Anselmo Sacasas

Anselmo Sacasas (23 November 1912 – 22 January 1998) was a Cuban jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, and arranger. As a pianist he took inspiration from Cuban tres players like Arsenio Rodríguez, adapting their techniques to his own style as a soloist in orchestras playing Cuban music.

He began to learn piano at the age of 6 from a female cousin, and 10 years later graduated from the music conservatory in Manzanillo. He later moved to Havana, where he composed piano pieces for silent films and developed an interest in the danzón style. In the early 1930s he was a member of Tata Pereira's orchestra.

In 1936 he met the singer Miguelito Valdés, with whom he would work in the Orquesta de los Hermanos Castro. Shortly after he would found the Orquesta Casino de la Playa. This band, with its jazz arrangements, would prove to be a complete revolution in the Cuban music scene, touring Central and South America and appearing on film in both Cuba and the United States.

In 1940, Sacasas left for New York, where after some difficulty he was able to found his own orchestra in 1941. They played in the Colony Club in Chicago and the cabarets La Conga Club and Havana Madrid in Manhattan.

In 1959 he became the musical director of the hotel Fountainbleu in Miami and Club Ronde. In 1963 he became the director of the cabaret Tropicoro for thirteen years, after which he retired to Miami, where he died in 1998.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 23, 1912, Died January 22, 1998

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1938 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, leader, composer, songwriter

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 42 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-027838 10-in. 9/19/1938 El reino de tus ojos Orquesta Casino de la Playa ; Miguelito Valdés Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-033867 10-in. before 2/27/1939 Cuando vuelvas a quererme Orquesta Casino de la Playa ; Anselmo Sacasas ; Miguelito Valdés Re-recording : Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-035381 10-in. before 3/30/1939 Llora campesino Marcelino Guerra ; Orquesta Casino de la Playa ; Carlos Suárez ; Miguelito Valdés Re-recording : Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio songwriter  
Victor BS-035557 10-in. before 4/3/1939 Oriente Orquesta Casino de la Playa ; Anselmo Sacasas ; Miguelito Valdés Re-recording : Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-037007 10-in. before 6/27/1939 Orquesta Casino de la Playa ; Anselmo Sacasas ; Miguelito Valdés Re-recording : Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D5XB-16 10-in. 1/4/1945 Acabaste Octavio Mendoza ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader, composer  
Victor D7XB-251 10-in. 4/11/1947 Cose, cose, cose Rubén González ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet and vocal ensemble instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7XB-252 10-in. 4/11/1947 Quizás, quizás, quizás Rubén González ; Octavio Mendoza ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D5XB-0017 10-in. 1/4/1945 Caramba, caramba Octavio Mendoza ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D5XB-0018 10-in. 1/4/1945 Linda mujer Octavio Mendoza ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D5XB-0019 10-in. 1/4/1945 Koki koka Octavio Mendoza ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D6XB-1328 10-in. 3/8/1946 Guardo un recuerdo Walfredo de los Reyes ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D6XB-1330 10-in. 3/8/1946 Mambo Rubén González ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D6XB-3374 10-in. 12/5/1946 Me deja solito Rubén González ; Sacasas y su Orquesta ; Anselmo Sacasas Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D6XB-3375 10-in. 12/5/1946 Te seguiré queriendo Bobby Ramos ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader, songwriter  
Victor D6XB-3376 10-in. 12/5/1946 Lengua mala Rubén González ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D6XB-3377 10-in. 12/5/1946 Soltando chispas Rubén González ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7XB-0253 10-in. 4/11/1947 Paquete no Rubén González ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7XB-0254 10-in. 4/11/1947 Hasta que se rompa el coco Rubén González ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7XB-2022 10-in. 11/10/1947 Lo que va de ayer a hoy Rubén González ; Octavio Mendoza ; Sacasas y su Orquesta Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7XB-2023 10-in. 11/10/1947 Cantando y riendo Rubén González ; Orquesta Anselmo Sacasas Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7XB-2024 10-in. 11/10/1947 Cielito Rubén González ; Orquesta Anselmo Sacasas Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7XB-2025 10-in. 11/10/1947 El hijo de Chencha Rubén González ; Orquesta Anselmo Sacasas Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor D7XB-2551 10-in. 12/1/1947 Dale Pepe Rubén González ; Orquesta Anselmo Sacasas Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor D7XB-2552 10-in. 12/1/1947 La botella Rubén González ; Orquesta Anselmo Sacasas Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, leader  
(Results 1-25 of 42 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Sacasas, Anselmo," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108359.

Sacasas, Anselmo. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108359.

"Sacasas, Anselmo." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108359

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