Orlando Marin
Encyclopedia
Orlando Marin is a Puerto Rican band leader and timbales
player born in the Bronx, New York in 1935. He formed his first band, Eddie Palmieri and his Orchestra, in 1951-52 with himself as director and Eddie Palmieri
as musical director and later on the piano.
Along with his music, he studied as a commercial artist, or comic book illustrator.
He played with several different bands in the famous Palladium Ballroom
.
Orlando went into the army in 1958 for service in Korea. While on duty, he won first prize in the All Army Talent Competition in the Pacific Command. He then toured Korea and Japan and went to Washington DC for the final competition. This was followed by a performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. When stationed in California, Orlando sat in for Tito Puente
on timbales
at the Hollywood Palladium
.
Orlando left the army in 1960 and formed a new band with many of his previous members. He returned to New York. He again appeared at the Palladium Ballroom
and other New York dance venues, including the Limbo Lounge, the Bayside Manor, the Hotel Taft, and the Bronx's Hunts Point Palace, among others.
Orlando was a contemporary of such greats as Tito Puente
, Machito
, and Tito Rodriguez
. He is the only orchestra leader from New York’s golden era of mambo who still performs regularly.
His first two albums Arriba Cha-Cha-Cha, and Lets Go Latin were recorded with Fiesta records. He recorded Mi Mambo on the Plus label.
He recorded Se Te Quemó La Casa, and Que Chévere for Alegre Records. Orlando then returned to Fiesta Records, for whom he recorded Está en Algo (He's Up To Something) which included the smash hit Aprende a Querer. Later, he recorded the first bugaloo album ever recorded, Out of My Mind, for the Brunswick label. Then, he released his albumn Saxophobia.
In 1961, Orlando released his hit charanga
record Se Te Quemó la Casa.
Timbales
Timbales are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing, invented in Cuba. They are shallower in shape than single-headed tom-toms, and usually much higher tuned...
player born in the Bronx, New York in 1935. He formed his first band, Eddie Palmieri and his Orchestra, in 1951-52 with himself as director and Eddie Palmieri
Eddie Palmieri
Eddie Palmieri , is a Grammy Award winning Puerto Rican pianist, bandleader and musician, best known for combining jazz piano and instrumental solos with Latin rhythms.-Early years:...
as musical director and later on the piano.
Career
After his first group broke up, Orlando got a contract at Sunnyside Garden for almost three years to play every Saturday. This was his first steady gig.Along with his music, he studied as a commercial artist, or comic book illustrator.
He played with several different bands in the famous Palladium Ballroom
Palladium Ballroom
The Palladium Ballroom was a second-floor dancehall on 53rd Street and Broadway in New York City which became famous for its excellent Latin music from 1948 until its closing in 1966.-Opening of Palladium:...
.
Orlando went into the army in 1958 for service in Korea. While on duty, he won first prize in the All Army Talent Competition in the Pacific Command. He then toured Korea and Japan and went to Washington DC for the final competition. This was followed by a performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. When stationed in California, Orlando sat in for Tito Puente
Tito Puente
Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
on timbales
Timbales
Timbales are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing, invented in Cuba. They are shallower in shape than single-headed tom-toms, and usually much higher tuned...
at the Hollywood Palladium
Hollywood Palladium
The Hollywood Palladium is a theater located at 6215 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. It was built in a Streamline Moderne, Art Deco style and includes an 11,200 square foot dance floor with room for up to 4,000 people.-History:...
.
Orlando left the army in 1960 and formed a new band with many of his previous members. He returned to New York. He again appeared at the Palladium Ballroom
Palladium Ballroom
The Palladium Ballroom was a second-floor dancehall on 53rd Street and Broadway in New York City which became famous for its excellent Latin music from 1948 until its closing in 1966.-Opening of Palladium:...
and other New York dance venues, including the Limbo Lounge, the Bayside Manor, the Hotel Taft, and the Bronx's Hunts Point Palace, among others.
Orlando was a contemporary of such greats as Tito Puente
Tito Puente
Tito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
, Machito
Machito
Machito , born as Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo, was an influential Latin jazz musician who helped refine Afro-Cuban jazz and create both Cubop and salsa music...
, and Tito Rodriguez
Tito Rodriguez
Tito Rodríguez was a popular 1950s and 1960s Puerto Rican singer and bandleader. He is known by many fans as "El Inolvidable" , a moniker based on his most popular interpretation, a song written by composer Julio Gutierrez.-Early years:Rodríguez , born in Santurce, Puerto Rico,...
. He is the only orchestra leader from New York’s golden era of mambo who still performs regularly.
Awards
- In 1976, Orlando was invited to represent Hispanic America at the U.S. Bicentennial Celebration on Ellis IslandEllis IslandEllis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
.
- In 1993 in Colombia, Orlando was honored with a lifetime musical achievement award in Calis Plaza de Toros.
- In 1997, Latin music historiographer Max SalazarMax SalazarMax Salazar was an American musicologist specializing in the history of Latin music.His 2002 book "Mambo Kingdom: Latin Music In New York" contains a number of articles about the Mambo legend Tito Puente and over 200 other dance articles for the Village Voice, Latin Times, Billboard, etc.He was a...
presented Orlando a plaque at New York's at La Maganette in recognition of nearly five decades of uninterrupted contribution to Latin music.
- In 1999, New York's governor George E. Pataki presented Orlando with the Bobby CapóBobby CapóFélix Manuel Rodríguez Capó , better known as Bobby Capó, was an internationally known singer and songwriter from Puerto Rico...
Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of nearly a half century of dedication to Latin music.
- In January 2003, Orlando was invited by Latin Jazz station, WPFWWPFWWPFW, an FM station at 89.3 MHz, is the Washington, DC station owned by Pacifica Radio. The station first went on the air in 1977. Aside from syndicated Pacifica programs such as Democracy Now!, much of its programming is locally produced and dedicated to jazz, blues, classic soul music and...
, by the Arlington County (VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
) Cultural Arts Division, and by the Latin American Folk Institute to do a live concert in Washington at The Spectrum Theater.
- In 2006, Congressman Jose E. Serrano honored Orlando as “The Last Mambo King,” for his continuing to provide Latin American music and his willingness to devote time to helping the less fortunate.
Recording career
In 1954 he recorded his first 78 with his first composition, My Mambo.His first two albums Arriba Cha-Cha-Cha, and Lets Go Latin were recorded with Fiesta records. He recorded Mi Mambo on the Plus label.
He recorded Se Te Quemó La Casa, and Que Chévere for Alegre Records. Orlando then returned to Fiesta Records, for whom he recorded Está en Algo (He's Up To Something) which included the smash hit Aprende a Querer. Later, he recorded the first bugaloo album ever recorded, Out of My Mind, for the Brunswick label. Then, he released his albumn Saxophobia.
In 1961, Orlando released his hit charanga
Charanga
Charanga is a term given to traditional ensembles of Cuban dance music. They made Cuban dance music popular in the 1940s and their music consisted of heavily son-influenced material, performed on European instruments such as violin and flute by a Charanga orchestra....
record Se Te Quemó la Casa.
Discography
- Que Chévere (That's Great) Label:Alegre Records, Released:1960
- Se Te Quemó La Casa (You burn the house) Label:Alegre Records, Released:1961
- Out of My Mind Label:Brunswick, Released:1960
- Saxophobia Label:Manana Records, Released:1970
- Latin Cool Classics: Orlando Marin Label:Latin Cool Records, LLC, Released:2006
- Orlando Marin And His Orchestra, Vol. 2 Label:Fania, Released:2000
- Arriba Cha-Cha-Cha (A compilation with Monchito and Marquez)Label:Fiesta Records, Released:
- Lets Go Latin (A compilation with Ramon Marquez and Chico Sesma)Label:Fiesta Records, Released:
- Está en Algo (He's Up To Something) Label:Fiesta Records, Released: