Arsenio Rodríguez
Arsenio Rodríguez (born Ignacio Arsenio Travieso Scull; August 31, 1911 – December 30, 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. 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. In 1940 he formed his conjunto, 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. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Matanzas (capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas), Died December 31, 1970 (Los Angeles (seat of Los Angeles County, and largest city in California, United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1934 - 1956
Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, trés, composer, songwriter, lyricist
Notes: Arsenio Rodríguez was born Ignacio Arsenio Travieso Scull.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 51-75 of 144 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | CU-347[b] | 10-in. | before 12/29/1949 | Dundumbanza | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer | |
| Victor | CU-348 | 10-in. | 1949 | Por tu bien | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal duet | leader, instrumentalist, trés | |
| Victor | CU-349[b] | 10-in. | 1949 | No puedo comer vistagacha | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer | |
| Victor | CU-385[b] | 10-in. | before 5/1/1940 | Kuki | Orquesta Riverside ; Anselmo Sacasas ; Miguelito Valdés | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and piano | composer | |
| Victor | CU-408[b] | 10-in. | before 4/24/1950 | Qué susto! | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer, lyricist | |
| Victor | CU-409 | 10-in. | before 4/24/1950 | El rincón caliente | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer | |
| Victor | CU-410[b] | 10-in. | before 4/19/1950 | Recuerda aquella noche | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer | |
| Victor | CU-411 | 10-in. | before 4/19/1950 | El rumbón de Luyanó | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés | |
| Victor | CU-412 | 10-in. | before 3/29/1950 | Vuelvo a la vida | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer | |
| Victor | CU-413[b] | 10-in. | before 3/29/1950 | Kila, quique y chocolate | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés | |
| Victor | CU-444[b] | 10-in. | before 9/12/1950 | Ten valor | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer | |
| Victor | CU-445 | 10-in. | before 9/12/1950 | Con un amor se borra otro amor | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer | |
| Victor | CU-446 | 10-in. | before 9/12/1950 | Juventud de Cayo Hueso | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer | |
| Victor | CU-447 | 10-in. | before 9/12/1950 | Todo terminó | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés | |
| Victor | CU-448 | 10-in. | before 6/29/1950 | La sandunga del son | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés | |
| Victor | CU-449 | 10-in. | before 6/29/1950 | Con reciprocidad | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés | |
| Victor | CU-474 | 10-in. | before 8/8/1950 | Anabacoa | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés | |
| Victor | CU-475 | 10-in. | before 8/8/1950 | Cárdenas | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer | |
| Victor | CU-478 | 10-in. | before 11/9/1950 | 'Ta Benito | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez ; Estela Rodríguez Scull | Instrumental ensemble, with female vocal solo | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer | |
| Victor | CU-479 | 10-in. | before 11/9/1950 | Aquí como allá | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez ; Estela Rodríguez Scull | Instrumental ensemble, with female vocal solo | leader, instrumentalist, trés, composer | |
| Victor | CU-480 | 10-in. | before 11/9/1950 | Te mantengo y no quieres | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés | |
| Victor | CU-481 | 10-in. | before 11/9/1950 | Cree lo que tú quierás | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés | |
| Victor | CU-482 | 10-in. | before 11/15/1950 | El que no tiene no vale | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés | |
| Victor | CU-483 | 10-in. | before 11/15/1950 | Quizás con los años | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | leader, instrumentalist, trés | |
| Victor | CU-504[b] | 10-in. | before 4/3/1951 | Jumba | Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez | Instrumental ensemble | composer, leader, instrumentalist, trés |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Rodríguez, Arsenio," accessed January 7, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105970.
Rodríguez, Arsenio. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 7, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105970.
"Rodríguez, Arsenio." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 7 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Arsenio Rodríguez
Discogs: Arsenio Rodríguez
Allmusic: Arsenio Rodríguez
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Rodríguez, Arsenio - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n88612445
Wikidata: Arsenio Rodríguez - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q704705
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/2670721
MusicBrainz: Arsenio Rodríguez - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/63b0ed42-f590-4c24-90d8-b8522f181b21
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1483594 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1483594
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