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Ignacio Piñeiro

Ignacio Piñeiro Martínez (May 21, 1888 – March 12, 1969) was a Cuban musician, bandleader and composer whose career started in rumba and flowered in the rise of the son. He was one of the most important composers of son music; in total he wrote about 327 numbers, mostly sones.

Piñeiro was a brilliant rumbero who worked with musical groups from 1903 onwards. In 1906, was a member of the Timbre de Oro coro de clave y guaguancó (a vocal group precursor of contemporary guaguancó), and later directed Los Roncos, another famous coro de guaguancó. He was taught the double bass by María Teresa Vera, and in 1926 he was a member of her band, Sexteto Occidente, which recorded in New York City. In 1927 he founded the Sexteto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro, later simply known as Sexteto Nacional, in which he was the director and songwriter. With the addition of a trumpet the band became the Septeto Nacional.

For financial reasons, Piñeiro quit the group in 1935; it was then led by trumpet player Lázaro Herrera until the group disbanded in 1937. Piñeiro became for some years the leader and principal songwriter of Los Roncos. The Septeto Nacional was recreated several times from 1954 onwards, initially under Piñeiro's direction, and it continues to perform.

Piñeiro's composition "Échale salsita" (written on a train to Chicago in 1930, and the first song use of the world "salsa" in son) influenced George Gershwin's Cuban Overture. The two met when Gershwin visited Cuba in February 1932. Many of Piñeiro's songs have been performed by other artists like Ray Barretto ("Don Lengua") and René Álvarez ("A la lae la la"). In 1999, Piñeiro was posthumously inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 21, 1888 (Havana), Died March 12, 1969 (Havana)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1916 - 1952

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, string bass, director, lyricist, leader, songwriter

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 158 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-75334 10-in. 2/28/1933 Juégame limpio Cuarteto Machín Vocal and instrumental quartet lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-76558 10-in. 6/30/1933 Échale salsita Orquesta Enrique Bryón Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-76888 10-in. 8/11/1933 Hay que bailarlo suave Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble composer, director  
Victor BS-76889 10-in. 8/11/1933 Bardo Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble composer, director  
Victor BS-76890 10-in. 8/11/1933 Me arrepiento Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble composer, director  
Victor BS-76891 10-in. 8/11/1933 Rosa morada Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble director  
Victor BS-76892 10-in. 8/11/1933 De pelota no Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble director  
Victor BS-76893 10-in. 8/11/1933 La lira del poeta Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble composer, director  
Victor BS-76894 10-in. 8/11/1933 Las nenas no lloran Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble director  
Victor BS-76895 10-in. 8/11/1933 Libre albedrío Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble composer, director  
Victor BS-76896 10-in. 8/12/1933 Papaíto, no llores Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble composer, leader  
Victor BS-76897 10-in. 8/12/1933 Trompeta querida Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble director  
Victor BS-76898 10-in. 8/12/1933 La dichosa suegra Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble director  
Victor BS-76899 10-in. 8/12/1933 Canta la Vueltabajera Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble composer, director  
Victor BS-76900 10-in. 8/12/1933 Los rumberos de la Habana Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble composer, director  
Victor BS-76901 10-in. 8/12/1933 Tupi Septeto Nacional Instrumental ensemble composer, director  
Victor BS-81966 10-in. 3/20/1934 Lindas cubanas Cuarteto Machín Male vocal duet, with 2 guitars lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-95579 10-in. 10/25/1935 Házme un cuento más Cuarteto Machín Vocal and instrumental quartet composer  
Victor BS-98050 10-in. 11/8/1935 La hada misteriosa Septeto Machín Vocal and instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BS-98341 10-in. 11/29/1935 Mucho ojo Septeto Machín Vocal and instrumental septet composer  
Victor G-1550 10-in. 10/18/1916 Lo típico de Cuba Terceto "Nano" Male vocal trio, with guitar composer  
Victor G-1685 10-in. 10/30/1916 Las engañitas María Teresa y Zequeira Female-male vocal duet, with guitar lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-010855 10-in. 6/15/1937 Algo bueno Septeto Anacaona Female vocal and instrumental septet composer  
Victor BS-010856 10-in. 6/15/1937 Oh, marambé marambá Septeto Anacaona Female vocal and instrumental septet composer  
Victor BS-010923 10-in. 6/17/1937 Calla companero Septeto Nacional Vocal and instrumental septet director  
(Results 26-50 of 158 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Piñeiro, Ignacio," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109682.

Piñeiro, Ignacio. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109682.

"Piñeiro, Ignacio." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109682

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