Havana. January 18th, 1948. Composer and guitar player. He was a member of different bands and orchestras, Los Armónicos, Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, Grupo de Experimentación Sonora del ICAIC, Nuestro Tiempo.

He was also the director of Danza Contemporánea and ORU group.


Considered one of the most valuable talents from Cuban culture, he is, in adittion, researcher of Cuban culture roots and traditions. Cells of Yoruba and Congo-Bantú origin, entwined with basic elements of Hispanic sonority are present in his works, mainly in those involving guitar. His control over contemporary orchestration and composition techniques and his huge knowledge of the popular traditions in his country, joined to the characteristics above, relate and fuse in his work to turn it into one of the most genuine and fertile of the Cuban music of the last 30 years.

He was a student of Isaac Nicola, Leo Brouwer, Federico Smith, José Ardévol, José Loyola y Roberto Varela.


Works

Soundtracks
He has composed more than 50 soundtracks:
De Cierta Manera,1974. Directed by Sara Gómez
El Brigadista,1977, Directed by Octavio Cortázar
Maluala, 1979, Directed by Sergio Giral
Guardafronteras, 1980, Directed by Octavio Cortázar
Capablanca, 1986, Directed by Manuel Herrera
Derecho de asilo Asilo, 1994, Directed by Octavio Cortázar
Quiéreme y verás, 1995, Directed by Daniel Díaz Torres
Tatu, Ché en el Congo,1997, Directed by Jorge Fuentes
CHE,1998, Directed by Miguel Torres
Puerto Príncipe mío, 2000, Directed by Rigoberto López.

Music for television
En silencio ha tenido que ser, Composed with José María Vitier;
Julito el pescador;
Rumbo a la salida del Sol;
El eco de las piedras.

Drama
Divinas Palabras, Valle Inclán-Roberto Blanco; Mariana, Lorca- Roberto Blanco
Yerma, Lorca- Roberto Blanco; El Carillón del Kremlin, Pogodin-Radomislensky; Manteca, Alberto Pedro- Miriam Lezcano.

Music for Ballet
La Caza (1979); Fausto (1979); Michelangelo (1979); Yerma (1980); Rito de la Danza (1984); Freud (1989); Música para el Ballet Nacional de Cuba, compañía de Alicia Alonso; Dúo de siempre, Choreography of Alberto Méndez,1976.
Flora, Choreography of Gustavo Herrera,1978; Ad Libitum, Choreography of Alberto Méndez,1978. (This one, especially composed for Alicia Alonso and Antonio Gades.

Music for Symphonic and Chamber Orchestra
Desprendimientos, Symphonic Poem; Cumbres; Raíces; Tres Trenos Destiempos para piano; Acerca de un tema Yoruba; Líricas, Ritmos y Canción.

See discography in www.discuba.com