Avelino Muñoz

Avelino Muñoz Barrios (born December 20, 1912 in Panama City , † January 24, 1962 in San Juan ) was a Panamanian pianist, organist, conductor, arranger and composer.

Like his brothers Salvador , Emilio and Toby , Avelino Munoz acquired his musical knowledge largely self-taught and began his musical career as a silent film pianist in his hometown. In 1938 he made his first record on which he accompanied Silvia De Grasse in the song Morena tumba hombres . In 1944 he founded his own orchestra, with which he performed in the Jardín el Rancho and the Balboa until 1947 and performed compositions by Miguelito García and Jorge “Patón” Baker .

From 1947, Muñoz lived in Puerto Rico and headed the Super Orquesta San José there for two years . In the 1950s he traveled to Mexico several times, where he directed the orchestra of Mario Ruiz Armengol . With this he accompanied musicians like Pedro Vargas , Juan Arvizu , Alfonso Ortíz Tirado , Leo Marini , Hugo Romani , Bobby Capó , Toña la Negra , María Luisa Landín , Celia Cruz and Olga Guillot .

He also toured all other Latin American and Caribbean countries as well as the USA and made numerous recordings for RCA Víctor , Columbia Records and Decca Records, among others . In 1956 and 1957 he was honored as the best pianist and organist in Puerto Rico, and for his achievements on television in the country he was also awarded the Premio Codazos . In 1957 he was awarded the Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa by Aquilino Boyd , Panamanian Foreign Minister .

Muñoz was also successful as a composer with songs such as Crucigrama de Amor , Irremediablemente sólo , Maldición gitana , Hoy no quisiera vivir , Yo esto contigo , Yo quiero verla esta noche , Cosa linda and Lamento . Toña la Negra and Bobby Capó , Néstor Mesta Chayres , Víctor Piñero , Silvia De Grasse and Manolo Monterrey were among the interpreters of his songs .

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• Avelino Muñoz: pianista y organista Panameño de Antaño
• Biblioteca Virtual Iberoamericana y Caribeña - Avelino Muñoz Barrios