Cesar Concepcion
Encyclopedia
Cayetano César Concepción Martínez, (1909 – 1974), was a Puerto Rican musician and composer, who brought the music of his native land to Latin American ballroom dancing, and ballrooms all over the world. He popularised the plena
as a Latin song style.
Concepción was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico
, and was a noted composer of his time, writing music based on contemporary Puerto Rican scenes and vistas. He wrote several plenas, mambos, and salsa
songs to honor cities such as San Juan
, Mayagüez
, Ponce
, Yauco
, Salinas
, and Santurce. In addition, he directed his own orchestra for 25 years. He died in Río Piedras
, Puerto Rico. The orchestra continues to perform in the present day, often playing in prominent Puerto Rican social circles.
Plena
Plena is a folkloric genre native to Puerto Rico. Its creation was influenced by African and Spanish music.-History:The music is generally folkloric. The music's beat and rhythm are usually played using hand drums called panderetas, but also known as panderos or pleneras. The music is accompanied...
as a Latin song style.
Concepción was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and was a noted composer of his time, writing music based on contemporary Puerto Rican scenes and vistas. He wrote several plenas, mambos, and salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
songs to honor cities such as San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, Mayagüez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
, Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, Yauco
Yauco, Puerto Rico
Yauco is a city and municipality in southwestern Puerto Rico located in the southern coast of the island by the Caribbean, south of Maricao, Lares and Adjuntas; east of Sabana Grande and Guánica; and west of Guayanilla. Yauco is spread over 20 wards and Yauco Pueblo...
, Salinas
Salinas, Puerto Rico
Salinas is a small municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico located in the southern coast of the island, south of Aibonito and Cayey; southeast of Coamo, east of Santa Isabel; and west of Guayama...
, and Santurce. In addition, he directed his own orchestra for 25 years. He died in Río Piedras
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, Puerto Rico. The orchestra continues to perform in the present day, often playing in prominent Puerto Rican social circles.
Further reading
- Aparicio, Frances R., "Listening to salsa: gender, Latin popular music, and Puerto Rican cultures", Wesleyan University Press, 1998. ISBN 978-0-8195-6308-8. Cf. p. 33
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans