Bartolomé Maximiliano Moré Gutiérrez, better known as Benny Moré, was a Cuban singer, bandleader and songwriter. Due to his fluid tenor voice and his great expressivity, he was known variously as "El Bárbaro del Ritmo" and "El Sonero Mayor". Moré was a master of the soneo – the art of vocal improvisation in son cubano – and many of his tunes developed this way. He often took part in controversias with other singers, including Cheo Marquetti and Joseíto Fernández. Apart from son cubano, Moré was a popular singer of guarachas, cha cha cha, mambo, son montuno, and boleros.
Benny Moré
Bronze statue of Moré in Cienfuegos' Prado street
Moré and his "Orquesta Gigante" at Radio Progreso in the late 1950s
Moré (right) with La Lupe and Pacho Alonso, c. 1959. All three were signed to the RCA Victor subsidiary Discuba.
Son cubano is a genre of music and dance that originated in the highlands of eastern Cuba during the late 19th century. It is a syncretic genre that blends elements of Spanish and African origin. Among its fundamental Hispanic components are the vocal style, lyrical metre and the primacy of the tres, derived from the Spanish guitar. On the other hand, its characteristic clave rhythm, call and response structure and percussion section are all rooted in traditions of Bantu origin.
A marímbula, the "bass" instrument used by changüí ensembles. Some groups used the more rudimentary jug known as botija or botijuela.
Sexteto Habanero 1920.
Sexteto Habanero 1925.
Sexteto Boloña 1926.