René Hernández (musician)

René Alejandro Hernández Junco (born January 21, 1916 in Cruces , † September 5, 1987 in San Juan ) was a Cuban pianist and arranger.

Life

Hernandez joined a local orchestra called Jakiki in the mid-1930s . There he met the trombonist and pianist Generoso Jiménez , with whom he moved to Carmén Arellano's orchestra Arellano Fernández . He soon took over the direction of the orchestra and was already making a name for himself as an interpreter of Danzónes .

With his brother Raúl he joined the Orquesta Cienfuegos , one of the most important Tipico jazz bands in Cuba. In Havana he occasionally appeared with the Siglo XX orchestra , where he became a member of the Orquesta Hermanos Palau and in 1940 of the orchestra of the trumpeter and composer Julio Cueva . For this he wrote numerous arrangements until he was replaced by Damaso Pérez Prado .

After a time as a pianist at Bebo Valdés ' Casino de la Playa , he went to New York in 1945 and succeeded Joe Loco as a member of Mario Bauzás Afro-Cubanos , with whom he worked as a pianist and arranger until 1966. In 1953 he accompanied Arsenio Rodríguez on a recording. His compositions Harlem jamboree , Noche y día , Cha chá René and Killer Joe were recorded by Machito and his orchestra under the name René Hernández and his orchestra . Until the end of the 1950s he also worked as an arranger for Panchito Riset and directed its orchestra. His arrangement of Ublabadu a Rumba Pepe Becques was u. a. interpreted by Miguelito Valdés , Arsenio Rodríguez , Vitín Avilés and Tito Rodríguez . In 1965 he accompanied Celia Cruz on a studio recording.

In 1966, Hernández separated from the Afro-Cubanos and joined the Tito Rodríguez ' orchestra . With this he traveled to Puerto Rico, where he settled. He worked there as an arranger a. a. for Eddie Palmieri and played in several orchestras on the island, including that of Miguelito Miranda at the Hilton Hotel.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Hernández, René
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Hernández Junco, René Alejandro
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Cuban pianist and arranger
DATE OF BIRTH	January 21, 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH	Cruces
DATE OF DEATH	5th September 1987
Place of death	San Juan (Puerto Rico)