Faustino Oramas
Encyclopedia
Faustino Oramas Osorío, El Guayabero, (4 June 1911 – 27 March 2007) was a Cuban singer, tres
guitarist and composer
, the last surviving member of the traditional Cuban trova
. Most of his repertoire consisted of sons and guaracha
-sons, many with double entendres in the lyrics. One of his compositions was included in the Buena Vista Social Club
album.
as part of a septet of sones known as La Tropical made up by some friends with the purpose of enjoying and performing at the country dances.
During the 1940s, he began his career as composer with Tumbaíto, a song that was included in Libertad Lamarque's repertoire and title he used as an alias for some time. Afterwards, he composed two sones, Como vengo este año and El Guayabero. He composed the latter when he was performing as tres
player in the Trovadores Holguineros ensemble. Pacho Alonso
, the well-known Cuban musician, first heard the song and then recorded it in a long-playing record that toured across the world. Later on, the Orquesta Original de Manzanillo used the refrain in a tribute to Faustino who, since then, was known as "El Guayabero".
Skillful master of the double meaning, the Cuban's idiosyncrasy, his ingenuity, witty remarks and his love for highly erotic themes amusingly disguised are some of his main features. Unlike most trovadors, Oramas played sones rather than boleros, though this was also true, to some extent, of the famous Trio Matamoros
. His preferred instrument was the tres, which is a typical instrument of the son; most other trovadors such as María Teresa Vera
or Carlos Puebla
played the Spanish guitar. However, his backing groups usually included a Spanish guitar in the basic rhythm.
He composed the song Candela of the Buena Vista Social Club
(1997) recording, which was a worldwide hit. Wim Wenders
directed a documentary film of the musicians involved, Buena Vista Social Club
(1999) which was nominated for an Academy Award
in 2000.
Tres
The tres is a 3-course, 6-string chordophone which was created in Cuba. A tres player is called a tresero in Cuba and a tresista in Puerto Rico.-Cuban tres:In Cuba, the son was created as a song and a salon dance genre...
guitarist and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, the last surviving member of the traditional Cuban trova
Trova
Trova is one of the great roots of the Cuban music tree. In the 19th century a group of itinerant musicians known as trovadores moved around Oriente, especially Santiago de Cuba, earning their living by singing and playing the guitar...
. Most of his repertoire consisted of sons and guaracha
Guaracha
The guaracha is a genre of Cuban popular music, of rapid tempo and with lyrics. The word had been used in this sense at least since the late 18th and early 19th century. Guarachas were played and sung in musical theatres and in low-class dance salons. They became an integral part of Bufo comic...
-sons, many with double entendres in the lyrics. One of his compositions was included in the Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
The Buena Vista Social Club was a members club in Havana, Cuba that held dances and musical activities, becoming a popular location for musicians to meet and play during the 1940s...
album.
Career
When he was 15 years old he began playing the maracasMaracás
Maracás is a town and municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.-References:...
as part of a septet of sones known as La Tropical made up by some friends with the purpose of enjoying and performing at the country dances.
During the 1940s, he began his career as composer with Tumbaíto, a song that was included in Libertad Lamarque's repertoire and title he used as an alias for some time. Afterwards, he composed two sones, Como vengo este año and El Guayabero. He composed the latter when he was performing as tres
Tres
The tres is a 3-course, 6-string chordophone which was created in Cuba. A tres player is called a tresero in Cuba and a tresista in Puerto Rico.-Cuban tres:In Cuba, the son was created as a song and a salon dance genre...
player in the Trovadores Holguineros ensemble. Pacho Alonso
Pacho Alonso
Pacho Alonso was a Cuban singer and bandleader from Santiago de Cuba who is attributed with creating the musical form Pilón....
, the well-known Cuban musician, first heard the song and then recorded it in a long-playing record that toured across the world. Later on, the Orquesta Original de Manzanillo used the refrain in a tribute to Faustino who, since then, was known as "El Guayabero".
Skillful master of the double meaning, the Cuban's idiosyncrasy, his ingenuity, witty remarks and his love for highly erotic themes amusingly disguised are some of his main features. Unlike most trovadors, Oramas played sones rather than boleros, though this was also true, to some extent, of the famous Trio Matamoros
Trio Matamoros
The Trio Matamoros were one of the most popular Cuban trova groups. Formed in 1925 by Miguel Matamoros , Rafael Cueto and Siro Rodriguez...
. His preferred instrument was the tres, which is a typical instrument of the son; most other trovadors such as María Teresa Vera
María Teresa Vera
María Teresa Vera was a Cuban singer, guitarist and composer. She was an outstanding example of the Cuban trova movement....
or Carlos Puebla
Carlos Puebla
Carlos Manuel Puebla was a Cuban singer, guitarist, and composer. He was a member of the old trova movement who specialized in boleros and nationalistic songs.- Biography :...
played the Spanish guitar. However, his backing groups usually included a Spanish guitar in the basic rhythm.
He composed the song Candela of the Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club (album)
- Music :"Chan Chan", the first song on the album, is a Cuban song composition by Compay Segundo, revolving around two central characters, Juanita and Chan Chan. The song was one of Segundo's last compositions and was written in 1987, already having been recorded by Segundo himself various...
(1997) recording, which was a worldwide hit. Wim Wenders
Wim Wenders
Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders is a German film director, playwright, author, photographer and producer.-Early life:Wenders was born in Düsseldorf. He graduated from high school in Oberhausen in the Ruhr area. He then studied medicine and philosophy in Freiburg and Düsseldorf...
directed a documentary film of the musicians involved, Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club (film)
Buena Vista Social Club is a documentary film by Wim Wenders about the music of Cuba. It is named for a danzón that became the title piece of the album Buena Vista Social Club.-Synopsis:...
(1999) which was nominated for an Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
in 2000.
Compositions
Oramas composed over fifty numbers. He mostly sang his own compositions, which he could perform at any length by adding or subtracting verses. His signature number was El Guayabero; other popular numbers included: A María Elena; Como baila Marieta; Compositor confundido; Contigo mi china; El tumbaito; La triguenita; Las mujeres de Bayamo; Los abuelos se rebelan; Mi son retoson. In most of these compositions the rhythm and the poetical structure is rather similar. Four-line verses are interspersed with two or four repeating lines, and the whole or part may be repeated, perhaps several times. The real content comes in the language, which is amusing, human, topical, sometimes vulgar, always entertaining. Rather surprisingly, his work has not been analysed by Cuban writers until recently, although he was well known in the eastern provinces. Indeed, it is difficult to find his name in the various histories of the trovador movement.LPs
- El Guayabero: sones del humor popular (no date; late 70s/early 80s). Siboney LD-224
- El Guayabero: sones del humor popular (1987; different content from above). Siboney LD-342
- El Guayabero (1989/90; content different again). Siboney LD-466
CDs
- Buena Vista Social ClubBuena Vista Social Club (album)- Music :"Chan Chan", the first song on the album, is a Cuban song composition by Compay Segundo, revolving around two central characters, Juanita and Chan Chan. The song was one of Segundo's last compositions and was written in 1987, already having been recorded by Segundo himself various...
(September 1997; Oramas was the author of the number Candela, but he was not the singer on this occasion) - Faustino Oramas / El Guayabero / El tren de la vida. (Spain's Eurotropical label, an imprint of the Canary Islands-based Manzana Discos. Has been criticized for its non-authentic backing group (see Amazon and U-Tube feedback).