Rolo Martinez

Rolando "Rolo" Martinez was born in 1935 in Cayo Hueso, a Havana neighborhood that nurtured many legendary singers and musicians such as Vicentico Valdez, Rene Alvarez, Cheo Marquetti, Mercedita Valdez and Chano Pozo. As a child, Rolo was greatly influenced by the folkloric wealth of Cayo Hueso, one of the epicenters of urban rumba.

At the age of 15, Rolo was already singing professionally with various Havanese groups. A few years later, he became the lead singer of the popular conjunto led by Felix Chapotin, after Miguelito Cuni left his trumpet-playing partner to join forces temporarily with Benny More. Replacing Miguelito Cuni, one of the most important soneros of the 20th century, was definitely a valuable and challenging experience for the young singer from Cayo Hueso.

During the second half of the 1950's, Rolo switched from the trumpet led conjunto sound to the so-called jazz band (Cuban style big band) format. This happened when he was recruited by the outstanding bandleader/arranger Ernesto Duarte, author of the classic bolero Como Fue. Backed by Duarte's orchestra, Rolo recorded certain tunes that quickly penetrated Havana's hit parade.

In 1959, at the peak of his popularity, Rolo recorded his first solo album with spectacular results. During the following decade, after Benny More's premature demise, Rolo had the unique opportunity to add his lead vocals to the incomparable Banda Gigante which had preciously accompanied the greatest Latin American singer of all time. Years later he worked exstensively with vocalist Pachito Alonso. Ironically, despite the commercial success of his 1959 solo recording debut, Rolo did not record another disc under his own name until 1982 (and it took EGREM several years to release this second album.

Fortunately, Rolo always kept singing while taking good care of his vocal chords. A new chapter of his career began in December of 1997, when he participated in the recording of flutist Orlando "Maraca" Valle's critically acclaimed CD "Sonando!" (Ahi-Nama). A few months later, Rolo took part in an international summer tour of the all-star Cubanismo band led by trumpet player Jesus Alemany, with whom he appeared in 12 different North American cities.

The summer of 1998 also marked the release of Rolo's eagerly awaited third solo album, "Para Bailar Mi Son" (Ahi-Nama), backed by the internationally renowned group Bamboleo, under the musical direction of pianist Lazaro Valdez. The summer of 1999 Rolo toured the US as a solo artist to promote his album which came to be another success for Rolo. After listening to Rolo's first Ahi-Nama release, one must agree with L.A. based broadcaster Beto Arcos' assessment of Rolo as "One of the great soneros from Cuba's Golden Age of Music who's voice has remained as rich as it was back in the 50's."