Arsenio Rodríguez

Arsenio Rodríguez (born Ignacio Arsenio Travieso Scull; 31 August 1911 – 30 December 1970) was a Cuban musician, composer and bandleader. He played the tres, as well as the tumbadora, and he specialized in son, rumba and other Afro-Cuban music styles. In the 1940s and 1950s Rodríguez established the conjunto format and contributed to the development of the son montuno, the basic template of modern-day salsa. He claimed to be the true creator of the mambo and was an important as well as a prolific composer who wrote nearly two hundred songs.

Despite being blind since the age of seven, Rodríguez quickly managed to become one of Cuba's foremost treseros. Nonetheless, his first hit, "Bruca maniguá" by Orquesta Casino de la Playa, came as a songwriter in 1937. For the following two years, Rodríguez worked as composer and guest guitarist for the Casino de la Playa, before forming his conjunto in 1940, one of the first of its kind. After recording over a hundred songs for RCA Victor over the course of twelve years, Rodríguez moved to New York in 1952, where he remained active, releasing several albums. In 1970, Rodríguez moved to Los Angeles, where he died of pneumonia shortly before the end of the year.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 31, 1911 (Matanzas), Died December 31, 1970 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1934 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, trés, composer, songwriter, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 139 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor CU-88[b] 10-in. before 5/26/1948 Soy tu destino Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-89[b] 10-in. before 6/22/1948 Me siento muy solo Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer  
Victor CU-90[b] 10-in. before 6/1/1948 Sacando candela Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-131[b] 10-in. before 10/19/1948 A Belén le toca ahora Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer  
Victor CU-131[c] 10-in. before 10/19/1948 Los tres Juanes Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-177 10-in. before 12/7/1939 Todos seguimos la conga Orquesta de Cheo Belén Puig ; Alfredito Valdés Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor CU-184 10-in. 1948 No me llores más Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-185 10-in. 1948 En su partir Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-186[b] 10-in. 1948 Pueblo nuevo se pasó Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-187 10-in. 1948 Feliz viaje Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer  
Victor CU-188 10-in. 1948 Llévatelo todo Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-189 10-in. 1948 Mírame más Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor PR-214 10-in. before 1/3/1942 Llora timbero Pepito Torres Orquesta Siboney Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor CU-235 10-in. before 1/28/1949 Flor del fango Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-236 10-in. before 1/28/1949 Que cosas tendran las mujeres Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-239 10-in. before 3/25/1940 Como le gusta el chismecito a caridad Orquesta Casino de la Playa ; Miguelito Valdés Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor CU-298[b] 10-in. before 9/6/1949 Los sitios haceré Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-299[b] 10-in. before 9/6/1949 Sagrado amor Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-300[b] 10-in. before 8/19/1949 El palo tiene curujey Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-301[b] 10-in. before 8/2/1949 Me boté de guaño Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-302 10-in. before 8/2/1949 Es mejor olvidarte Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-303[b] 10-in. before 8/2/1949 Finaliza un amor Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, trés  
Victor CU-344[b] 10-in. before 1/13/1953 Pero yo no se Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-345 10-in. before 1/13/1953 Juventud de Colón Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, trés, leader  
Victor CU-346 10-in. before 12/29/1949 Flor de canela Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez Instrumental ensemble composer, instrumentalist, trés, leader  
(Results 26-50 of 139 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Rodríguez, Arsenio," accessed May 10, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105970.

Rodríguez, Arsenio. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 10, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105970.

"Rodríguez, Arsenio." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 10 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105970

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