Alberto Naranjo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alberto Naranjo
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jorge Alberto Naranjo del Pino |
| Born | September 14, 1941 Caracas, Venezuela |
| Origin | Venezuelan |
| Died | January 27, 2020 (aged 78) Caracas |
| Genres | Jazz, Latin genres |
| Occupation(s) | Arranger, composer, music director |
| Instruments | Drum kit, percussion, timbales |
| Years active | 1959–2019 |
| Labels | Integra, Roberto Obeso & Federico Pacanins |
| Associated acts | Ray Barretto Jeff Berlin Celia Cruz Simón Díaz Oscar D'León El Trabuco Venezolano Lucho Gatica Dusko Gojkovic Engelbert Humperdinck Irakere Tom Jones Orquesta Los Melódicos Tito Puente Tito Rodríguez Aldemaro Romero Arturo Sandoval Bobby Shew Pedro Vargas |
Alberto Naranjo was a famous Venezuelan musician. He was born on September 14, 1941, and passed away on January 27, 2020. His mother, Graciela Naranjo, was a well-known singer and a pioneer in radio, film, and TV in Venezuela.
Alberto taught himself a lot about music. Like his mother, he became a very important figure in Venezuelan popular music. He was known for his skills as a drummer, composer, and music director.
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Alberto Naranjo's Musical Journey
Alberto Naranjo loved many kinds of music. He was inspired by jazz and classical music. Some of his favorite artists included Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. He especially admired Tito Puente, a great Latin jazz leader.
Tito Puente changed how drums were used on stage. He moved the drum kit and timbales to the front. This showed that drums could be a solo instrument. It also proved that drummers could be amazing composers and arrangers.
Starting as a Drummer (1959–1969)
Inspired by Tito Puente, Alberto Naranjo began his music career at age 18. He played drums professionally. He joined several dance bands, like Los Melódicos. Alberto was a valuable sideman, meaning he could play well with many different groups.
He was good at many styles, including bossa nova, jazz, and pop. He could fit smoothly into any band. Later in the 1960s, he focused on studio recording sessions. He became one of the most requested musicians in Venezuela.
Busy Years (1970–1979)
From 1970 onwards, Naranjo was very busy. He played in countless recording sessions. He also toured a lot and became part of the Radio Caracas Television orchestra. He backed up many famous artists who visited Venezuela. These included Tom Jones and Julio Iglesias.
Alberto also started producing records and creating jingles (short catchy tunes for ads). He became a leader and mentor for both young and experienced musicians.
Founding El Trabuco Venezolano
In 1977, Alberto Naranjo started his famous orchestra, El Trabuco Venezolano. He quickly became known as a great arranger and leader. The name trabuco comes from Venezuelan baseball slang. It means a team of all-star players from different clubs. In music, it meant all-star musicians from different bands.
Naranjo created this orchestra to bring together talented musicians. He wanted to start a new musical movement. His band played at cultural events, theaters, and universities. Even though he didn't plan to be a salsa artist, his band often played salsa-like music.
Naranjo's arrangements were unique. He used a classic jazz drum set, congas, bongos, and timbales. He also had a strong brass section with trumpets and trombones. This was different from typical salsa bands. Sometimes, saxophones, electric guitar, or even a string section were added.
El Trabuco Venezolano toured and recorded five studio albums. They also made two live albums with the Cuban group Irakere. Both groups performed on stage together many times.
In the late 1970s, Naranjo was the drummer for Tito Puente's orchestra. They toured internationally with other salsa stars like Celia Cruz and Ray Barretto. Naranjo also worked with local jazz, bossa nova, and Venezuelan music groups. He became a top-notch arranger.
Later Years (1980–2020)
Naranjo made arrangements for many groups and pop artists. These included Simón Díaz and Oscar D'León. He also performed with jazz musicians like Arturo Sandoval.
His band, El Trabuco, played with other famous musicians. He also toured through Europe, Latin America, and the United States.
From the 1990s, Naranjo became very active in promoting music and art in Venezuela. He was not just a player. He also shared his knowledge as a historian, educator, and writer on radio, in books, and in newspapers.
Awards and Recognitions
Alberto Naranjo received many awards for his musical talent.
- 1973: Won Best Arrangement at the IX Festival de la Canción in Venezuela.
- 1976: Won Best Arrangement at the IV Festival Internacional de la Canción de Puerto Rico.
- 1992: Nominated for a Grammy Award for his orchestration in The Mambo Kings.
- 1992: Named Best Orchestrator of the Year in Venezuela.
- 1988: Honored at the 1st Caracas Jazz Festival for helping jazz grow in Venezuela.
- 1995: Received the Órden Samán de Aragua in Venezuela for 35 years of artistic work.
- 2017: Both Naranjo and El Trabuco Venezolano were named Cultural Heritage of Venezuela. This award recognized their important contributions to Venezuelan culture.
- 2018: He received an honorary doctorate degree from UNEARTE. This was for his more than 50 years of work in music and cultural promotion.
Discography
Here are some of the albums Alberto Naranjo released or was a major part of:
- Dulce y Picante
- Imagen Latina
- Oblación
- Swing con Son
- El Trabuco Venezolano Vol. I
- El Trabuco Venezolano Vol. II
- El Trabuco Venezolano Vol. III
- El Trabuco Venezolano Vol. IV
- El Trabuco Venezolano Vol. V
- Irakere & Trabuco, Vol. 1
- Irakere & Trabuco, Vol. 2
Selected Contributions
Alberto Naranjo also contributed to many other albums:
- Arturo Sandoval & the Latin Jazz Orchestra
- Los Cantos del Corazón
- Cosas Del Alma
- I Remember Clifford
- The Mambo Kings
- Mambo Nights
- Muaré
Images for kids
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Alberto Naranjo
See also
In Spanish: Alberto Naranjo para niños
