Havana, Cuba, May 11th, 1925. Folklore singer. Considered as the most famous of the Cuban Akpwones, Ocha Niwe, according to his ritual name, became a professional regarding to folklore dancing and singing, without being apart from Regla Ocha, not even for a moment, religious cult to which he was devoted and where he learned and developed his skills and talent as singer.

He was born at the popular neighborhood of Santos Suárez and despite the familiar disagreement, he was interesed, since he was a child, for the musical atmosphere and rites of the houses Ocha. Otilia Mantecón Hernández, a santera from Matanzas, found his first bearings on singing and she transmitted essential knowledge about the cult.

At the age of thirteen, he already sang at the santo´s parties and at the age of seventeen, he was allowed to sing in one of the most respectable houses of santeria in Matanzas, Ferminia Gómez´s, and he was accepted in such a way, that he remained there to learn the diverse forms and entonation of the language and singing between the descendents from Lucumí, Arará, Eguado, Iyesá and others. Further more, his performance as singer, took him to a tour for all over the island, dominating the varied styles of ritual song.

In 1949, he started his professional career, singing at a sunday program of folklore music, at the radio station RHC Cadena Azul, he alternated this activity with different jobs and his participation in the santo parties. In 1959, was called by Argeliers León to work as singer and dancer in the group which performanced the first Folklore shows at the Covarrubias lounge, at the Cuban National Theater. Later on, he worked as informer in the Ethnology and Folklore Institute, at the Sciences Academy of Cuba; investigators as Isaac Barreal, Rogelio Martinez Furé, Alberto Pedro, Miguel Barnet and Argeliers invited him as singer to illustrate their conferences. He also collaborated with the Aficionado Artist Movement teaching classes of folklore singing, he made also some recordings.

In 1962, he integrated the founding group of Conjunto Folklorico Nacional (CFN) accompained by figures as Nieves Fresneda, Isora Pedroso, and Jesús Pérez. From that moment on, he developed a sucessful artistic career, including many tours by Europe, Latin America and United States and the recording of the Cuban Folklore Music for the radio and television of Belgic, Algeria and Spain; for the discographic collection Chant du Monde and for BBC, in London. In 1971, he created his first dramatic- dancing work: Alafín de Oyó, presented with a great sucess by CFN, the same happened with Arará, made in 1979. In 1980 he created the Coral of Yorubas Songs and since 1988, he took part of the group of professors of the International Folklore Laboratory (FOLKCUBA , sponsored by CFN).

His strong and beautiful voice, has a wide spectrum which allows him, to sing either in a low tone or to reach the most powerful sharpness. It is worthy to mention, his performances with remarkable figures as the soprano María Remolá with whom he interpreted the music for the ballet El rio y el bosque from the repertoire of the Cuban National Ballet, or with the most contemporary music representers, such as Síntesis and Mezcla groups; with the first one, he recorded for LD Ancestors (4432,EGREM) in 1981 and with the second one, he recorded a recent LD. At the 60 decade, he made his bow in the movie with the film Suite Cubana, work made by the choreographer Ramiro Guerra; he also participated in the movie Osain and other documentaries approaching the Africans antecedents and the Cuban Santería. In 1990, he played the protagonic role in the documental Ogún, made by Gloria Rolado from ICAIC.

In 1992, the Olorun Group was born, mixing chants, dancings and drums in a very simple way, transmitting a new intensity in which his voice was a spotlight. The fact of listening is a unique experience.

Among the major accolades for his artistic labor, the Fernando Ortiz Order was conferred due to his contributions to preserve the Cuban culture, receiving also the National Prize of Music.
Onn 2001 he was nominated to Latin Grammy for his phonogram Shangó under Unicornio Label.
He died on February, 2005 at Havana city, being 80 years old, suffering from cancer.

Taken from Diccionario de la Música Española e Hispanoamericana and some journalist notes.

See discography in www.discuba.com