César Concepción

Césario Concepción Martínez, (28 July 1909 – 11 March 1974), was a Puerto Rican musician, big band leader and composer, who brought the music of his native land to the United States, mainly New York City, and Latin American ballroom dancing between the 1940s and early 1970s and to ballrooms all over the world. He popularized the modern plena as a Latin song style.

Concepción was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico, and was a prolific composer, writing music based on contemporary Puerto Rican scenes and vistas. He wrote over 100 mambos, calypsos, boleros and plenas songs to honor cities such as San Juan, Mayagüez, Ponce, Yauco, Plena Criolla (for Caguas), San German, Pa Mi Pueblo, Cayey his town and Santurce among many others. In addition, he directed his own orchestra non stop for 27 years.

In 1933 together with his family boarded a ship, SS San Juan and migrated to New York City. Here he played as lead trumpet for many big bands, however spent most of his time with Eddie LeBaron and His Orchestra, which played at the Rainbow Room, a landmark, located on the 65th floor of Rockefeller Center until it closed in 1942.

Upon his return to Puerto Rico founded, on June 14, 1947, "César Concepción y su Orquesta" and made its first presentation at the New Yorker Hotel, later known as Flamboyan Hotel, via live broadcast from WIAC radio station.

His orchestra which consisted of 15 musicians was known for decades as the “best and most popular orchestra in Puerto Rico”, which was presented for many years by radio and television legendary personality Mariano Artau. Together with singer Joe Valle the orchestra obtained its highest popularity.

He died in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico of a heart attack at the age of 64.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1909 (Cayey), Died 1974 (Río Piedras)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1934 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: Musical group, leader, trumpet, composer, lyricist, songwriter

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 55 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor PR-36-A 10-in. before 9/6/1949 Montmartre Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo Musical group, leader  
Victor PR-37-A 10-in. before 7/12/1949 A la plena Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo Musical group, composer, leader  
Victor PR-38-A 10-in. before 8/15/1949 Arrímate, carnñito Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo Musical group, leader  
Victor PR-56 10-in. before 11/30/1949 Me voy a China Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo composer, leader, Musical group  
Victor PR-57 10-in. before 11/30/1949 Destino Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo Musical group, leader  
Victor PR-58 10-in. before 12/12/1949 Vitamina be-bop Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo leader, Musical group  
Victor PR-59 10-in. before 12/12/1949 Inevitablemente Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo composer, leader, Musical group  
Victor PR-60 10-in. before 1/30/1950 Desert fantasy Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo composer, leader, Musical group  
Victor PR-61 10-in. before 1/30/1950 Historia de amor Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo leader, Musical group  
Victor PR-62 10-in. before 12/12/1949 Pa' Guanajibo Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo leader, Musical group  
Victor PR-63 10-in. before 12/12/1949 Qué falta tú me haces Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo leader, Musical group  
Victor PR-445-B 10-in. before 12/10/1947 ¡Qué pollo! Eddie Gómez ; Orquesta César Concepción Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble leader, composer, Musical group  
Victor PR-446 10-in. before 1/19/1948 Volvi por tí Eddie Gómez ; Orquesta César Concepción Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble Musical group, leader  
Victor PR-447 10-in. before 1/19/1948 Tabo tabo Eddie Gómez ; Orquesta César Concepción Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble leader, Musical group  
Victor PR-448 10-in. before 1/19/1948 Te vendo mi corazón Eddie Gómez ; Orquesta César Concepción Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble Musical group, leader  
Victor PR-449 10-in. before 1/19/1948 Cuchí, cuchí, cuchí Eddie Gómez ; Orquesta César Concepción Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble Musical group, leader  
Victor PR-450 10-in. before 1/19/1948 Me dijiste Eddie Gómez ; Orquesta César Concepción Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble Musical group, leader  
Victor PR-451-C 10-in. before 1/19/1948 You can in Yucatan Eddie Gómez ; Orquesta César Concepción Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble Musical group, leader  
Victor PR-451-A 10-in. before 1/19/1948 Capullito de alelí Eddie Gómez ; Orquesta César Concepción Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble Musical group, leader  
Victor PR-452 10-in. before 11/3/1948 Nunca Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo Musical group, composer, leader  
Victor PR-454 10-in. before 11/3/1948 El Club de las Cuatro Patas Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo Musical group, composer, leader  
Victor PR-516 10-in. before 4/26/1950 Quisiera tenerte Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo Musical group, instrumentalist, trumpet, leader  
Victor PR-521 10-in. before 5/17/1950 Que si, que no Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble Musical group, instrumentalist, trumpet, leader  
Victor PR-522 10-in. before 5/17/1950 Quiero bailar contigo Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble Musical group, instrumentalist, trumpet, leader  
Victor PR-524 10-in. before 4/26/1950 Santurce Orquesta César Concepción ; Joe Valle Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo Musical group, instrumentalist, trumpet, composer, leader, lyricist  
(Results 26-50 of 55 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "César Concepción y su Orquesta," accessed April 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112984.

César Concepción y su Orquesta. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112984.

"César Concepción y su Orquesta." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112984

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