José Antonio Méndez

José Antonio Méndez García (born June 21, 1927 in Havana ; † June 10, 1989 ibid) was a Cuban composer , guitarist and singer .

Life

Méndez met Sindo Garay , Manuel Corona and Rosendo Ruíz Suárez , representatives of the traditional Cuban trova , in his early youth . In 1940 he was a prize winner in the competition of the radio program La Corte Suprema del Arte . In 1946 he wrote his first composition, Por mi ceguedad , and shortly afterwards Novia mía , one of his most famous works. During this time he came into contact with representatives of the los muchachos del filin such as the composers César Portillo de la Luz , Ñico Rojas , Ángel Díaz , Luis Yáñez , Rosendo Ruíz Quevedo , Pablo Reyes , Justo Santos and Niño Rivera , the singers Elena Burke , Omara Portuondo and Moraima Secada and the pianist Frank Emilio Flynn , who were formative for his musical style.

In 1946 he founded the group Loquibambia Swing , in which he played the first guitar and the Alberto Menéndez (second guitar), Eligio Valera , Leonel Bravet and Omara Portuondo (vocals), Oscar González (later Isauro Hernández , double bass) and Frank Emilio Flynn ( Piano) belonged to. In another group with Rosendo Ruíz, Dandy Crawford , Luis Yáñez; Francisco Fellove , Isauro Hernández, Frank Domínguez , Wichi Mercier and Leonardo Acosta he played the electric guitar.

In 1947 he composed the song La gloria eres tú , which Pedro Infante sang in the film Dos tipos de cuidado and which Olga Guillot recorded in New York. In 1949 he made recordings with Julio Gutiérrez's band and, at the invitation of Pepe Reyes, visited Mexico, where he worked with Mario Ruiz Armengol , Agustín Lara , Gonzalo Curiel , Luis Demetrio , Álvaro Carrillo , Vicente Garrido , María Luisa Landín , José Saber Marroquín and another occurred. Roberto Espís Conjunto Casino recorded several of his songs in the early 1950s, including Soy tan feliz , Cuando lo pienses bien , Quiéreme y verás and Tú, mi adoración (with Roberto Faz ). 1955–56, at the suggestion of Mario Rivera Conde , he played compositions and songs by other composers in Mexico with the orchestras of Chucho Zarzosa and Mario Ruiz Armengol.

Méndez returned to Cuba in 1969 and performed every night in the lobby's bar of the Hotel Saint John's in Havana in the early 1960s . With the combo of Frank Emilio Flynn and a jazz ensemble under Rafael Somavilla , he recorded an album in Havana in 1964, including his own compositions such as Cemento, ladrillo, arena , El nuevo amanecer , Tu dulce mirar and new versions of Mi mejor canción and Novia mía and others Representatives of the Filin such as César Portillo de la Luz ( Dime si eres tú ), Pablo Reyes ( Gemelos ), Armando Guerrero ( Tema eterno ), Armando Peñalver ( Me parece mentira ) and Enrique Pessino ( Corazón en cristal ).

New recordings were made in 1977 with Frank Emilio Flynn and in Mexico in 1978 with the orchestra of Chucho Zarzosa (including Xochimilco by Agustín Lara, El amor de mi bohío by Julio Brito , La puerta by Luis Demetrio and Una aventura by Elisa Méndez ). His last LP with orchestral arrangements by Frank Emilio Flynn, Rey Montesinos and Abelardo Buchs was released in 1986 in Havana. Méndez was killed in a traffic accident in 1989.

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personal data
SURNAME	Méndez, José Antonio
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Méndez García, José Antonio (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Cuban singer, guitarist and composer
DATE OF BIRTH	June 21, 1927
PLACE OF BIRTH	Havana
DATE OF DEATH	June 10, 1989
Place of death	Havana