

Trumpet: Lázaro Herrera Díaz Guitar: Eutimio Constantín

Tres: Francisco González Solares

Claves: Juan De la Cruz ? / Bienvenido León ? Bongo: Agustín Gutiérrez

Composition: M. Matamoros

'A la Loma de Belen' Ignacio Piñeiro (string bass) and the Septeto Nacional

'To the Hill of Bethlehem'

Recorded 3 Oct 1929 in Madrid Disco Gramofono AE 2911

Trumpet: Lázaro Herrera Díaz Guitar: Eutimio Constantín

Tres: Francisco González Solares

Claves: Juan De la Cruz ? / Bienvenido León ? Bongo: Agustín Gutiérrez

Composition: Solares

'Mentira Salomé' ('Lie Salomé') El Cuarteto Machín

Recorded 7 Oct 1932 in NYC Matrix BS-73786 Victor 30775

Lead: Antonio Machín Trumpet: Plácido Acevedo

Tres: Cándido Vicenty Guitar / 2nd voice: Daniel Sánchez

Composition: Piñeiro

'Echale Salsita' Ignacio Piñeiro (string bass) and the Septeto Nacional

Filmed c 1933

Composition: Piñeiro 1932

Piñeiro quit the Septeto Nacional in 1934, said for insufficient profit. Leadership passed to Herrera until the band dissolved in 1937. Piñeiro had led the band, Los Roncos, before resurrecting the Septeto Nacional in 1954, leading it for the duration of his career. 'Septeto Nacional De Ignacio Piñeiro' saw release in 1965 on Areito LPA-3269.

'Donde Estabas Anoche' Ignacio Piñeiro (string bass) and the Septeto Nacional

'Where Were You Last Night'

From the album 'Septeto Nacional De Ignacio Piñeiro' issued in 1965 on Areito LPA-3269

Composition: Piñeiro

Piñeiro had been director of the Festival in Cuba during the fifties. He died in Habana on 12 March 1969. The Septeto Nacional, however, continues to this day.

Sources & References for Ignacio Piñeiro:

Cadena Habana VF History (notes) Wikipedia

Associates Musical:

El Septeto Nacional (1927 >):

AfroCubaWeb EcuRed WOMEX World Music Central

Audio of the Septeto Nacional: YouTube

Compositions: DAHR Music Brainz SHS Wikipedia

Contemporaries Musical:

Antonio Machin (1903-77):

Audio DAHR Discogs Library of Congress Slipcue Wikipedia

El Cuarteto Machin (formed 1932 in NYC): Audio DAHR Discogs

El Septeto Machin: Discogs Excavated Shellac