José Fajardo Is a Cuban Charanga Bandleader and Flautist
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José Fajardo José Fajardo is a Cuban charanga bandleader and flautist. After performing with the band of Antonio María Romeu, he formed his own charanga band in 1957. Jose Fajardo was born in 1919 in Pinar del Rio, Cuba, and played the traditional five-keyed wooden flute in a family band led by his father Alberto Fajardo, a clarinetist, and named Orquesta Hilda after his sister Hilda, its pianist. He worked as a policeman in Havana before joining a leading charanga group of the early 1940’s, Arcaño y Sus Maravillas, when its leader, the flutist Antonio Arcaño, could no longer play flute. A few years later he started his own group, Fajardo y sus Estrellas in 1949. His recordings for the Panart label were hits, and soon, his group grew so popular that Mr. Fajardo led three bands by the same name, sometimes taking a helicopter to play sets in different cities on a single night. He performed in the United States in the mid-1950’s, performing at the Waldorf-Astoria and such prestigious ballrooms as the Palladium, where he shared a double bill with Tito Puente. In 1961, after the Cuban revolution of 1959, he was touring Japan when the Cuban government cabled to request that he continue the tour to communist countries, his wife said. He refused, and instead of returning to Cuba he stayed in the United States along with one of his band members; the rest returned to Cuba. He quickly founded two new bands, one in New York and one in Miami, playing a new, slightly more assertive rhythm called pachanga. He preferred the New York musicians and settled into the city’s busy Latin circuit. In 1965 he took what was supposed to be a four-week job in Puerto Rico and ended up staying nearly five years, playing steadily for the first two years at the El San Juan Hotel, where he set attendance records. Mr. Fajardo returned to New York late in 1969 and continued working steadily at the Palladium, Casino 14, Casa Blanca and other Latin clubs. He recorded for labels including Columbia, Fania and Coco, and became a model for New York-based flutists including Johnny Pacheco and Dave Valentín. By the 1980’s Mr. Fajardo had eased his pace slightly, but he continued to lead a band even after his health declined in the late 1990’s. He was in constant demand as a studio musician and a guest performer, playing and recording with the Fania All-Stars, Israel (Cachao) López and many others. In June 2001 he and other leading Cuban musicians of his generation made an album, ”Cuban Masters: Los Originales” (Pimienta), that was released in November. Mr. Fajardo greatly expanded the audience for charanga, a Cuban ensemble that backs a singer with flute, violins, piano, bass and percussion. It plays gentle but insinuating rhythms, particularly the danzó and cha-cha, sparked by quick, darting flute interjections. In Cuba in the 1950’s, and as an expatriate after 1961, Mr. Fajardo led groups whose popularity helped create a lasting taste for charanga through eras of more heavily percussive Latin music. He made more than 40 albums. José Fajardo Video : Credits Year Album Artist 2012 Anthology Johnny Pacheco Featured Artist 2012 Simply Latin Primary Artist Ponte Duro: The Fania All Fania All- 2010 Flute, Soloist Stars Story Stars 2009 Simply Latin Party Primary Artist Year Album Artist Beginner’s Guide to Latin 2008 Composer Dance Danzones Para Bailar, 2008 José Fajardo Primary Artist Vol. 1 Hot Nights at the 2008 Primary Artist Palladium Cha Cha Cha at the 2007 Primary Artist Palladium, Vol. 1 Charanga at the 2007 Primary Artist Palladium, Vol. 1 2007 Homenaje al Danzon Primary Artist 2007 Latin Cool [Metro] Primary Artist 2007 The Best of Bobby Matos Bobby Matos Composer Flute, Main Voyager Series: Cuba – Jose Fajardo & 2007 Personnel, Danzon: National Dance His Orchestra Primary Artist El Maestro: A Man and His 2006 Johnny Pacheco Primary Artist Music The Essential Guide to 2006 Primary Artist Cuba [Box Set] La Charanga 2005 Canta Yesid Perez Composer New York Cuba’s Pride in USA 2005 (Orgullo de Cuba en Primary Artist E.U.A.) 2005 Latino Jazz [Charly] Primary Artist 2005 Salsa Mambo Cha-Cha-Cha Batambo Composer Flute, Main 2004 AfroCuban Jazz Mario Bauzá Personnel Cuban Jam Sessions 2004 Composer [Balboa] Year Album Artist Hall of Fame: Historia 2004 Compay Segundo Composer Musical Joyas Musicales: 2004 Oscar D’León Composer Coleccion de Oro [#1] Afro-Cuban All 2004 Live in Japan Composer Stars 2004 Mr. Latin Rene Bloch Composer Sabor Popular de Cuba: 2004 Grabaciones Históricas Composer 1955-1996 Sus All Stars: Coleccion 2004 Fajardo Composer de Oro 2004 The Best Tipica 73 Tipica ’73 Composer Paquito 2004 Tribute to Cal Tjader Flute d’Rivera Experience Cuba: The 2003 Composer Golden Era, Vol. 2 Teresa Garcia 2003 Llego Tete Composer Caturla El Danzon de la Reina Charanga 2002 Composer Isabel Rubalcaba Charanga en la Calle 2001 Composer Ocho: Millennium Edition 2001 Cuba Mi Amor Composer 2001 En Mexico Oscar D’León Composer 2001 Oscares de Oscar Oscar D’León Composer Daniel de los 2001 San Rafael 560 Composer Reyes 2000 Afro-Cuban Fiesta Composer 2000 Cuba José Fajardo Primary Artist Year Album Artist 2000 Dancing in Havana Composer De Cuba Son: Roots of 2000 Composer Buena Vista Greetings from Cuba, Pt. 2000 Composer 2 Legends of Cuban Music, Orquesta 2000 Composer Vol. 8 Aragón 2000 Viva la Charanga [Protel] Composer Charangueando: Latin 1999 Composer Roots 1999 Cuba Libre [PMF] Composer Cuba Y la Historia del 1999 Composer Cha Cha Cha 1999 Cuba: 3 Grandes Orquestas Composer 1999 Cuban Cha Cha Cha José Fajardo Primary Artist La Tipica De Pachanga con la 1999 Moderna in New Composer Charanga [Sonolux] York Arranger, Director, 1999 Fajardo Y Sus Estrellas Fajardo Flute, Primary Artist, Producer Performer, 1999 Gala Cubana 1898-1998 Primary Artist Orquesta 1999 Latin Roots Composer Aragón Grupo Cafe 1999 Live Composer Nostalgia Los Favoritos de Pepe 1999 Composer Bareto Year Album Artist Pacheco, Palmieri, and 1999 Charangas Composer Fajardo Tropical Daiquiri: Cuba’s Performer, 1999 Greatest Orchestras Primary Artist 1998 Bravos de Fania, Vol. 2 Composer Cuba: Epoca de Oro del 1998 Composer Cha Cha Cha Greatest Cuban Dance Performer, 1998 Rhythms, Vol. 2 Primary Artist Orquesta La 1998 Presente Y Pasado Composer Amistad 1998 Sonando Maraca Composer Yolandita 1997 Mi Encuentro Flute Monge 1997 Tropicoleccion, Vol. 6 Composer 100 Anos de Musica Cubana 1996 (1879-1979): Homenaje al Primary Artist Danzon Constelacion de 1996 Estrellas: Fania Platino, Composer Vol. 1 Cuba Morning: Great Bands 1996 Performer of the Fifties Cuba Y Su Musica: 30 Orquesta 1996 Composer Exitos Aragón 1996 Gombo Salsa Africando Flute Flute, Primary 1996 La Flauta de Cuba José Fajardo Artist 1996 Para Bailar Y Gozar Composer Year Album Artist Composer, Al Compas De Fajardo Y 1995 José Fajardo Flute, Primary Sus Estrellas Artist 1995 Chango’s Dance Bobby Matos Composer Performer, 1995 Dance Time in Havana Primary Artist 1995 Danzones de Ayer Performer Alfredito 1995 Fiesta No Es Para Feos Flute Valdez, Jr. Performer, 1995 Fiestona Primary Artist Performer, 1995 La Fiestona, Vol. 5 Primary Artist 1995 Los Reyes Del Cha Cha Cha Composer Composer, Mister Pachanga: 1995 José Fajardo Flute, Primary Leyendas/Legends Artist Composer, 1995 Una Noche En Montmarte José Fajardo Flute, Primary Artist 1994 Baila Mi Gente Performer Composer, 1994 Caribbean Magic Performer, Primary Artist Performer, 1994 Caribe Y Tropical Primary Artist Composer, 1994 Cuba Y Su Musica Performer Chihuahua All 1994 Descarga Cubana Composer Stars Year Album Artist Arranger, Composer, 1994 Hoy Y Mañana, Vol. 2 José Fajardo Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals The Best of Tito 1994 Tito Rodriguez Composer Rodriguez, Vol. 3 Flute, Primary 1993 16 Exitos José Fajardo Artist Flute, Primary 1993 16 Grandes Exitos José Fajardo Artist Bailables Inolvidables, Performer, 1993 Vol. 1 Primary Artist Danzones Completos 1993 Fajardo Primary Artist Instrumentales Danzones Para Bailar, 1993 José Fajardo Primary Artist Vol. 2 Flute, Primary 1993 Hoy Y Mañana, Vol. 1 José Fajardo Artist Flute, Las Charangas De Cuba Y 1993 Performer, Nueva York Primary Artist Let’s Dance with Fajardo, Flute, Primary 1993 José Fajardo Vol. 7 Artist Flute, Primary 1993 Saludos from Fajardo José Fajardo Artist Flute, Primary 1993 The Best of Jose Fajardo José Fajardo Artist The Mambo Kings Play 1993 Primary Artist Songs of Love All-Stars Cuban Jam Flute, Primary 1992 José Fajardo Session Artist Year Album Artist Performer, 1992 La Fiestona, Vol. 2 Primary Artist Tico Alegre 1992 Live at Carnegie Hall Flute All Stars Composer, 1991 Fajardo Y Su Charanga José Fajardo Flute, Primary Artist 1991 Toque de Clase Joe Arroyo Flute Bravos De La Salsa, Vol. 1990 Composer 2 Canta La Musica Cubana, 1990 Oscar D’León Composer Vol. 1 Composer, 1990 Charanga After Hour Performer, Primary Artist 1988 Bailables del Ano, Vol. 7 Composer 1987 La Salsa Soy Yo Oscar D’León Composer 1986 Exitos del Cha Cha Cha Composer Fania All- 1986 Viva La Charanga Composer, Flute Stars Composer, Flute, 1982 Fajardo y Pacheco Johnny Pacheco Performer, Primary Artist, Producer Charangueando Con La 1980 Tipica ’73 Composer Tipica 73 Las Tres Flautas: Javier 1980 Johnny Pacheco Flute Y Su Charanga Year Album Artist Flute, Main 1979 Rican/Struction Ray Barretto Personnel, Soloist 1974 Numero Tres Ocho Composer Composer, 196? Cuban Jam Session, Vol. 3 Fajardo Primary Artist Composer, 1963 Sabor Guajiro José Fajardo Flute, Primary Artist Baila Con Swing Sabroso Ray Rodriguez Composer Che Guevara: Music Inspired By The Life Of Composer Ernesto “Che” Guevara Compay Segundo, Vol. 2 Compay Segundo Composer Mirror to the Soul: Music, Culture and Primary Artist Identity in the Caribbean, 1920-72 Numbero 1 Ocho Composer Pa Mi Pueblo Charansalsa Composer Salsa Primary Artist Flute, Primary Senor Charanga! José Fajardo Artist Source: http://www.descarga.com/cgi-bin/db/archives/Profile70.