Richard Egües
Encyclopedia
Richard Egües nicknamed "la flauta magica" (the magic flute), (October 26, 1923 - September 1, 2006) was a Cuba
n flautist
and musician, on of the country's most famous artists. Egües was a member of the Orquesta Aragón
band which he joined in 1953. He was also a strong supporter of the Cuban Revolution
, and a few days before he died, Richard Egües stated "I would give my life for him", referring to the Cuban President Fidel Castro
, who was very sick at the time.
Egües composed what are today classics of salsa
, such as "Sabrosona", "Bombón cha", "Gladys", "El cerquillo", "El Cuini" and his most well-known song, "El bodeguero", which became part of Nat King Cole
's repertoire.
Egues was born in the town of Cruces
in the Cuban province of Las Villas on January 26, 1924. After learning to play sax, clarinet and piano, he decided to pick up the flute in the late '40s, in part, because flute players got to take more breaks during performances. Egues later came to be the foremost exponent of the charanga
style of Cuban flute playing.
Charanga
bands consist of vocals, percussion, strings and a flutist with the flute serving as a prominent and central voice. Charanga music has a characteristic classical or ‘ballroom’ aspect to it as it was historically intended for the wealthier classes. Accordingly, this style reflects a blend of Spanish and French contredanse as well as African roots. The tunes played by charanga bands are typically the ‘danzon
’ (with its characteristic five-beat percussive figure known as the cinquillo
) and the more the familiar ‘cha cha cha
’ (which, unlike most other Cuban styles, is not rooted in the clave
).
Egues served for many years as the flutist with a popular charanga band known as Orquesta Aragón
. The ensemble was founded in 1939. After substituting in the band on many occasions over a period of years, Richard was finally solicited by the leader to become a full-time member when Rolando Lazano left the group in 1954. Once installed, Egues remained with Orquesta Aragón for over three decades and became an active participant (as flutist, writer and arranger) in the band's most renowned works and, in a genuine sense, began to define this style of Cuban music as Orquesta Aragón became a world-renowned performing group—and in no small measure on account of Egues’ own personal popularity.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n flautist
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
and musician, on of the country's most famous artists. Egües was a member of the Orquesta Aragón
Orquesta Aragón
Orquesta Aragón was formed on 30 September 1939, by Orestes Aragón Cantero in Cienfuegos, Cuba. The band originally had the name Ritmica 39, then Ritmica Aragón before settling on its final form. Though they did not create the Cha-cha-cha, they were arguably the best charanga in Cuba during 1950s...
band which he joined in 1953. He was also a strong supporter of the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
, and a few days before he died, Richard Egües stated "I would give my life for him", referring to the Cuban President Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, who was very sick at the time.
Egües composed what are today classics of 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...
, such as "Sabrosona", "Bombón cha", "Gladys", "El cerquillo", "El Cuini" and his most well-known song, "El bodeguero", which became part of Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
's repertoire.
Egues was born in the town of Cruces
Cruces
Cruces is a municipality and town in Cienfuegos Province, Cuba. It is the home of the Mal Tiempo National Park which commemorates a battle in the 1895 War of Independence....
in the Cuban province of Las Villas on January 26, 1924. After learning to play sax, clarinet and piano, he decided to pick up the flute in the late '40s, in part, because flute players got to take more breaks during performances. Egues later came to be the foremost exponent of the 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....
style of Cuban flute playing.
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....
bands consist of vocals, percussion, strings and a flutist with the flute serving as a prominent and central voice. Charanga music has a characteristic classical or ‘ballroom’ aspect to it as it was historically intended for the wealthier classes. Accordingly, this style reflects a blend of Spanish and French contredanse as well as African roots. The tunes played by charanga bands are typically the ‘danzon
Danzón
Danzón is the official dance of Cuba. It is also an active musical form in Mexico and is still beloved in Puerto Rico where Verdeluz, a modern danzón by Puerto Rican composer Antonio Cabán Vale is considered the unofficial national anthem...
’ (with its characteristic five-beat percussive figure known as the cinquillo
Cinquillo
A cinquillo is a typical Cuban/Caribbean rhythmic cell, derived from the contradanza and the danzón. It consists of an eighth, a sixteenth, an eighth, a sixteenth, and an eighth note. Placing this rhythm in a 2/4 measure, it obtains a strongly syncopated character from the sustained note which...
) and the more the familiar ‘cha cha cha
Cha-cha-cha (dance)
The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
’ (which, unlike most other Cuban styles, is not rooted in the clave
Clave (rhythm)
The clave rhythmic pattern is used as a tool for temporal organization in Afro-Cuban music, such as rumba, conga de comparsa, son, son montuno, mambo, salsa, Latin jazz, songo and timba. The five-stroke clave pattern represents the structural core of many Afro-Cuban rhythms...
).
Egues served for many years as the flutist with a popular charanga band known as Orquesta Aragón
Orquesta Aragón
Orquesta Aragón was formed on 30 September 1939, by Orestes Aragón Cantero in Cienfuegos, Cuba. The band originally had the name Ritmica 39, then Ritmica Aragón before settling on its final form. Though they did not create the Cha-cha-cha, they were arguably the best charanga in Cuba during 1950s...
. The ensemble was founded in 1939. After substituting in the band on many occasions over a period of years, Richard was finally solicited by the leader to become a full-time member when Rolando Lazano left the group in 1954. Once installed, Egues remained with Orquesta Aragón for over three decades and became an active participant (as flutist, writer and arranger) in the band's most renowned works and, in a genuine sense, began to define this style of Cuban music as Orquesta Aragón became a world-renowned performing group—and in no small measure on account of Egues’ own personal popularity.